The Necchi Supernova is probably the best value old machine you can currently buy but only if you’re prepared to roll your sleeves up and do some hard work.
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| Supernova Ultra |
They have a few problems that I see on almost every example that hasn’t been used for many years. They can be brought back to working like new.
When working properly, they are as smooth and quiet as a Bernina 830, and have the advantage of using fairly standard high shank feet and the bobbin shuttle moves left to right with the needlebar, so the stitches are just about perfect. The manufacturing tolerances seem as high as the Bernina, making them extremely smooth and quiet. Unlike Berninas, the cams in Supernovas are all removable, so you will never get the problem of a broken camstack.
The Power Supply
This is more complicated than your average 1950s sewing machine. They have a transformer, several switches and a capacitor, whereas all other machines of the '50s have a motor and light directly powered by mains. The capacitor, as with other machines of the era, is a source of problems. It is a capacitor pack of three (2 x .0025 and 1 x 0.1). You can safely remove it but there should be a 0.1uF polypropylene capacitor between the motor terminals. See the picture for how I did this on my free arm Supernova.
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| New capacitor attaches to the two non-earth motor wires |
This capacitor does two things: Eliminates electrical interference and reduces the sparking between the brushes and the motor’s armature. In fact the reduction of the sparking is also what reduces the interference. The interference affects all radio frequencies, including digital TV. The reason that you can’t easily bypass the transformer is because the light is 12VAC. The bulbs used for Supernovas are identical to the festoon bulbs used in cars. You can’t use modern LEDs because they require a DC voltage (non-LED festoon bulbs can work with both AC and DC). They fit but the amount of flicker is unacceptable.
The other two problems are both the result of dried additives from lubricants.
Generally, warming (with a hairdryer, not a heat gun) will soften the dried gunk. Once it is warm, brush it with a mix of methylated spirits and mineral turps (I use a toothbrush) or spray with methylated spirits. You may need to repeat this several times.
The Hand Wheel
The most common problem seized part is the hand wheel.
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| This is usually seized |
Even if you can easily turn it, removing it is usually much more difficult, and you will find that when you undo the stop motion screw (on the hand wheel) to wind a bobbin, the needle still moves as though you hadn't touched the screw. If this is the case, warm it then attack with chemicals. If you still can’t move it, I have a custom tool for removing sticky hand wheels, which isn't very complicated (but it's a lot of work if you only ever use it once). It’s a spare solid stop motion knob that has been drilled and had a thread tapped.
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| Hand wheel removal tool |
A bolt is threaded through this. After applying heat and chemicals, if it’s still too tight, screw the tool on and tighten the bolt, and the hand wheel should come straight out.
After this you need to disassemble the parts of the hand wheel. Soaking in those same chemicals for a while is a good way to loosen them up. After they’re separated, clean the surfaces thoroughly and lubricate with clean sewing machine oil. It should go back on easily and when the stop motion knob is released, the wheel should spin without the needlebar moving.
The Zig-Zag Bar
The last of the ‘sitting around for years’ problems is that the zig-zag bar is often seized. If you change the needle position and the needle won’t move, you have this problem. The solution starts with the knowledge of where it’s seized. It’s almost always at the zigzag pivot next to the needlebar (see photo).
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| Zigzag bar is behind the needlebar |
Freeing this one up is not easy. Before you start, you must remove the black zig-zag bar at the front of the machine, which is held by a clip at the bottom and a screw at the top. Don’t lose either of these. Now heat the bar, apply chemicals and work it with a large screwdriver or pliers. Don’t apply much force or you will break or bend something. It might take a while to loosen this but it will come good eventually. Don’t forget to reconnect the zig-zag bar afterwards.
That should be all that was holding you back. Treat the rest of the machine with the chemical solvent then oil everywhere metal slides against metal.
When it’s freed up, lubricated and the power supply is working, you should be able to sew a fantastic stitch. These are quite fast machines, and have a slow speed switch. The slow speed applies a lower voltage to the motor via the transformer.
When I mentioned how great these are to one of my mechanic friends, he said he didn’t like them because the castings are sometimes a bit roughly finished. That is such a minor thing that it shouldn't put anyone off.
If you’re prepared to do the work yourself, Supernovas can be picked up for as little as $50, but be aware that it will probably have all three of these problems.
Other Advantages
They usually have an embroidery unit, which not only affects the zig-zag of the needlebar, but also the stitch length. These were not at all common in the 1950s with the Elna Supermatic being the only other machine I can think of that was this advanced. Berninas couldn't do this until the 1980s.
They usually have a needle threader. I can't think of any other sewing machine in the 1950s that had a needle threader.
They are central bobbin machines. This means that they can sew the widest variety of materials of any domestic sewing machine. Bernina's awesome 830 record is also a central bobbin machine.
They usually have a semi-automatic buttonholer. For the 1950s, I think the Elna Supermatic was the only other machine that could do this. The Necchi has a cam set on a lever that looks like the brake lever from a bicycle. It has five positions, and moved from left to right, you would be doing 1. bar tack, 2. forward zig-zag bead (left), 3. reverse straight stitch, 4. forward zig-zag bead (right), 5. bar tack. When making a buttonhole, there is a special foot for measuring the length and you should thread the hole in the bobbin case finger. This ensures the result will be very neat on top.
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| Freearm Supernova Ultra |
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