Ray White's Sewing Machine Repair Class

Monday through Wednesday this week I took my second advanced sewing machine repair class with Ray White. I had taken the beginner class and my first advanced class this summer and was very excited about returning to Missouri for round two. This session was just as rewarding for me as the one this summer had been. I consider Ray to be such a passionate, patient, and knowledgeable teacher. He knows nearly everything about mechanical and electric sewing machines and he graciously shares all he has learned over the years with anyone who is eager to learn.

I am always excited to see who else has signed up for the class and what their motivation is for learning about sewing machines. Everyone comes with a different background and even though we’re seeking the same set of skills and understanding about sewing machine repair, there is variety in what people intend to do with their new expertise. In the three classes I have taken, I have met people who have a background in sewing (quilters, pattern graders, bloggers, tailors, hobbyists, upholsterers, garment makers ) and others who may have never sewn a stitch (tinkerers, shop owners, engineers, husbands whose “wives sent them”,  collectors). And whether we’re intending to go into the repair business or just want to service the growing number of machines in our personal collection, each one of us is exudes enthusiasm for the content of the class.

This year, I brought five sewing machines and one serger with me to work on over the course of the three days. The first machine was my Bernina 1120. This is one of my primary sewing machines, but it had developed a squeak and I knew it needed a good cleaning and tune-up. I was hesitant to open up this machine myself and was looking forward to having Ray there for support. 

Bernina 1120 circuit board

We opened up the machine completely and Ray shared some great information on Bernina care and maintenance. These are well-designed and well-built machines.  I was able to confidently clean, lubricate, and fix the squeak on this machine. When it turned out to be a squeaky belt, Ray suggested ‘lubricating’ it with a bar of soap. That was definitely a new approach for me, but it worked like a charm. Before this class working on Berninas was a bit intimidating for me, but now I feel confident and ready to take on my next Bernina.

Singer 401A

The second machine I worked on in class was a Singer 401A that I had picked up at the Goodwill. The 401A is a slant needle machine and this particular one needed a hook timing adjustment and a good cleaning. 

The third machine was a Husqvarna/Viking 21E in a charming teal color. This machine was from Sweden, had the instruction manual written in Swedish, and was wired with a 220 volt plug.  

The color on this machine is a treat.

Ray had a step up/down transformer that we used to safely convert 110-220 volts and after I got the machine cleaned up it sewed so quietly. This may be a new favorite machine for me. I intend to play around with this one quite a bit in the coming months.

On the second and third days of class I had two Necchis and a Brother serger to work on. One Necchi was a BU that was unbelievably filthy and I wasn’t sure it would even sew. One of my classmates took on the daunting task of cleaning up the machine and she did a beautiful job.  

The BU all cleaned up and wearing a crocheted spool pin cover.  Thank you, Barbara!

Then she and I worked together to get the tension correct and to get the machine sewing beautifully. Another classmate was instrumental in helping me to rewire and fix the foot controller. We had the foot controller completely apart and he came up with the creative solution of substituting a spring for a missing brass connector piece. I love seeing how different brains analyze a problem and devise a solution. The last task with this machine was to rewire the light and put in a new bulb. Thank you to another classmate who had brought a collection of LED bulbs that worked with most machines. This BU turned out to be a true group project and I thoroughly enjoyed working with my talented classmates. 

The second Necchi was a green Supernova that was already working when I brought it to class. It just needed a good cleaning and lubrication.

The last project was a HomeLock 634D differential feed serger. I had not used this particular machine, but I was hoping for a refresher course on servicing a serger and Ray was happy to accommodate. I got the machine all cleaned up early on the third day, but then we had a few setbacks. First, I realized I had left the power cord and foot control at home in Illinois Then, without the help of a manual, we figured out what type replacement needles it needed, but I didn’t have any with me and Ray didn’t have any in the shop. Finally, there were two tension knobs that were loose, but we could not figure out how to adjust them. Each knob was attached to a shaft that had a nut on the end, but those nuts were set into molded plastic and could not be turned to adjust the tension disks or spring on the shaft. Ray and I worked for quite awhile to figure out how to adjust the tension and even resorted to trying superglue at one point.  We could not figure out how the tension unit was originally installed at the factory and thus couldn’t see a way to make adjustments. So, this serger project came home with me to be continued at a later date.

At the end of class, we part ways and headed back to our various states spread across the country. I always find myself driving home a bit sad to be done with class and missing my new friends, but also reenergized and excited to see what new machines are waiting for me in the coming weeks and months. I truly appreciate the time this class gives me to learn about, implement, and reflect on my new and deeper understanding of sewing machines and sewing machine repair. Thank you, Ray White.  Now, let’s see, when I can sign up for my next class?