Necchi sewing machines were made in Italy. Learn more about the history of the Necchi company, vintage models, and more!
By the middle of the 20th century, Necchi sewing machines were on par with those of every other sewing manufacturer in the world. With cutting-edge technol
In a previous post of mine I mentioned the Necchi sewing machine model BF as the grandmother's machine, ideal for those who want to start using the sewing machine at almost zero cost. The abbreviation BF was introduced by Necchi to indicate the straight line sewing machines for domestic use (ita. Bobina Famiglia) with this model towards the end of the 40s as an alternative to the zigzag models called BU (Ita. Bobina Universale, precedentemente BDU, Bobina Domestica Universale, mentre le antenate della BF sono la BD e la BDA, Bobina Domestica con tendifilo Articolato ). It is one of the most popular models in Italian families, which, together with its robustness, explains its relative frequency even today in the second-hand market. It is no coincidence that the manual reads, on the back cover, "A Necchi machine, if well used, lasts a lifetime or more". The reasons for the success of this machine over time are various and I will try to illustrate them all. The Necchi BF (and the subsequent Nova model, distinguishable by some details such as the logo on the top and the type of tensioner) use standard spare parts "class 15" and low attachment presser foot. The transmission of motion to the needle and the hook is entirely mechanical with a shaft, unlike many other machines of the time (and most of the modern ones) in which the transmission takes place with belts. This means that if you decide to shorten your jeans it is able to go through 4/5 layers without skipping stitches and above all without the risk of losing the synchronization between needle and crochet (timing) as can happen to belt models if the belt slips or break. With the right needles and feet, working a couple of layers of natural and synthetic leather is routine, obviously bearing in mind that it is not an industrial machine for leather. click on the thumbnail Necchi service manual and parts catalog, the document refers to the following models of Necchi sewing machines: Necchi BF Nova, Necchi BF Mira, Necchi BU Nova, Necchi BU Mira. The document is very detailed, For those who don't know, Necchi is a sewing machine made in Italy. This is a rare document, the price is only 9 US$, payment on my PayPal, thanks for your understanding. 92 pages, English, pdf format. → Instruktion for servising Necchi pdf ← The machine sews back and forth by moving the lever located on the front. It is possible to disengage the feed dogs and use it for freehand embroidery and darning, although this function is more useful in combination with some accessories, such as the eyelet, since a fair amount of practice is required for embroidery. Finally being an entirely mechanical machine, it is likely that you can always do the maintenance , unlike electronic machines where the slightest failure requires the intervention of a specialized technician. Some of this information obviously applies to many other "vintage" mechanical models and in particular to most of the "Made in Italy" Necchi BU, Necchi BF etc. Although the machine is normally included in pedestal cabinets or tables, it is very easy to add an external motor and operate it with a rheostat. What you can do with a NECCHI depends largely on the accessories: if you are lucky enough to inherit the machine of some relative or acquaintance, it is likely that it will arrive complete with everything you need for the main seams. My BFs arrived without any original accessories apart from a zigzag presser foot, which is a foot that moves the fabric left and right under the needle to allow zigzag sewing on a straight machine, precisely because of the ease with which accessories with universal attachment are found, the problem is only that of the total cost! A head (the machine, usually without motor and without cabinet) of Necchi BF can normally be found on eBay, however, make sure that there is at least the shuttle hook and a bobbin.. Note: the portable green in the suitcase with the motor and the knee control (FHS) is not very common ...let's say that I have not seen others besides mine! Apart from the color, the motor and the base with extension and knee control, from a mechanical point of view it is absolutely the same machine! It is one of the very first portable motor models from Necchi…even if with its over 13-14 kg portability lies only in the fact that the machine is not included in a work table! Among other things, the machine originally had a 110 V motor, not so much because it was designed for US export , but because at the time Italy did not yet have a unified 220V electricity grid. You can write your experiences and questions in the comments, Necchi Service Manual and with parts catalog you can get at a price of 10 €, I recommend watching the attached video.
Having heard the way early Necchi's are spoken of (in hushed tones as if they were made by elves) I focused on getting one that came up on CL. Indeed it is a tight machine. This one built in the 40's was essentially (as the story goes) never used; it shows no signs of wear however the paint has subtle crazing over much of the surface. The straight stitch version in the MoMa Collection The Nova is a handsome machine more so I think than the Mirelli. It is very quiet and smooth. The stitch length control is ingenious however a little hard to get used to. The presser foot control knob and especially the thread tension knob feel more like instruments than any other machine I have ever run into; each having fine threads instead of the typical vague adjustments on all other machines. I love sewing with this thing; if I can find any excuse to use it I do. It chugs along nice and slow when necessary and sounds great. 1940 Cadillac V-16 Sedan Simply Regal! 50
As I'm consolidating my tools for sewing I see some gaps in my tools and on my list to someday acquire was a vertical bobbin zigzag, a vintage decorative stitch machine with reverse function cams, high shank (for being able to use industrial feet) and a small foot print treadle cabinet. Last weekend I came across a Necchi Supernova BU in a Gebowin parlor treadle cabinet - and with a complete accessory kit. This pretty much covers what was on my list in one machine! The machine was a dirty mess but turned freely and no rust. The cabinet is solid - the irons are all good - but it will need some refinishing. The cams and feet are all there but the manual is in Dutch.. It came from a guy who does clean-up work for bank repos and this was a situation where there was an unattended death. So for $50 I took the chance I could get this up and running - although I know the risks of the many intricate parts being stuck. Before any work I tested and it sewed and zigzagged and did decorative stitches - but of course it was dirty and gummy with old oil so ran a bit hard. After as much clean up I could do without disassembling major areas, it ran really smooth - the treadle works great and I thought I was good to go. Next day the cam shaft started intermittently stopping and then stopped all together. I tried oil and heat and more cleaning and then decided I needed to do a more thorough cleaning and disassembly to get to the harder to reach components of the camshaft. See photos. The first is the top of the machine with the cover off. I removed the metal plate (very easy - just 4 screws) that the camshaft is attache to. It came off easy. The underside and inside of the machine showed more gunk. I then had better access to the internals for clean up. I soaked the camshaft plate in alcohol and then cleaned well everything I could get to with a fine brush and clean alcohol. I then re-oiled using Triflow. I put the plate back on and presto- now everything works perfectly and much more smoothly. So far, I'm very happy with this machine - it runs so smooth and the feeds are so precise - nice straight stitch and zigzag. The feeds drop conveniently, there seems to be good piercing power and control. I don't have a motor in the machine - the cords were cut. The downsides are - buttonholes are not ideal and the utility stitches are not that great. No nice overcast function other than zigzag and the twin needle capability is front and back not side by side - so no ability to mimic a coverstitch machine. I plan to use this machine for the decorative stitching and free motion work that requires a zigzag. But the straight stitch is so nice I could use this for general garment sewing work as well. And it's really fun to have a treadle and experience treadle sewing. Now my list has just one more item. Soon I have to decide now what machines duplicate my functions for garment sewing and what ones I will rehome. 📷 📷 📷 📷 📷
Necchi BU is a heavy, high quality, extremely well engineered, and VERY well built, Italian manufactured home sewing machine, which is ca...
A few days ago, she came to me to repair the Necchi 559 (faulty machine does not pull the material, sews in place).? This model will be presented in more detail in this topic: It is a single, rather "solid" model of a sewing machine. The machine has one larger button that changes programs, I don't know the exact number of programs, but I know that it has a lot of beautiful decorative stitches, classic flat stitch, "zigzag" and making button holes, handling the programmer is extremely simple, the programmer is classic mechanical. .. Prije par dana, došla mi je na popravak Necchi 559 (kvar-mašina ne vuče materijal, šije u mjestu).? U ovoj temi će biti predstavljen nešto detaljnije ovaj model: Radi se o jednom,prilično "solidnom" modelu sivaće mašine. Mašina ima jedano veće dugme kojima se mijenjaju programi, tačan broj programa ne znam ali znam da ima dosta lijepe dekorativne štepove, klasični ravni štep, "cik-cak" i izradu rupica za dugmad, rukovanje programatorom je krajnje jednostavno, programator je klasični mehanički... The Necchi 559 sewing machine has a combined platform, removing the accessory from the standard platform results in a sleeve machine that has many advantages when sewing hard-to-reach places on a garment. Maintenance and access to individual assemblies is quite simple, for a start I will show only one part of that model, it will be a "famous" thread catcher, an inexhaustible topic in sewing machines. To access the grapple it is necessary to unscrew the two screws on the piercing plate and the two screws on the underside (see pictures). At the bottom is the most common plastic cover, when this part is removed, you can see a complete assembly with a grapple and a pair of coupled gears that drive the grapple, since this is a model with the so-called with an oscillating grapple (loop), the drive gear is not complete but only one larger segment "Z 1-2", on the drive shaft of that segment rests a black lever which adjusts the transport... Šivaća mašina Necchi 559 je sa kombinovanom platformom, skidanjem dodatka od standardne platforme se dobija rukavna mašina koja ima dosta prednosti kod šivenja teže dostupnih mjesta na nekom odjevnom predmetu. Održavanje i pristup pojedinim sklopovima je dosta jednostavan,za početak ću pokazati samo jedan dio tog modela,bit će to "famozni"grajfer, neiscrpna tema kod šivacih mašina. Za pristup grajferu potrebno je odviti dva vijka na ubodnoj pločici i dva vijka sa donje strane (vidi slike). Sa donje strane je najobičniji plastični poklopac, kada se taj dio skine vidi se kompletan sklop sa grajferom i parom spregnutih zupčanika koji pokreću grajfer, pošto je ovo model sa tzv. oscilirajucim grajferom (petljač), pogonski zupčanik nije kompletan vec je samo jedan veci segment "Z 1-2", na pogonsko vratilo tog segmenta se naslanja crna polugica kojom se podešavaju transportni... teeth, in this case it can be seen that the gears need to be thoroughly cleaned and lubricated with synthetic grease, do not overdo it, also, the part that drives the transport teeth (feed dog) should be lubricated with adequate machine oil. By removing the top cover (see picture) the classic mechanical programmer "Pr" is accessed, poor maintenance and use of the machine only for flat stitching, sometimes parts of the programmer know to "burn" or to be difficult to start, in that situation the machine sets the program ... zubci, u ovom slučaju se vidi da je zupčanike potrebno detaljno ocistiti i podmazati sa tzv. toatnom mašcu (tot mast), ne pretjerivati, isto tako, dio koji pokreće transportne zubce podmazati adekvatnim mašinskim uljem. Skidanjem gornjeg poklopca (vidi sliku) pristupa se klasicnom mehaničkom programatoru"Pr", lošim održavanjem i korištenje mašine samo za ravni štep, ponekad dijelovi programatora znaju da "zapeku" ili da se otežano pokrecu,u toj situaciji mašina zadati program... cannot be fully implemented, stitches are skipped, the sewing machine has difficulty moving, this is most noticeable with decorative stitching, it is best to use a universal cleaning and lubricating spray to unblock a poorly maintained programmer, spray and leave on for a while, after then start the machine and lightly change the program, of course the foot should be raised, after working out the programmer, perform its additional cleaning with a cotton cloth and air under a small ... ne može u potpunosti provesti, dolazi do preskakanja boda, šivaći stroj se otežano kreće, to se najviše primijeti kod ukrasnog-dekorativnog štepa, najbolje je za deblokadu loše održavanog programatora koristiti neki univerzalni sprej za čišcenje i podmazivanje (reklama spreja kada plate:)), solidno našpricati i ostaviti da djeluje odredjeno vrijeme, poslije toga pokrenuti mašinu i lagano vršiti promjenu programa, svakako da stopica treba biti podignuta, poslije razradjivanja programatora, izvršiti njegovo dodatno čišcenje pamučnom krpom i zrakom pod manjim... by pressing (preferably), then lubricate with original oil for sewing machines (yellow arrows). Starting this model is done by an electric motor located inside the "body" of the machine (lower part), access to the motor is from the bottom unscrew the screws holding the lower black cover, when the cover is loosened it is necessary to remove the two side parts made of plastic, thus access to the engine and belt is complete. pritiskom (po mogućnosti), po tom izvršiti podmazivanje originalnim uljem za šivaće mašine (žute strelice)...Pokretanje ovog modela se vrši elektro motorom koji je smješten unutar "tijela" mašine (donji dio), pristup motoru je sa donje strane, potrebno je odviti vijke koji drže donji crni poklopac, kada se poklopac oslobodi potrebno je skinuti i dva bočna dijela od plastike, time je pristup motoru i remenu potpun . The transmission of torque from the engine to the rest of the machine is done by means of a toothed belt, I wrote something about a toothed belt in one of the topics. The toothed belt of a sewing machine is in my opinion a better solution than a classic V-belt or V-belt. If there is a need to replace the belt, it is necessary to remove the above covers and loosen the two screws that fix the engine, raise the engine on the bracket as high as possible and remove the old belt and install a new one, before that both pulleys are needed in detail... Prenos obrtnog momenta sa motora na ostali dio mašine se vrši pomoću zupčastog remena, o zupčastom remenu sam nešto pisao u jednoj od tema. Zupčasti remen šivaće masine je po meni bolje rješenje od klasičnog klinastog ili klinastog nazubljenog remena. U koliko se ukaže potreba da se remen mora zamijeniti potrebno je poskidati gore navedene poklopce i popustiti dva vijka koji fiksiraju motor, podići motor na nosaču maximalno gore i u koliko je potrebno stari remen skinuti i postaviti novi, prije toga obje remenice je potrebno detaljno... to clean. it happens that the old belt accumulates and presses on the pulleys a lot of dust and waiting, therefore the belt does not fit well. After that, install a new belt, carefully pull the engine down to tighten the belt, in addition, the toothed belt must fit well, do not overtighten, the toothed belt slips very rarely with normal tightening. Note: When carrying out any work on the machine, BE SURE to completely disconnect the machine from the power supply (pull the plug "out of the wall"). očistiti, dešava se da stari remen nakupi i spresa na remenice dosta prašine i koje čeka, samim tim remen ne naliježe dobro. Poslije toga postaviti novi remen, pažljivo motor vući prema dole da se remen zategne, osim toga zupčasti remen mora dobro naleći, ne pretjerivati za dotezanjem, zupčasti remen uz normalno dotezanje veoma rijetko proklizava. Napomena: prilikom bilo kojih radova oko mašine OBAVEZNO masinu u potpunosti isključiti iz dovoda struje (isčupati utikač "iz zida"). Another interesting thing about the Necchi 559 is that the foot pressure on the material is regulated by a lever located inside the space where the "Rp" lamp is, the foot pressure is divided by numbers from 0-3. Lamp power is max.15W, access is easy, the cover is opened by hand, there are no screws ... Positions: 1- round programmer 2- upper thread tension dial 3- point to adjust the length of the stitch 4- forward / backward 5- coil winding bobbin 6- main wheel (pulley) Just do not touch position 2 unnecessarily, turn everything else freely as you wish ☺ Još jedna zanimljivost kod Necchi 559 je da se pritisak stopice na materijal reguliše polugicom smještenom unutar prostora gdje je lapma "Rp", pritisak stopice je podijeljen brojevima od 0-3. Jačina lampe je max.15W, pristup je jednostavan,poklopac se otvara rukom,nema nikakvih vijaka....... Pozicije: 1- kolo programatora 2- točkić za podešavanje napetosti gornjeg konca 3- točkić za podešavanje dužine boda 4- naprijed_natrag 5- osovinica za namotavanje bobine(špule) 6- glavno kolo (remenica) Samo poziciju 2 ne dirati bez potrebe, sve ostalo slobodno okretati kako želite ☺
Having heard the way early Necchi's are spoken of (in hushed tones as if they were made by elves) I focused on getting one that came up on C...
Necchi Lydia 544 Sewing Machine Manual + Service Manual PDF for instantly download. View this e-manual right on your tablet, ipad, computer, e-reader, or anything that opens PDF files. This is a download manual only. This is not a physical copy of the instructions manual. In this vintage booklet you will find all technical details of your Necchi Lydia 3 Type 544 Sewing Machine and instructions for its use and maintenance. Some of the topics covered are how to thread a necchi sewing machine, thread sizes, troubleshooting and more. Includes 41 pages service manual that covers Lydia 544 and 542. Necchi Instructions Manual is 39 pages long including covers. Necchi Sewing Machine Models: Necchi 544 Sewing Machine Download instantly after purchase through etsy.
Necchi Supernova machines have an electrical block regulating the current to the motor and the lamp. Necchi Supernova Julia has a somewhat different block, see Dan’s post. Here is the underbe…
Retrouvez dans cet article mon test complet de la NECCHI Q132A, mon avis, ses points forts et ses points faibles !
Frank was also having a problem with the upper tension release. He said the disc opening lever “N” in the figure below that is supposed to press the disc opening rod in the back of the tension assembly was not close enough to the end of the release rod to do its job and release the upper tension. If his machine had the tension assembly removed for any reason or the tension knob had been bumped, the position of the tension mechanism could be incorrect. Hopefully, this procedure will correct that problem. It is very important to check whether the position of the tension mechanism is correct. - Set the presser bar lever in its intermediate (embroidery) position. - Check that the disc opening rod “B” in the below figure is as close as possible to the disc opening lever “N” without actually touching. - Ensure that the thread take-up spring can move freely without rubbing against the machine arm. Distance “a” in the below figure should be about 1/16” (1.5mm) If an adjustment is needed, loosen screw 048050 GEB and move the entire tension mechanism along its axis (do not rotate it) then tighten screw 048050 GEB firmly. Ed Ed's Vintage Sewing Machine Shop
Prodotta tra il 1948 e il 1953 . Le differenze esterne rispetto alla successiva Necchi BU Nova, sono : Logo VN (firmato dal mitico Vittorio Necchi) cerchiato e posto nel centro della base della macchina e il pomello della tensione cromato . ( la Nova ha invece la firma N con cornice quadrata e il pomello della tensione colore nero) Cuce anche a punto zigzag spostando la leva di larghezza del punto. (le Necchi BC, BCJ, BF fanno solo il punto dritto) Come abbassare la griglia Altre caratteristiche : - 3 spostamenti ago (destra centro sinistra) - Regolazione pressione piedino - possibilità di abbassare la griglia, per lavorare a mano libera -Ago montato con parte piatta a destra- Monta aghi 15x1 -Infilatura ago da sinistra a destra - bobine : Sono le stesse delle Singer classe 15 (ad es. Singer 66- identificate con codice n° 172222). Nella capsula devono girare in senso antiorario - Piedini : hight shank
La macchina per cucire computerizzata Necchi NC-102D ha 200 punti di cucitura ed offre la possibilità di selezionare il punto desiderato con una semplice pressione di un pulsante e un chiaro display LCD. Include 8 stili di asole in 1 passaggio e 1 set di punti alfanumerici per il monogramma di base. Il design della macchina permette un angolo di visione ottimale e una superficie di lavoro confortevole.
In a previous post of mine I mentioned the Necchi sewing machine model BF as the grandmother's machine, ideal for those who want to start using the sewing machine at almost zero cost. The abbreviation BF was introduced by Necchi to indicate the straight line sewing machines for domestic use (ita. Bobina Famiglia) with this model towards the end of the 40s as an alternative to the zigzag models called BU (Ita. Bobina Universale, precedentemente BDU, Bobina Domestica Universale, mentre le antenate della BF sono la BD e la BDA, Bobina Domestica con tendifilo Articolato ). It is one of the most popular models in Italian families, which, together with its robustness, explains its relative frequency even today in the second-hand market. It is no coincidence that the manual reads, on the back cover, "A Necchi machine, if well used, lasts a lifetime or more". The reasons for the success of this machine over time are various and I will try to illustrate them all. The Necchi BF (and the subsequent Nova model, distinguishable by some details such as the logo on the top and the type of tensioner) use standard spare parts "class 15" and low attachment presser foot. The transmission of motion to the needle and the hook is entirely mechanical with a shaft, unlike many other machines of the time (and most of the modern ones) in which the transmission takes place with belts. This means that if you decide to shorten your jeans it is able to go through 4/5 layers without skipping stitches and above all without the risk of losing the synchronization between needle and crochet (timing) as can happen to belt models if the belt slips or break. With the right needles and feet, working a couple of layers of natural and synthetic leather is routine, obviously bearing in mind that it is not an industrial machine for leather. click on the thumbnail Necchi service manual and parts catalog, the document refers to the following models of Necchi sewing machines: Necchi BF Nova, Necchi BF Mira, Necchi BU Nova, Necchi BU Mira. The document is very detailed, For those who don't know, Necchi is a sewing machine made in Italy. This is a rare document, the price is only 9 US$, payment on my PayPal, thanks for your understanding. 92 pages, English, pdf format. → Instruktion for servising Necchi pdf ← The machine sews back and forth by moving the lever located on the front. It is possible to disengage the feed dogs and use it for freehand embroidery and darning, although this function is more useful in combination with some accessories, such as the eyelet, since a fair amount of practice is required for embroidery. Finally being an entirely mechanical machine, it is likely that you can always do the maintenance , unlike electronic machines where the slightest failure requires the intervention of a specialized technician. Some of this information obviously applies to many other "vintage" mechanical models and in particular to most of the "Made in Italy" Necchi BU, Necchi BF etc. Although the machine is normally included in pedestal cabinets or tables, it is very easy to add an external motor and operate it with a rheostat. What you can do with a NECCHI depends largely on the accessories: if you are lucky enough to inherit the machine of some relative or acquaintance, it is likely that it will arrive complete with everything you need for the main seams. My BFs arrived without any original accessories apart from a zigzag presser foot, which is a foot that moves the fabric left and right under the needle to allow zigzag sewing on a straight machine, precisely because of the ease with which accessories with universal attachment are found, the problem is only that of the total cost! A head (the machine, usually without motor and without cabinet) of Necchi BF can normally be found on eBay, however, make sure that there is at least the shuttle hook and a bobbin.. Note: the portable green in the suitcase with the motor and the knee control (FHS) is not very common ...let's say that I have not seen others besides mine! Apart from the color, the motor and the base with extension and knee control, from a mechanical point of view it is absolutely the same machine! It is one of the very first portable motor models from Necchi…even if with its over 13-14 kg portability lies only in the fact that the machine is not included in a work table! Among other things, the machine originally had a 110 V motor, not so much because it was designed for US export , but because at the time Italy did not yet have a unified 220V electricity grid. You can write your experiences and questions in the comments, Necchi Service Manual and with parts catalog you can get at a price of 10 €, I recommend watching the attached video.
Necchi BU is a heavy, high quality, extremely well engineered, and VERY well built, Italian manufactured home sewing machine, which is ca...
Found the Nora at church sale in very nice condition. Nearest I can tell it was made in the 50's. Compared to the Nova it is much more modern looking but has the same controls. after sewing with it several times I discovered why it was at the sale; turns out the thread tension device is a little fussy to adjust correctly and someone had moved it just out of position. Because the position (in and out of the casting) is critical it took a while to get it right. Also the bobbin tension had been wound up very high so you had to run up the upper tension to compensate, I think I have it balanced out now. I really like this machine because (like only some machines) when you turn the flywheel by hand it feels completely free as if there is no friction; this makes any machine much nicer to operate. The "two Speed" motor is a mystery; there seems to be no difference between either setting so I'll have to contact the expert on that. It goes merrily thru an 1/8th in of softer leather perfectly. Remember: although domestic machines can sew leather, leathers vary so much due to tanning and finishing that no one rule applies for all. Very detailed and exact practice parts are required for good results on the final pieces. A 1956 Fiat 600 (that girl is NOT getting in that car dude) 12.17.12 Damn this is a nice machine to use! Smooth, quiet, strong, Sometimes just find something to do with it.
Macchine per cucire
I will try to write something about this model and at the same time you can see in the pictures in what condition I got the machine before the general repair, it is a model marked Necchi bagat 958-101. Necchi was a great collaborator with ey.yu sewing machine factory "Bagat", even I think that Bagat, at the beginning of production, based its machines on Necchi "platform", hence the combined name, although it does not have to be, there are many with independent called "necchi". Pokušat ću šta napisati o ovom modelu a ujedno na slikama možete vidjeti u kakvom sam stanju dobio mašinu prije generalne reparacije, u pitanju je model oznake Necchi bagat 958-101. Necchi je bio veliki saradnik sa EX. tvornicom šivaćih mašina "Bagat", čak Mislim da je Bagat, u početku proizvodnje, svoje mašine bazirao na Necchi "platformi", otuda taj kombinovani naziv, mada ne mora biti, ima ih puno sa samostalnim nazivom "necchi". I got a machine that had been standing in a basement for years and was in a very poor condition. the assembly where the needle bar and the foot bar are located were sliding, everything else was rolling bearings, a combination of classic rolling bearings and the so-called needle bearings. Specifically on this model, the needle bearings were in fairly good condition, even more so quite solidly preserved, and all other rolling bearings ("head" / engine / clutch) had to be replaced, the machine made unbearable noise when working with these bearings :) Dobio sam mašinu koja je godinama stajala u nekom podrumu i bila je u veoma "jadnom" stanju, zanimljivo mi je bilo kod necchi clase 958 što su SVI veći ležajevi bili kotrljajućeg tipa, to je rijetkost kod šivaćih mašina, samo oni najmanji ležajevi, unutar sklopa gdje se nalazi iglenjača i nosač-i stopica su bili klizni, sve ostalo su kotrljajući ležaji, kombinacija klasičnih kotrljajućih i tzv. igličastih ležaja. Konkretno na ovom modelu su igličasti ležaji bili u dosta dobrom stanju, čak šta više sasvim solidno sačuvani,a svi ostali kotrljajući ležaji ("glava" / motor / kuplung) su morali biti zamijenjeni ,mašina je pri radu sa tim ležajevima stvarala nesnosnu buku :). In order to do that, it was necessary to disassemble the complete machine, completely build both main axles and the upper and lower one, the machine has a strong internal timing belt, which makes work even more difficult, subsequent gearing is quite complicated ... it is a very robust and powerful model machines with triple transport, the mechanism of triple transport is solved in a slightly different way in relation to what I have seen so far, there is no specific external axis that indicates that it is a triple transport. Da bi se to uradilo potrebno je bilo kompletnu mašinu rastaviti, obje glavne osovine i gornju i donju potpuno izgraditi ,mašina posjeduje snažan unutrašnji zupčasti remen, koji još otežava posao, naknadno uzubljenje je dosta komplikovano....radi se o dosta robusnom i snažnom modelu mašine sa trostrukim transportom, mehanizam trostrukog transporta je na nešto drugačiji način riješen u odnosu što sam do tada viđao, nema one specifične vanjeske osovinice koja ukazuje da je riječ o trostrukom transportu. Lubrication in the necchi 958 is by means of a small central tank, the level in that oil container is seen from the outside through a round piece of plastic (pictured with the forward / reverse lever) and refilling is done through a hole just above, the oil from that container is conducted using plastic tubes filled with special rope (picture) Closed roller bearings are not lubricated, the oil goes to open sleeves with needle bearings and to smaller sliding bearings. Podmazivanje kod necchi 958-101 je pomoću malog centralnog rezervoara, nivo u toj posudici sa uljem se vidi sa vanjske strane kroz okrugli komad plastike (na slici uz polugu naprijed/nazad) a dopunjavanje se vrši kroz rupicu odmah iznad, ulje iz te posudice se sprovodi pomoću plasticnih cjevcica ispunjenih specijalnim kanapom (slika) Zatvoreni kotrljajuci ležajevi se ne podmazuju, ulje ide na otvorene čaure sa igličastim ležajima i na manje klizne ležajeve. Another interesting thing is the hook sewing machine, namely it is a horizontally placed rotating shuttle hook with a large spool, it is interesting that the shuttle hook has a special small container with oil and an oil level meter from where it is lubricated, when the meter shows that the oil level is low it is simply topped up, quite a "nice" solution, so to speak. The length of the stitch machine is quite solid and ranges up to some 6-7 mm. Još jedna zanimljivost je grajfer (hook sewing machine), naime radi se o horizontalno postavljenom rotirajućem grajferu sa velikom špulnom, zanimljivo je to što grajfer ima posebnu malu posudicu sa uljem i mjeračem nivoa ulja odakle se vrši njegovo podmazivanje (nemam te slike), kada se na mjeraču uoči da je nivo ulja nizak jednostavno se dolije, dosta "simpatično", da tako kažem. Korak-bod mašine je sasvim solidan i kreće se do nekih 6-7 mm. The machine does not have a standard winder for winding bobbin, the bobbin is located on the front of the machine, the disadvantage of this winding is the slow winding, I recommend winding during sewing on the machine, so that the machine is not exposed unnecessarily at high idle speeds, be placed in the upper position presser foot. What can I say in the end, with a good and strong thread, an adequate strong needle, there is no material that cannot be worked on this sewing machine... Mašina ne posjeduje standardnu motalicu za namotavanje špulnica, motalica se nalazi sa prednje strane na mašini (vidi sliku), nedostatak te motalice je sporost u namotavanju, preporučam namotavanje na posebnoj mašinici, da se mašina ne izlaže bez potrebe visokim obrtajima na prazno, ipak ako se koristi stopica mora biti postavljena u gornji položaj. Šta mogu reći na kraju, uz dobar i jak konac adekvatnu jaku iglu nema tog materijala koji se ne može raditi na ovoj šivaćoj mašini...
The Necchi BU sewing machine is my go to machine. This simple Italian made sewing machine is great for piecing quilts.
Macchina da cucire NecchiWhere Is Serial Number On Necchi Sewing Machine? It’s difficult to mention a specific part on the Necchi sewing machine to find the serial number. Depending on the Necchi model, you can find it under the sewing machine or directly at the front. Some models also have their serial number hidden on the base or cabinet. Where Is Necchi Sewing Machine Made? Necchi was founded in Italy, but the brand now manufactures from Asia. They have factories in Thailand and Taiwan, as the sewing machines were made in Southeast Asia when Janome owns Necchi. Therefore, if your Necchi sewing machine was made in the 1920s to 1960s, you can expect that it was made in Italy. On the other hand, old models from the 1970s to 1980s are thought to be made in Japan. While Janome-made Necchi sewing machines are also of good quality, the award-winning design and craftsmanship of the Necchi sewing machines are credited to those made in Italy... Searching the age of Necchi sewing machines based on the serial number is quite difficult, below are most of the models and production dates; some information is unknown, if you have any knowledge you can write it in the comments: Necchi Model Descriptions 1930-1971: NECCHI : Auto Cylindric Free Arm; Italy; 19?? - 1955 BC Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black; Italy 19?? BCJ Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black; Italy 19?? BF Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black, Green, or Pink; Italy 19?? BF Mira Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Gray; Italy 19?? BF Supernova Flat Bed; Straight Stitch; Oscillating Hook; Gray; Italy; 1955-1962 BU Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Black or Green; Italy 1948-1953 BU Mira Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Olive; Italy; 1952-1956 BU Nova Flat Bed; Osc. Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Dark Green or Black; Italy; 1953 BU Supernova Flat Bed; Manual Zig Zag; Osc. Hook; Gray; Italy; 1955-1958 Esperia Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Italy; 1958-1961 Miracle Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black; Italy 1955 Miranda Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Olive; Italy; 1961 Supernova Ultra Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Automatic zig zag; Italy; 1958-1963 510 Lelia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Pink/Cream; Italy; 1961 512 Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Cream & Green; 1963-1971 513 Lelia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Buttonhole; Italy; 1961 514 Nora; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Automatic; Gray or Pink; Italy; 1957-1961 515 Lelia, Flat Bed; Cream & Pink; Italy; 1963-1971 522 Lycia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; White; Italy; 1955 523 Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag with BH; Pink; Italy 1963-1971 524 Lycia; Free Arm; Oscillating Hook; Automatic; White; Italy; 1955 525 Flat Bed; Automatic with BH; Italy; 1963-1971 530 Mirella; Free Arm; Straight Stitch; Pink; Italy; 1963-1971 532 Flat Bed; Manual Zig Zag; Oscillating Hook; Pink/Cream; Italy; 1954-1962 534 Supernova Julia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Lavender; Italy; 1961-1971 535 Flat Bed; Rotary Hook; Automatic; Olive; Italy 544 Lydia; Free Arm; Rotary Hook; White; Italy; 1962-1971 554 Flat Bed; Cream & Beige; Italy; 1963-1971 559 Free Arm; Italy 19?? Necchi BU Nova / BU Mira / BF Nova / BF Mira/ Service Manual The list above contains all the models made in Italy and manufactured before 1972, after that Necchi shifted the majority of production offshore. NECCHI : 538 - 1972-80 539 - 1972-80 555 - 1975-82 565 - 1973-78 582 Sylvia - 1973-78 584 Sylvia Multimatic - 1973-78 586 Sylvia Maximatic - 1973-78 592 Logica - 1985-89 Necchi model numbers are not sequential, cannot be used to determine manufacture date or country of origin, and some are even duplicated... NECCHI : 502 - Taiwan 1985-98 503 - Taiwan 1986-89 505 - Taiwan 1991-98 522 - Taiwan 1983-93 (same model as Lycia) 523 - Taiwan 1983-91 (same model as one made in Italy 1963-71) 524 - Taiwan 1991- (same model as Lycia) 525 - Taowan 1991- (same model as one made in Italy 1963-71) 534 - Taiwan 1982-86 (same model as Julia) 535 - Taiwan 1982-88 536 - Taiwan 1988-96 537 - Taiwan 1988-96 (same model as one made in Italy 1972-82) 541 - Japan 1980-87 543 - Japan 1980-87 549 - Japan 1982-87 574 - Taiwan 1985-91 575 - Taiwan 1982-86 ...
I am not so sure about this machine. Mechanically it is well engineered and I would love to get it stitching. The motor smokes. I need to remove it and see why. I can get the the belt easily enough by removing those two screws on the belt guard. Uh Oh. This is the housing for the electrical. I will need to concentrate. Or maybe read a murder mystery, instead. I may tackle it today. Right after I check in with the Necchi Yahoo group.
The coolest Kenmore ever? Maybe. Friends, this is a very, very cool machine. I've seen these for years and wanted one the past two or so. The shape and functionality is such a departure from, yet such a product of its time: 1984 (in the case of this particular machine). It's natural to think of Orwell but I see this machine with its blinking LEDs, its architectural, rectangular shape, its hand wheel combined with one of the shortest main shafts of any machine I've seen, and the surprising functionality, deftness, and durability (many SensorSew and Logica machines are still operating today) and I think of the resilience of The Empire Strikes Back. The shape of the machine could be a space station in that early Star Wars trilogy and the control panel wouldn't look out of place in one of the ships that so dazzled me as a kid simultaneously watching both my future and 'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...' This kind of deliberate artistic irony has never been, for myself, the subject of nostalgic amusement because of the grain of truth it contains: are we so arrogant to think the human condition is not universal and thus not limited to humans and our own planet? Such were some of my thoughts as a young guy watching these spectacles, their designs holding up rather well, I think. Their messages -- well, timeless. Who was Sears'/Necchi's target market for this machine and the related (and more standard) SensorSew 70? It didn't break sales records (that I know of) but there are enough still in existence and sewing beautifully that it must have appealed within the Reagan-era zeitgeist. I'm not certain the original Star Wars trilogy could have been successfully created in another era, as the '80s were such a unique intersection of optimism and earnestness. (Remember the Cold War?) But who would sew on such a machine -- Darth Vader, doing some quick repairs to his codpiece? I bought this from a CL seller who simply wanted it gone. She explained that it would need cleaning and that, my friends, is the understatement of the last several years. I have spent about 4 hours cleaning it so far and I'm not done (as is obvious in the pictures). The frame is metal and the machine is fairly hefty, clad in a textured white paint that was popular at the time (think the Husqvarna Viking 150 and several other models). The plastic panels betray the machine having sat in sunlight and will have to be bleached with peroxide cream. There is one part missing and it's an important one: the flip-over panel in the middle of the bed that converts the machine from a flat bed to a free arm. So, the machine is a free arm until I can find the missing part (and I have my doubts this will happen). There are some paint dings but it's not bad at all, nothing that a bit of eggshell finish white paint cannot hide. How does it sew? Surprisingly well for a machine that has been in storage for about 15 years. All of the 100 stitches work and I've only had trouble with a flower design, getting it to look like the impossibly perfect pictograph on the panel above the presser feet storage. The seller had marked the machine's front of the bed with a felt-tip ink pen at various intervals -- long lines of ink instead of the usual tape. With a lot of scrubbing and swearing, I've been able to remove almost all traces save a blotch near the plate in a vile magenta. I used a little soap/water (I know, I know -- but nowhere near any exposed metal), Maas metal polish, lens cleaner, then Bon Ami. Besides the 100 stitches/monograms, the SS 100 is capable of an 8mm zig-zag, very unusual for a domestic machine. It's also surprisingly quick. I haven't measured SPM but I would guess close to 1000. The stitch quality is excellent and the tension and pressure controls are smooth-turning dials, 0 - 9 for tension and 0 - 6 (detents on each number) for pressure. This is all very Kenmore-like and I wonder how much input Sears had in the machine's design. Anyone out there know? For $10, this has been an incredible investment in fun. I've been entertained by this machine for hours, cleaning it up and admiring its design, testing the stitches, and reading the included manual. It's a bit of a curiosity, something that might appear in a sewing machine museum or museum of modern industrial design but that it sews so well after having not been used for many years is really admirable.
Certain machines require that I stalk the tall grass, then pounce. I've been wanting a Nora for about 2 years and every time I find one, it's either too far away, too expensive, or in really terrible shape. I found this one at the GW site: it was within my loosely enforced budget and in good shape. As for distance, shipping was surprisingly reasonable -- but this is my second experience with a machine shipped via FedEx and I'm not happy. The subject requires a small blog post of its own, so I will write one soon. What I like about this machine is pure aesthetics. The rounded, bullet-shaped design is what I consider Necchi's finest of the 1960s and the hulk of flat sheet metal between the cap and the throat balances the smooth form with heft. The salmon pink color is almost ironic, although the machine came in several other colors. (Truth be told, I wanted the hammered silver but I didn't want to spend $300.) The hand wheel is that wonderfully tactile large, away-from-the-pillar design that is the very best for someone with hands my size and the mass of this wheel means that the inertia it generates keeps the machine running exceptionally powerfully. Sure, some immediate start/stop control is lost due to weight but once I replace the cloth/synthetic rubber belt with a lugged version, the controller (my foot, rather) will have better control over the needle bar. Those familiar with the Supernova models will have no trouble recognizing the familiar knobs for length, width, limiters, and tension. The pressure knob is the screw-cap variety with a built-in oil port complete with bearing. The angled spool pins (one is broken off) are an elegant and low-tech solution to the problem of bouncing, noisy spools, using gravity and a lower angle to draw thread downward off the spool, thus pulling the spool down to the platform. Perfect. I'm not entirely certain but I don't believe this model is double needle-capable, as the hook faces leftward rather than forward. I will have to research this, though. I don't have a manual, though I will be searching for a download when I have a few minutes. The 1 amp motor is so quiet! I really should do a video of this machine just to show how smooth and silent it is -- even more surprising, as this machine is oscillating rather than full rotary. Though I need to pull the motor (and tighten the set screw on the motor shaft) for general cleaning and to polish the commutator, etc., it runs like a top, though I detect a little slowness. I'm still cleaning the exterior and will soon begin some surgical kerosene and alcohol application on certain interior parts. The machine included a really beat-up but genuine Necchi case, a Necchi box of attachments (mostly presser feet, some Necchi needles, two additional plates, etc.), and an additional Necchi controller. Now my Lelia 513 has a Necchi controller of its own once this one is rewired. Hurrah!
I will try to write something about this model and at the same time you can see in the pictures in what condition I got the machine before the general repair, it is a model marked Necchi bagat 958-101. Necchi was a great collaborator with ey.yu sewing machine factory "Bagat", even I think that Bagat, at the beginning of production, based its machines on Necchi "platform", hence the combined name, although it does not have to be, there are many with independent called "necchi". Pokušat ću šta napisati o ovom modelu a ujedno na slikama možete vidjeti u kakvom sam stanju dobio mašinu prije generalne reparacije, u pitanju je model oznake Necchi bagat 958-101. Necchi je bio veliki saradnik sa EX. tvornicom šivaćih mašina "Bagat", čak Mislim da je Bagat, u početku proizvodnje, svoje mašine bazirao na Necchi "platformi", otuda taj kombinovani naziv, mada ne mora biti, ima ih puno sa samostalnim nazivom "necchi". I got a machine that had been standing in a basement for years and was in a very poor condition. the assembly where the needle bar and the foot bar are located were sliding, everything else was rolling bearings, a combination of classic rolling bearings and the so-called needle bearings. Specifically on this model, the needle bearings were in fairly good condition, even more so quite solidly preserved, and all other rolling bearings ("head" / engine / clutch) had to be replaced, the machine made unbearable noise when working with these bearings :) Dobio sam mašinu koja je godinama stajala u nekom podrumu i bila je u veoma "jadnom" stanju, zanimljivo mi je bilo kod necchi clase 958 što su SVI veći ležajevi bili kotrljajućeg tipa, to je rijetkost kod šivaćih mašina, samo oni najmanji ležajevi, unutar sklopa gdje se nalazi iglenjača i nosač-i stopica su bili klizni, sve ostalo su kotrljajući ležaji, kombinacija klasičnih kotrljajućih i tzv. igličastih ležaja. Konkretno na ovom modelu su igličasti ležaji bili u dosta dobrom stanju, čak šta više sasvim solidno sačuvani,a svi ostali kotrljajući ležaji ("glava" / motor / kuplung) su morali biti zamijenjeni ,mašina je pri radu sa tim ležajevima stvarala nesnosnu buku :). In order to do that, it was necessary to disassemble the complete machine, completely build both main axles and the upper and lower one, the machine has a strong internal timing belt, which makes work even more difficult, subsequent gearing is quite complicated ... it is a very robust and powerful model machines with triple transport, the mechanism of triple transport is solved in a slightly different way in relation to what I have seen so far, there is no specific external axis that indicates that it is a triple transport. Da bi se to uradilo potrebno je bilo kompletnu mašinu rastaviti, obje glavne osovine i gornju i donju potpuno izgraditi ,mašina posjeduje snažan unutrašnji zupčasti remen, koji još otežava posao, naknadno uzubljenje je dosta komplikovano....radi se o dosta robusnom i snažnom modelu mašine sa trostrukim transportom, mehanizam trostrukog transporta je na nešto drugačiji način riješen u odnosu što sam do tada viđao, nema one specifične vanjeske osovinice koja ukazuje da je riječ o trostrukom transportu. Lubrication in the necchi 958 is by means of a small central tank, the level in that oil container is seen from the outside through a round piece of plastic (pictured with the forward / reverse lever) and refilling is done through a hole just above, the oil from that container is conducted using plastic tubes filled with special rope (picture) Closed roller bearings are not lubricated, the oil goes to open sleeves with needle bearings and to smaller sliding bearings. Podmazivanje kod necchi 958-101 je pomoću malog centralnog rezervoara, nivo u toj posudici sa uljem se vidi sa vanjske strane kroz okrugli komad plastike (na slici uz polugu naprijed/nazad) a dopunjavanje se vrši kroz rupicu odmah iznad, ulje iz te posudice se sprovodi pomoću plasticnih cjevcica ispunjenih specijalnim kanapom (slika) Zatvoreni kotrljajuci ležajevi se ne podmazuju, ulje ide na otvorene čaure sa igličastim ležajima i na manje klizne ležajeve. Another interesting thing is the hook sewing machine, namely it is a horizontally placed rotating shuttle hook with a large spool, it is interesting that the shuttle hook has a special small container with oil and an oil level meter from where it is lubricated, when the meter shows that the oil level is low it is simply topped up, quite a "nice" solution, so to speak. The length of the stitch machine is quite solid and ranges up to some 6-7 mm. Još jedna zanimljivost je grajfer (hook sewing machine), naime radi se o horizontalno postavljenom rotirajućem grajferu sa velikom špulnom, zanimljivo je to što grajfer ima posebnu malu posudicu sa uljem i mjeračem nivoa ulja odakle se vrši njegovo podmazivanje (nemam te slike), kada se na mjeraču uoči da je nivo ulja nizak jednostavno se dolije, dosta "simpatično", da tako kažem. Korak-bod mašine je sasvim solidan i kreće se do nekih 6-7 mm. The machine does not have a standard winder for winding bobbin, the bobbin is located on the front of the machine, the disadvantage of this winding is the slow winding, I recommend winding during sewing on the machine, so that the machine is not exposed unnecessarily at high idle speeds, be placed in the upper position presser foot. What can I say in the end, with a good and strong thread, an adequate strong needle, there is no material that cannot be worked on this sewing machine... Mašina ne posjeduje standardnu motalicu za namotavanje špulnica, motalica se nalazi sa prednje strane na mašini (vidi sliku), nedostatak te motalice je sporost u namotavanju, preporučam namotavanje na posebnoj mašinici, da se mašina ne izlaže bez potrebe visokim obrtajima na prazno, ipak ako se koristi stopica mora biti postavljena u gornji položaj. Šta mogu reći na kraju, uz dobar i jak konac adekvatnu jaku iglu nema tog materijala koji se ne može raditi na ovoj šivaćoj mašini...
Necchi Supernova machines have an electrical block regulating the current to the motor and the lamp. Necchi Supernova Julia has a somewhat different block, see Dan’s post. Here is the underbe…
Necchi sewing machines were on par with those of every other sewing company in the world by the middle of the 20th century. The first Necchi models stunned the
Necchi BU Nova I have three Necchi BU Novas one with no motor at all, which I will call "Motorless Necchi" one with a motor with wiring so bad that it looks like it would burn your house down. Named for the purposes of this blog "Bad Wire Necchi" the only working one in an original (if terrible looking) Necchi case. We'll call this one "Motor Necchi" Motorless Necchi Eventually the global pandemic will end and I will be willing to go to the NC TOGA, an annual swap meet for vintage sewing machine enthusiasts. Not this year, though. This machine could go into a treadle, and I have heard that a minor modification will allow it to fit into a Singer treadle. I have not seen or tested this myself so I'm not going to comment on that further. When I get back to the swap meet I will take this one to sell. Unless one of my local friends wants to buy it through the front-porch-drop method! Bad Wire Necchi In most cases external motors are interchangeable on vintage sewing machines. I have a box full of motors and I had planned to replace the one on the Bad Wire Necchi and offer it for sale at the "friends and family" price (because not having the original motor destroys the "collectability" value). The first problem I encountered was the fact that the motor mount is completely different on the Necchi than on most of the vintage machines I see. For starters, the thingy (motor controller plug receptacle?) that the motor controller (aka foot pedal) plugs into is built into the motor mount. This wouldn't create a problem if I replaced the motor because the new motor would need a different motor controller wiring system of its own. Does this make any sense at all? This photo fails to show you the motor mount and doesn't even do a very good job of showing the two attachment screws. But I'm not getting the machine back out to take more photos. The Necchi attachment of the motor mount to the machine is much better than the typical mount because it has two bolt attachment holes which will hold the motor more securely than one would do. The bolt holes are also positioned lower on the pillar. "No problem", I thought to myself. "The trusty Dremel can grind away a bit of the motor attachment post on the replacement motor and I can just slide it into place on one of the bolt holes." Motor and hand wheel MUST align properly No such luck. Even if I did that the motor would not be aligned with the drive shaft on the Necchi sewing machine. And that is a deal breaker. Even if I could mount this replacement motor, it would not align with the hand wheel So Bad Wire Necchi is in an indefinite time out. Last summer Missie gave me a lesson in taking apart a motor and doing all the necessary stuff to get it in good working order. And it really does not seem too complicated. But I'm not all that confident in my ability to do this myself. Eventually I may get desperate enough to tackle a motor by myself (and with the help of that ultimate guru, YouTube). I have several machines that need this kind of help. Motor Necchi I had tested this one before and had marked it "best of the BUs". That was probably in 2018 because I know I acquired two Necchi BUs at the 2018 NC TOGA. Linda may have forgiven me by now for beating her to this one. She wanted the case and failed to talk me into letting her have it. I still had the piece of cloth on which I had tested the stitches in the machine and it looked fine. But when I re-tested it this time there was a small problem with the upper tension which left a tiny loop on the underneath side at intervals. Problems which show up on the underneath side are usually problems with the top tension. Problems which show up on the top are usually problems with the bottom tension. See the glitch, near the center of the lower line of stitching Easily 90% of the tech support calls* I get from friends and former customers involve "nesting" of thread on the bottom, also referred to as "thread mess". These are highly technical terms, you understand. *if you buy a machine from me, if you are a friend or family member, or a family member of a friend, or a friend of a family member or just someone who once upon a time got my phone number from someone, you can call me on the phone for technical support. I'm much less willing (translation: completely unwilling) to do this by typing into my computer however, and more likely just to give you a link to a blog post. Like this one. So, thread mess on the bottom is probably upper thread tension problem and I love these calls because most of the time I can help the person fix it in a minute or two over the phone. Here's what you do: First of all DO NOT BEGIN BY ADJUSTING THE TENSIONER. That is probably not the problem. Most of the time the thread has just ended up in the wrong position in or behind the tensioner. If you already adjusted the tensioner, no worries. You can always adjust it back again after trying what I recommend below. not easy to see the discs on the Necchi tensioner, but the thread must go between them Un-thread and re-thread the machine. Make sure your presser foot is UP while you do it. Lifting the presser foot opens the tensions discs (they move a bit apart from one another) allowing the thread to seat itself properly inside. Make sure the thread is going IN BETWEEN the tension discs and not behind them (this is a problem on some models but not all). When you lower the presser foot the discs will move back together and the thread will have tension on it as it should. no easier to see the discs from the other side And of the calls I get about thread mess on the bottom, this has always helped. As far as I can remember, which admittedly is not very far. People have brought machines to me but not for this. Because we have fixed it over the phone. And although I specialize in vintage rather than modern machines, the same troubleshooting goes for modern machines where the tensioner is hidden from sight within the machine. Un-thread and re-thread with the presser foot up. Take two aspirins and call me in the morning. Didn't work on Motor Necchi however. In the hopes that writing about the troubleshooting process might be helpful to someone, I'm going to detail the steps I followed. You start with the quickest and easiest things first. Do one thing at a time and check by sewing a test line after each step. Un-threaded and re-threaded as described above. Didn't solve the problem. Replaced the needle, because a burr on the needle can affect the way the thread flows through. Still no luck. Replaced the bobbin because a bobbin with a rough spot or badly wound thread can cause trouble. No luck. Took out the bobbin race and checked the point. If the needle strikes this it can cause a roughness on it. The pointy tip of the race did feel as if it might have a burr on it. I took some 400 grit sandpaper and smoothed it down. It felt smoother after that but this still did not solve the problem. By this point I was getting worried because it seemed likely that the problem was INSIDE the tensioner. And I was just not in the mood to disassemble an unfamiliar tensioner. However there was one more thing I had heard of but had never tried. The dollar bill trick. Took a dollar bill and used it to floss the inner surfaces of the tension discs. The theory, as I understand it, is that the printing on US currency is slightly abrasive and the bills themselves are tough enough to stand up to this treatment. The edges of the dollar bill did get grubby and whaddaya know--it worked! I'm guessing that the gunk that was in there had been sporadically interfering with the flow of the thread through the discs. With at least some of the gunk removed the thread stopped stuttering and the tiny loops created on the underneath side of the fabric stopped forming. Along the top edge of the bill you can see the gunk it removed Is this a lazy way to solve the problem in an incomplete fashion? Yes. Should I still disassemble the tensioner and give it a thorough cleaning?. Also yes. Is this going to happen? No, it is not. Not any time soon at least. So Motor Necchi is up and running and I find I DO NOT want to sell it. The speed and power are impressive. Speed is easy to evaluate, and although I don't have a quantitative way to test it, this machine goes like blazes. I can FEEL the power and I do have a testing procedure for this. Here it is: Set the stitch length to "medium", whatever is in the middle of your stitch length lever or whatever is the default setting on your electronic machine. Take a long length of muslin or something like quilting cotton. I tear off a width-of-bolt strip about four inches wide. Using two different thread colors allows you to see if the tension is balanced. This time I had black thread on the top and a pale pink in the bobbin. Fold the fabric with the short sides together. So now instead of it being 42 inches long it is 21 inches long. Sew a couple of inches. ANY machine ought to be able to handle two layers of light cotton! Needle down, raise the presser foot and fold the end of the fabric up to the needle. Presser foot down, sew a couple more inches. Now you are sewing through four layers of cotton. Again, any machine should be able to handle this. Repeat. (needle down, presser foot up, fold, presser foot down, sew). Now you are sewing through eight layers. Usually I stop at this point. Most of the machines I test, even those lovely all metal vintage machines, are going to balk at doubling the layers again. HOWEVER, Motor Necchi sewed through sixteen layers like butter. I didn't feel the need to try 32 layers. And anyway I had gotten to the end of the fabric by then. Each time you fold it up, you are doubling the number of layers you are sewing through Number of layers There was black thread on the top There was pink thread in the bobbin. Note the perfect tension no matter how many layers there were. And I'm in love. I have a lot of machines I'm in love with. I always want to downsize the herd and I have downsized quite a bit (I'm down from around 100 machines to around 75). But I don't want to part with this one. I did run into a problem while I was testing this machine. I'm going to tell you about it and what I tried that DID NOT WORK and what eventually did work. This is the special niche that the DragonPoodle blog fills: screwing up and telling you all about it so that you don't need to go down the same wrong road. You're welcome. The problem started when I tested the bobbin winder. A badly wound bobbin such as the one shown in the photo is a recipe for a sewing disaster. NOT wound on the Necchi. This one came in a bag of vintage bobbins that I bought at a thrift store. I find that putting the bobbin on a skewer allows it to spin as I pull the old thread off. I released the clutch knob as one does to wind the bobbin. Releasing the clutch means that the needle bar stops going up and down. When you are ready to sew again, you tighten the clutch back up. The bobbin winder worked and the bobbin filled smoothly. However, when I tightened the clutch the handwheel began to slip. This meant that the machine began slowing down more and more as I sewed. I removed the clutch knob by loosening the small screw, shown from the underneath side in the photo. I also removed the clutch washer from the end of the handwheel. The clutch washer is the silver colored thing shown above Then I removed the hand wheel and cleaned all of the surfaces with alcohol and q-tips and paper towels. This is just good basic maintenance on an old machine. Put it all back together and the problem still existed. The hand wheel was slipping on its shaft. i gave this a lot of thought and basically came up with nothing. So I tried something that I had no reason to believe would work, and indeed, it didn't. Don't bother doing this at home I tried adding plumber's pipe tape because that was the only thing I could think of, and because I had it on hand. First I tried it on the threads of the clutch knob itself. Didn't solve the problem and it tore itself up inside the threads and was a pain in the neck to pick it all back out again. Next, I tried wrapping it on to the hand wheel shaft. This also didn't work although it was easier to remove the result after the pipe tape moved itself to the back of the shaft. After more head scratching I took a closer look at the interior surface of the hand wheel. Unlike all the other hand wheels I have seen, the Necchi has a deep groove in the middle and had something that looked like an old cord in there. The red box highlights this interesting feature. So maybe the purpose of whatever the heck the cord-like object inside was to grip the handwheel and it has given up its grip? I really have no idea. But I did have a very thick rubber band thingy. I always save those big blue rubber bands that come holding broccoli stems together because they are the PERFECT thing to improve the grip on a treadle belt. I didn't have any of those on hand but I had something that had come with a garment. I cut a strip off of it the same width as the hand wheel grove and used a skewer to poke it down in there. Went around the groove twice. Sorry, no photos because by this time my hair was on fire. Used a rubber mallet to pound the hand wheel back on to the shaft. That puppy is NOT going to slip. And it sews just fine now without slowing down. It's also never going to release for bobbin winding purposes. But Linda kindly informed me that where I originally went wrong was in releasing the clutch knob in the first place. "I never do that" she said. Do you have a Necchi BU Nova? What has your experience been with it?
