crafts - Sears Kenmore 2142 / 1750 manual available

Hello, rcts. I am new to this group.

I have the original manual for the Sears Kenmore model 2142 sewing
machine and apparently for the Sears Kenmore model 1750 sewing machine
as well. I am writing those out so people can find this post.

My day started at G Street Fabrics near here. I got a bulb for the
machine. It was a Singer "Long Life Light Bulb" #2118, a dual contact
bayonet base, and cost $1.85. It's frosted and really works well.

I asked for a bobbin winder drive ring there but they had only Singer
and Dritz. The clerk suggested I check Jo-Ann's Fabric and Crafts, and
of course Sears, right across the street. Doh. I honestly hadn't
thought of that.

Jo-Ann's was a wash, with Dritz only, and a Viking department with
nobody there and no drive rings or belts that I could see. On to Sears,
walking the shoe leather express!

I commented at Sears that it was nice to see a retail rack with
_something_ on it labeled Kenmore, but there were no drive rings. The
floor salesman gave me the 800 number for Sears parts:

800-366-7278

My sewing machine is a model 2142 but for some reason it has a model
1750 manual with it. I called Sears and asked for the rubber bobbin
winder drive ring for a model 2142 and was told all parts for that
machine are no longer available, but then I looked at the manual and
called again and was immediately able to order quantity two drive rings
for a model 1750 at $5.49 each, and we will just have to see if they
fit.

I gave part number 1939 for the "Bobbin Winder Rubber Ring" and bingo,
Michelle in Alabama pulled up the part. It just goes to show you what
can be accomplished when documentation is preserved. I cut my manual
down to fit inside the parts box. A few word fragments are missing.

If I am able to scan the parts diagram and number callout, I will post
to:

ftp://users.aol.com/DGoncz/Publications

or a subfolder. Frankly, I don't know if I can do the scan. I will try
using my fax software and my HP psc 1350 printer/scanner/copier.

If the legs fall off your 2142 with cabinet base, put a washer under
the screw that holds on the legs: unplug the cable assembly from the
machine, remove the machine, invert the base, loosen the screws, remove
the leg, remove the screws, reposition the leg, and add screws with
washers. This seems to work better than trying to drive the screw
deeper into the wood.

The rubber bobbin winder drive ring is about 0.637 inch ID, about 5/8,
5/8 would fit, about 0.267 inch wide, 1/4 would fit, and more than
1.125 diameter, even when worn, measured over the pulley it fits on, so
it seems a 5/8 x 1/4 O-ring would not do, but somebody can try it if
Minor Rubber or another supplier can provide a sample. Maybe stretching
(sp?) that size ring over the pulley would do the trick.

If the ring on your machine slips, you can release two captive screws
on the top cover, remove the stich pattern wheel, and remove the cover.
Then, you can loosen the bracket that holds the ring, get some of the
slop in the right direction, and refasten. That'll give my machine a
few bobbins worth of life and is what I've done, but tracking down the
part makes all the difference.

That's all for now.

Yours,

Doug Goncz
Replikon Research
Seven Corners, VA 22044-0394