Bob Fowler is a national treasure. Thanks so much for bailing me out of another jam. Somehow I knew that if I searched for a Singer 201 bobbin case removal, your video would pop up. Just wish I had searched for it before I spent an hour trying to remove stubborn thread with a pair of tweezers.
I'm waiting for supplies to show up to rewire/clean/lubricate my 201. Our mail sux. Motor kit delivered at 10:45 pm last night. Days before Amazon stuff will show. Thought I would just take off the bobbin winder thread tensioner, clean it and put it back. Easy peasy, right? Did I even take a picture? Of course not. Did it take me 15 minutes to put it back on after looking at 2 online pictures? Of course. Thank you for your videos. There is no way I could have figured out this bobbin on my own. You are awesome!
Hi there Bob, greatful for the videos, watching them gives me the confidence to take charge, and get to know my 201 well. This will save me money so i don't have to rely on others. These machines were made in a way for the owner to service them. Brilliant work
I’ve been given a 1937 201 and someone has been messing about with the bobbin case and it has been misaligned. I’m half way through taking it apart. I’ll grit my teeth and try to get that clip off! Thank you for such a great video!
Shows how to remove thread from bovine that’s stacked on and don’t let the machine to move on. Thanks for sharing your knowledge to us , I am your number 1 fan that follow you 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽♥️
Hi Bob, Hope you are feeling better and please take care of yourself. I can't thank you enough for your perfect video instructions. Last time the wheel froze I did exactly what you said not to do and broke something. Took it to a shop and they had it for 3 weeks and could not find the broken part. Online found another machine and then it happened again some how thread was stuck in bobbin case and nothing was moving. It is back together and working thanks to you.
My 201 wheel froze and I suspect from what you’re saying, that it’s a stray thread(s) in the bobbin assembly. Since i can’t move the hand wheel at all now, can i still take out the bobbin case somehow? The back story to this sudden jam-i tried to fmq but it was looping terribly under the fabric. So i stopped, raised the dogs back up and went to straight stitching. I didn’t get far before everything suddenly froze.
Thank you. Now I know how that goes back together I just purchased a singer 201 and it was missing the retaining ring and the bobbin case found one on ebay just waiting for it to arrive
I love that you give proper names for everything. I bought a 201 for $6 that had been parted out for me to fiddle around with. The entire bobbin assembly is missing... so im looking at large cash for my "education. "
Thanks Bob, I successfully took my 201's bobbin case and cleaned all the nasty gunge from it, then reassembled it following your instructions. Good stuff! My eBay £27 ($35 US) 201 is feeling a lot nicer! Thanks again
Thank you for this video. I had thread caught up in my bobbin casing and didn't know how to take it apart and put it back together. Boy, did that needed cleaning. Huge help.
Awesome! I've got a 201 I took mostly apart before Covid and due to one thing and another (starting with a wrist injury) it got put away. All your 201 vids are a godsend for me. Even though I've got a service manual I'm going to watch all the 201 vids again before I put my one back together because guess what? I can't remember what I did when I took it apart now, or even the order I did it in. :-) (Thank goodness I had the sense to bag-and-label "system parts" like the tension unit, needle bar system etc!) Extra-special thanks for this great video - and to Jo for suggesting it - because one thing I remember about what you just showed here was something I found really difficult at the time just to take apart.
Wow, these tutorials are a game changer! Thank you so much for offering up such excellent commentary and step by step detail for maintenance on these vintage beauties. I recently purchased a 201-2 from the original owner and am going through it slowly to restore her to her former beauty. I'm seeing a lot of brown tarnish on the metal and suspect it is from years of exposure to smoking. I hope it is ok to use 99.9% isopropyl alcohol on the metal only parts to clean this off. Seems to be working. I just clean the bobbin case, hook and all! I did the deep dive and it is all looking so much cleaner. Really appreciate the attention to detail that you cover as it is easy to follow and understand. Makes the restoration something obtainable and enjoyable. Going through this restoration process will make me so intimately familiar with how the machine works and will give such a better appreciation of the engineering and machining that sadly seems to be a lost art. On to my next step! Cheers, and hi to Forrest Gump!
I love the description of "the rest of this is just Lego." I totally separate things into those two categories when I'm taking machines apart -- "Lego" and "better take pictures" :)
The first time I removed the bobbin case from my 201-2, I must have used every word in the book, and then some. The second and third time was a piece of cake. Thanks again for your great videos.
HOORAY!! Bob, I love your videos. So clearly explained, great camera shots…. Very, very helpful. I had asked in one FB group, “How do you get that bobbin hook out?” and the only reply I got was, “You don’t. It will mess up your timing.” But mine is very dirty with old oil and I want it clean! And now I know how to do it. Thanks, Bob!
Thank you for another informative video. I love my 201 and just finished a quilt top on it. My thread however jumps out of the little hook guide on a regular basis. I use a tall thread stand, wrapping the thread around an empty bobbin on the spool pin before hooking it around that guide. But it still jumps out. I’m loving this machine. It’s quickly moving into 1st place, powering past my laid back Featherweight! Thanks again!
Thank you for this informative video. This is awsome! Just getting to know my 201 that was left (and fully functioning) in a cupbhoard in a house we bought. Best regards to Mr Gump!
Excellent video! I noticed a lot of fluff inside a tiny spring on the outside of the bobbin in my machine. The fluff is jammed tight. Maybe removing the bobbin case will give me access to it. My model is the Singer 201K electric, knee operated one. Thank you. Greetings from Australia.
Thank you for making such a clear and well explained video. I'm having a little trouble with putting the retaining ring back on. when I turn the balance wheel the clutch slips before the retaining ring can click into place. I've tried removing the stop screw from the stop motion wheel and tightening as much as I can. I was wondering if the washer had worn and I needed to add a shim washer or if there was somthing else I'm missing.
Thanks for a great instructional video 👍👍👍 I just bought a Singer 201 which I'm planning to use for repairing sails. However, when I compare my bobbin case to yours, it appears that I'm missing the adjustment screw for the tension spring on the bobbin case. So my spring isn't "tight" against the side of the bobbin case, and this causes the under thread to unwind from the bobbin. Do you know what kind of screw this is, and is it possible to find a modern replacement? 🤔
Thank you for the video. Why would my thread by getting all tangled up in the bobbin case? It seems to be the thread from the needle that bunches up not the thread from the bobbin. I have taken it apart and cleaned it so it’s not a cleanliness issue I don’t think.
Witaj Bob jestem z Polski , mam Singer 201 i nie mogę bo nie wiem jak ustawić chwytacz nici . Czy masz nakręcony film jak ustawić chwytacz w Singer 201 bo nie mogę znaleźć instrukcji i nie mówię po Angielsku . Możesz mi przysłać link do filmu o ustawieniu chwytacza do Singer ? Byłbym wdzięczny . Pozdrawiam ....
Great video. I’m having issues with getting the ring back in place. Only one side will go under the spring. On the other side there’s not enough clearance for the spring to slide up the ramp onto the ring. I’ve checked the placement a bunch of times and it seems okay- the issue seems to be that the spring sits low )maybe the top was bent down). How can I resolve this?
Omigosh, I finally got it by pushing the retaining clip up from the bottom, and working it out and up slowly as I slid it around (also added a drop of oil). Not as easy as it looks here but finally clicked into place.
Ok you commentators: how did you resolve this problem? I can’t get either of my springs hooks to engage. They are exactly flush with the casing, and nothing I do seems to be enough to get them to rise up and ride into place. If CZcams brings my comment to your attention, or to yours, Mr Bob Fowler, it would help me immensely. I have struggled and struggled to perform the action at 8:30. Almost to the point of lacerating my fingers. I conclude I am doing something wrong, or there is a mechanical problem.any suggestions?
THANK YOU SO MUCH - for this and all your marvelous videos!! I am learning so much so that I believe I'm doing a decent job of fixing up my recently acquired 201-2. Please, would you let me let me know where to get one of those little springy-grabby things; I could really use one. And at the risk of making a nuisance of myself, I have another question. I've seen your video on re-assembling a 201-2 balance wheel and where to put grease. I also saw a video which indicated to put a little grease on the back side of the texolight (spelling?) gear as well as in the grooves. When I first took apart my machine's balance wheel, there was grease on it. Would you kindly share your opinion on this? Thank you again for sharing your time and expertise so generously.
thank you for this video, I purchased a 201 which is frozen/seized up I have put pb blaster and wd 40 and nothing helps but first I cleaned what I could and put machine oil on it but then went to heavy duty stuff but nothing helped. Do you have any suggestions? I unfortunately bought the machine knowing it didn't work but I thought it might be some thing simple but not. Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give.
Deanna, you first have to determine WHERE the machine is frozen up. Usually, the problem is in one specific area such as the needle bar. Most importantly, don't force it! It's super easy to bend or break internal parts. Treat the machine as a "system of systems", by that, I mean isolate different parts of the mechanism. I did a video called "Troubleshooting a Stuck Singer 66" which shows my process for diagnosing stuck machines. While not the exact same mechanism of your 66, you can use the same basic procedure to figure out where your machine is hanging up. The video is here: czcams.com/video/yFlh-5j0MUA/video.html&ab_channel=BobFowler
@@BobFowlerWorkshop I watched your video you mentioned and it was helpful but I still can't find out where it is stuck. When I move the hand wheel the tiny bit it moves I can feel every thing else move the tiny bit too. I can't find out exactly where it is stuck. I am not using pb blaster any more just machine oil. At least it is moving a tiny bit which is more than it was when I first got it.
Bob, you have the best camera work that I have ever seen. Everything is clearly visible. Thanks!
LOL, I have been playing along at home. thanks again for the help!!!
Bob Fowler is a national treasure. Thanks so much for bailing me out of another jam. Somehow I knew that if I searched for a Singer 201 bobbin case removal, your video would pop up. Just wish I had searched for it before I spent an hour trying to remove stubborn thread with a pair of tweezers.
Just picked up a 201 today. Thanks. More fun than rehearsals at School of Music.
When were you at the SOM?
I'm waiting for supplies to show up to rewire/clean/lubricate my 201. Our mail sux. Motor kit delivered at 10:45 pm last night. Days before Amazon stuff will show. Thought I would just take off the bobbin winder thread tensioner, clean it and put it back. Easy peasy, right? Did I even take a picture? Of course not. Did it take me 15 minutes to put it back on after looking at 2 online pictures? Of course.
Thank you for your videos. There is no way I could have figured out this bobbin on my own. You are awesome!
Wow, im new to this world with my newly acquired 201, this is so rapidly and fantastically helpful 👍 thank you Bob….
Thanks Bob. I’ve struggled with removing this case in the past. Now I know I can remove the hook and clean it well and not worry about the timing.
Glad this helped!
You are a marvel!!
Watching from Australia and learning all about my 201.😊😊😊
Awesome! Thank you!
Hi there Bob, greatful for the videos, watching them gives me the confidence to take charge, and get to know my 201 well. This will save me money so i don't have to rely on others. These machines were made in a way for the owner to service them. Brilliant work
I’ve been given a 1937 201 and someone has been messing about with the bobbin case and it has been misaligned. I’m half way through taking it apart. I’ll grit my teeth and try to get that clip off! Thank you for such a great video!
Wonderful camera work and description! Thanks so much.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Shows how to remove thread from bovine that’s stacked on and don’t let the machine to move on. Thanks for sharing your knowledge to us , I am your number 1 fan that follow you 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽♥️
Hi Bob, Hope you are feeling better and please take care of yourself. I can't thank you enough for your perfect video instructions. Last time the wheel froze I did exactly what you said not to do and broke something. Took it to a shop and they had it for 3 weeks and could not find the broken part. Online found another machine and then it happened again some how thread was stuck in bobbin case and nothing was moving. It is back together and
working thanks to you.
My 201 wheel froze and I suspect from what you’re saying, that it’s a stray thread(s) in the bobbin assembly. Since i can’t move the hand wheel at all now, can i still take out the bobbin case somehow? The back story to this sudden jam-i tried to fmq but it was looping terribly under the fabric. So i stopped, raised the dogs back up and went to straight stitching. I didn’t get far before everything suddenly froze.
And Bob's your uncle! Thank you Bob! Great tutorial!
Woohoo! Glad to be of assistance!
Thank you, thank you! Just got a 201 and looking forward to get it going!
That was so helpful tried a few and was struggling to get it all back together but your video was great thanks
Thank you. Now I know how that goes back together I just purchased a singer 201 and it was missing the retaining ring and the bobbin case found one on ebay just waiting for it to arrive
Great videos! Just started restoring a Singer 201-2 and your clear instructions are a Godsend!
I love that you give proper names for everything. I bought a 201 for $6 that had been parted out for me to fiddle around with. The entire bobbin assembly is missing... so im looking at large cash for my "education. "
I’ve bought one for 6euro - been in a shed for decades - I’m giving it a go but the dirt and rust….. eeek….
Thanks Bob, I successfully took my 201's bobbin case and cleaned all the nasty gunge from it, then reassembled it following your instructions. Good stuff! My eBay £27 ($35 US) 201 is feeling a lot nicer!
Thanks again
My hooks weren’t aligned and I was able to fix. The best!
Thank you for this video. I had thread caught up in my bobbin casing and didn't know how to take it apart and put it back together. Boy, did that needed cleaning. Huge help.
THANK YOU! I was so stuck when I had a bobbin thread jam. This was an excellent instructional video and a huge help on my beloved 201.
PHENOMENAL! Great guidance for my new 201. So grateful for your talent. 👏👏👏
Awesome! I've got a 201 I took mostly apart before Covid and due to one thing and another (starting with a wrist injury) it got put away. All your 201 vids are a godsend for me. Even though I've got a service manual I'm going to watch all the 201 vids again before I put my one back together because guess what? I can't remember what I did when I took it apart now, or even the order I did it in. :-) (Thank goodness I had the sense to bag-and-label "system parts" like the tension unit, needle bar system etc!) Extra-special thanks for this great video - and to Jo for suggesting it - because one thing I remember about what you just showed here was something I found really difficult at the time just to take apart.
Zip lock bags and masking tape - perfect in combination!
Wow, these tutorials are a game changer! Thank you so much for offering up such excellent commentary and step by step detail for maintenance on these vintage beauties. I recently purchased a 201-2 from the original owner and am going through it slowly to restore her to her former beauty. I'm seeing a lot of brown tarnish on the metal and suspect it is from years of exposure to smoking. I hope it is ok to use 99.9% isopropyl alcohol on the metal only parts to clean this off. Seems to be working. I just clean the bobbin case, hook and all! I did the deep dive and it is all looking so much cleaner. Really appreciate the attention to detail that you cover as it is easy to follow and understand. Makes the restoration something obtainable and enjoyable. Going through this restoration process will make me so intimately familiar with how the machine works and will give such a better appreciation of the engineering and machining that sadly seems to be a lost art. On to my next step! Cheers, and hi to Forrest Gump!
I love the description of "the rest of this is just Lego." I totally separate things into those two categories when I'm taking machines apart -- "Lego" and "better take pictures" :)
Very helpful video. I was able to get a piece of stuck thread out of this area and put back together. TFS
Brilliant, straightforward, helpful video. Thank you so much
The first time I removed the bobbin case from my 201-2, I must have used every word in the book, and then some. The second and third time was a piece of cake. Thanks again for your great videos.
It's easy, once you know how!
😊❤❤Super, i fix my machine because of your knowledge. Thank you
You are welcome 😊
As always, thanks so much. Our 1950 201-2 is on it's way back to life!!
I'm so glad!
Thank you so much! Great explanation!
Greetings from Germany!
Bob, Really helpful and very well explained. Many thanks.
God bless you sir
You just saved me honestly
Glad to have been able to help!
Thanks for the chapters😊
You're welcome 😊
Thank you for the video. With your instructions, I was able to remove the bobbin case on my 201-2 .
HOORAY!! Bob, I love your videos. So clearly explained, great camera shots…. Very, very helpful.
I had asked in one FB group, “How do you get that bobbin hook out?” and the only reply I got was, “You don’t. It will mess up your timing.” But mine is very dirty with old oil and I want it clean! And now I know how to do it.
Thanks, Bob!
Correct! The timing won't be hurt at all!
very nice job Bob,
Need to take apart my 201 bobbin winder clean it and put it back.
Thank you for another informative video. I love my 201 and just finished a quilt top on it. My thread however jumps out of the little hook guide on a regular basis. I use a tall thread stand, wrapping the thread around an empty bobbin on the spool pin before hooking it around that guide. But it still jumps out.
I’m loving this machine. It’s quickly moving into 1st place, powering past my laid back Featherweight!
Thanks again!
Arishia beat me to the suggestion.
@@MsArishiaNishi exactly!
Excellent.Thank You.
Thank you. This is exactly what I needed. And also thank you for the close ups and detailed explanation. That what I was looking for.
I think I love you.
Thank you.
Hi. Can you get the hook out without the 98 bit? I don't have one 😕
Thank you for this informative video. This is awsome! Just getting to know my 201 that was left (and fully functioning) in a cupbhoard in a house we bought. Best regards to Mr Gump!
Glad it helped! FWIW - Mr. Gump has been spending his day staring out the window at birds...
Exactly the video I needed! Thank you.
Just what I need it! Thanks!
Excellent video! I noticed a lot of fluff inside a tiny spring on the outside of the bobbin in my machine. The fluff is jammed tight. Maybe removing the bobbin case will give me access to it. My model is the Singer 201K electric, knee operated one. Thank you. Greetings from Australia.
Thank you for making such a clear and well explained video. I'm having a little trouble with putting the retaining ring back on. when I turn the balance wheel the clutch slips before the retaining ring can click into place. I've tried removing the stop screw from the stop motion wheel and tightening as much as I can. I was wondering if the washer had worn and I needed to add a shim washer or if there was somthing else I'm missing.
Make sure the inner tabs are facing out!
I just double checked and the washer had the tabs facing out.
Thank you!
That was awesome and exactly what I needed
Great installment as usual, Bob!
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for a great instructional video 👍👍👍
I just bought a Singer 201 which I'm planning to use for repairing sails. However, when I compare my bobbin case to yours, it appears that I'm missing the adjustment screw for the tension spring on the bobbin case. So my spring isn't "tight" against the side of the bobbin case, and this causes the under thread to unwind from the bobbin.
Do you know what kind of screw this is, and is it possible to find a modern replacement? 🤔
Perfect!
That was the best!
I have a CH cat, too... he's the greatest.
Forrest is a pretty mild CH, but he's awesome!
Thank you for the video. Why would my thread by getting all tangled up in the bobbin case? It seems to be the thread from the needle that bunches up not the thread from the bobbin. I have taken it apart and cleaned it so it’s not a cleanliness issue I don’t think.
Excellent explanation than you. !!!!!!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Witaj Bob jestem z Polski , mam Singer 201 i nie mogę bo nie wiem jak ustawić chwytacz nici . Czy masz nakręcony film jak ustawić chwytacz w Singer 201 bo nie mogę znaleźć instrukcji i nie mówię po Angielsku . Możesz mi przysłać link do filmu o ustawieniu chwytacza do Singer ? Byłbym wdzięczny . Pozdrawiam ....
Great video. I’m having issues with getting the ring back in place. Only one side will go under the spring. On the other side there’s not enough clearance for the spring to slide up the ramp onto the ring. I’ve checked the placement a bunch of times and it seems okay- the issue seems to be that the spring sits low )maybe the top was bent down). How can I resolve this?
Exactly the same issue here!
Same! Anyone ever find a solution?
Omigosh, I finally got it by pushing the retaining clip up from the bottom, and working it out and up slowly as I slid it around (also added a drop of oil). Not as easy as it looks here but finally clicked into place.
Ok you commentators: how did you resolve this problem? I can’t get either of my springs hooks to engage. They are exactly flush with the casing, and nothing I do seems to be enough to get them to rise up and ride into place. If CZcams brings my comment to your attention, or to yours, Mr Bob Fowler, it would help me immensely. I have struggled and struggled to perform the action at 8:30. Almost to the point of lacerating my fingers. I conclude I am doing something wrong, or there is a mechanical problem.any suggestions?
I really appreciate your help.
No worries!
Bob what is the function of the Grub screw that screws toward hook shaft underneath
muchas gracias por ese gran vidio amigo
Eres muy bienvenido!
If you have time show how to remove the screw from the hook when 1/2 of it is broken off
email me a photo if you can...argosybob@gmail.com
Where can we find/buy a 98 bit?
Jorge, that bit is for the Chapman driver. Their bits are available on their website:
chapmanmfg.com/
THANK YOU SO MUCH - for this and all your marvelous videos!! I am learning so much so that I believe I'm doing a decent job of fixing up my recently acquired 201-2. Please, would you let me let me know where to get one of those little springy-grabby things; I could really use one. And at the risk of making a nuisance of myself, I have another question. I've seen your video on re-assembling a 201-2 balance wheel and where to put grease. I also saw a video which indicated to put a little grease on the back side of the texolight (spelling?) gear as well as in the grooves. When I first took apart my machine's balance wheel, there was grease on it. Would you kindly share your opinion on this? Thank you again for sharing your time and expertise so generously.
I get my springy things from Micro Mark and Amazon. I like the Micro Mark ones better...
thank you for this video, I purchased a 201 which is frozen/seized up I have put pb blaster and wd 40 and nothing helps but first I cleaned what I could and put machine oil on it but then went to heavy duty stuff but nothing helped. Do you have any suggestions? I unfortunately bought the machine knowing it didn't work but I thought it might be some thing simple but not. Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give.
Deanna, you first have to determine WHERE the machine is frozen up. Usually, the problem is in one specific area such as the needle bar. Most importantly, don't force it! It's super easy to bend or break internal parts. Treat the machine as a "system of systems", by that, I mean isolate different parts of the mechanism. I did a video called "Troubleshooting a Stuck Singer 66" which shows my process for diagnosing stuck machines. While not the exact same mechanism of your 66, you can use the same basic procedure to figure out where your machine is hanging up. The video is here: czcams.com/video/yFlh-5j0MUA/video.html&ab_channel=BobFowler
@@BobFowlerWorkshop I watched your video you mentioned and it was helpful but I still can't find out where it is stuck. When I move the hand wheel the tiny bit it moves I can feel every thing else move the tiny bit too. I can't find out exactly where it is stuck. I am not using pb blaster any more just machine oil. At least it is moving a tiny bit which is more than it was when I first got it.
@@deannalindsey889 email me at argosybob@gmail.com... I'll send you my phone number, we can talk ...
@@BobFowlerWorkshop Hi with care and using your advice, she isn't stuck any more. Hoorah, thanks so much.
@@deannalindsey889 did you figure out where she was stuck?
Hello 👋 boss
Very informative, very adorable cat, very good video quality. I could wish your audio was a little less *bright*.
Thanks! Glad you liked it!