The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

The New Hotness

  • Kenmore Model 158 Sewing Machine: Bobbin Case Restoration

    I picked up a spare sewing machine as a crash test dummy for modifications to Mary’s Kenmore Model 158. It’s in reasonably good condition, although the bobbin case showed a bit of rust:

    Kenmore bobbin case - rusted overview
    Kenmore bobbin case – rusted overview

    Taking the tension spring off revealed more rust:

    Kenmore bobbin case - rusted parts
    Kenmore bobbin case – rusted parts

    An overnight soak in Evapo-Rust got rid of the corrosion and left the pits behind:

    Kenmore bobbin case - restored parts
    Kenmore bobbin case – restored parts

    Those imperfections on the tension spring are pits, not bumps, despite their appearance.

    It doesn’t seem so bad from the outside:

    Kenmore bobbin case - restored
    Kenmore bobbin case – restored

    It probably won’t work nearly as well as it should, this being one place where a smooth surface counts for a lot. Fortunately, it’s just a crash test dummy machine and good results aren’t critical.