Singer Touch & Sew 648 not picking up bobbin thread?

My singer stopped picking up thread from the bobbin and also cannot self-wind the bobbin. It was working yesterday and today just stopped making stitches. Someone said it might be the timing? Is there any way I can fix this without taking it in to a repair shop?

What was it doing when it last worked? My guess is that you've got a dirty machine and need a new needle of the right size and turned the right way. Start there. Use a brush and vacuum, not compressed air to clean with -- don't forget to pull the needle plate and clean around and under the feed dogs, too. Oil per the manual's recommendations -- sewing machine oil only, not 3-in-1 type oil (it solidifies and freezes the sewing head) nor WD-40 (it's a solvent, not a lubricant.)

Timing problems are usually, in my experience, preceeded by thread jams, broken needles, loud noises and/or much cussing.

If this doesn't help, you might consider joining the yahoo group "wefixit", dedicated to the repair of old sewing machines. Some good mechanics who have a lot more experience with this machine than I do. I will tell you that Touch and Sews are often privately called Touch and Swear or Touch and Throw by repairfolks -- they're about the point when Singer started making machines that didn't quite live up to the reputation of their predecessors.

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