My first Bernina & a bit of a mad one: ) Minimatic 807. From 1974.
Was watching this machine on my favourite VSM Charity site & ended up winning! Didn't really mean to win it, but no regrets: ) Looks good to me.
Looks to be in nice condition with a few extras: ) Ebay pics here.
Only problem is no foot controller. But at £77 shipped I'm looking forward to delivery: ) There were two bidders competing with each other & I pipped them both at the post. Check the bidding. I like doing that; ) My 2 great neices watching were laughing too: ) I'm weaning them off TV.
I'll update this when I get it. Got a chance on another similar item (a Bernina 707) tomorrow with a foot pedal...
Watch for updates.
Wednesday 13th Sep.
The other machine is finishing shortly. Same 2 bidders competing again; ) It's a 707 this time, but very similar. I'm hoping to ambush them at the end. Doing it twice would be quite sweet. It's on £26 with 5 hours left as I write.
I did win it: ) £49.95 shipped. And I need shipping to my bed here at 11:30pm.
14/09/23
So, it, the 807, arrived around noon today. Fast shipping. Only won it Tuesday night. Didn't sound promising because something was rattling inside...
Turned out to be the big alloy plate (extension plate) that turns it into a flatbed. (Glad it wasn't the accessories box with all the feet, etc. that were rattling around) Didn't damage the plate, but left some fresh scrapes on the top plate: (
So, here's some pics:
This machine is like the Curates Egg. Good in parts. All the feet, except 000 in the machine, have never been used. The Oil Container. Never been used. Still in its sealed, original polythene bag. (Probably never been oiled in other words...)
I believe this machine was bought new. Used for a little while, then stored for years & years & years.
It does turn over, but very stiffly. The feed dogs move, the needlebar goes up & down. So the drives do work. But all 3 controls on the front right won't move. (The 2 speed motor switch does though!) Upper tension, the wheel moves but doesn't move the indicator... The switch to change the stitch cams does work!
Around the bobbin area there is little 'fluff' but the bearings are dry as a bone. The bobbin is fine & so is the easy to remove hook. I can't remove the top cover yet. It should just 'snap off' I reckon, no screws, but it's tight. So that's where its at right now. It's crying out for lubrication. I think it will be OK in time, but I can't be sure. Yet: )
Can't try the electrics because it is missing its controller. (But I got another 707 Minimatic coming tomorrow, complete with its controller)
Meanwhile I reach for the WD-40, oil can, & hope; ) A Magic Wand might be useful too.
A little later & I got the top plate off. I discovered a button on the head inside the light cover. Now I know how it's fixed it'll be easy in future! It's a simple prong held in by a spring, so it snaps in. I didn't want to stress the whole thing getting it off, or mark the paint or anything.
Knowing where it is helps. Just above the upper tension unit, which needs a look-at too: ) Also the bobbin winder wheel is solid! I'm certain now that this machine has hardly been used & then put away.
The top cover has never been off, & therefore no lubrication has been applied since it left the factory.
I've applied oil to every reachable part under the cover & it is all loosening up gradually. The 2 plastic gears look pristine, without any grease yet.
The three controls on the front right are all still solid. The stitch width & LCR needle positioner combined knob at the top, the stitch length/reverse in the middle & the drop feed below. No sign of movement yet! Don't want to stress anything, so I'm being ultra careful. Access behind these three knobs is difficult & I need to figure out how to separate the base from the machine to get some access.
Got 5 screws in the base & not sure which does what yet. But they are all super tight & I've just given them all some WD-40 & I'll crack them all in the morning: )
Don't like those rust spots!! The machine has been stored in a slightly moist atmosphere. All 4 rubber feet look almost like new. No wear, which supports my view of its minimal use...
The plastic cover is for the wiring from the motor to the Min/Max switch on the front of the machine. Thinking about it, the 2 shiny screws are likely for the motor & the 3 dark ones for the base.
At 10pm that's me for the day, & I'll retire thinking I've made some progress: )
15/09/23
Managed to free the stitch length/reverse lever this morning, using a fair bit of force, but once you got movement you know it's going all the way: ) All smooth & lubricated now. Then later the 'new' 707 arrived rattling in its box: ( Controller was OK though, but it doesn't fit this 807. It's got a 4 pin plug & this one has 3. So I need another controller for this one.
It is gradually loosening up a little with more oil & grease & tonight I managed to partially free the combined stitch width & needle position switch. Being able to compare it to the 707 (which has all its switches free) helps a lot. Still got the drop feed switch & bobbin winder spindle to crack yet, but they were all 4 stuck last night!
21/09/23
A week later all is looking good: ) Drop Feed & Bobbin Winder all free.
It turns over very smoothly by hand now. The only stuck item is the 'detent button' on the 'Stitch Width Knob & Needle Postion Lever' to give it its proper name. The swing needle arm is also free & smooth now.
This tiny detent button & the combined knob is all that prevents the machine working correctly right now! (I was wrong there. See below) It is supposed to retract when the notched block is moved across it. Gummed up with old oil that has turned into a hard varnish. It's had WD-40 applied several times, to no avail yet. Can't apply much heat to the detent button because it is set into what I think is a plastic surround (the black bit under the shiny button arrowed) which is likely to crack if too much heat is applied. I might try a small soldering iron on it gently later...
I did say 'Patience is a Virtue' somewhere: )
12 Nov 2023
No progress yet with the detent button or stuck combined LCR needle position/Stitch Width knob. It has a very nice, quiet & refined stitch though, & it will get fixed eventually.
I've got a modern YDK electronic clam shell controller for it now, which works perfectly in both the Max/Min motor speed settings. It's a definite upgrade for this machine. As with the Elna Lotus machines.
28/11/2023 A bit more progress, of sorts. I managed to soften the detent button enough for it to retreat back into its hole. So it is now stuck in!! Then I found a nice top plate for it online, which will look way better than the one on it now, with scratches on the needle bar end. As a bonus it came complete with the tensioner AND the bobbin winder. Two problems solved in one go: ) Same seller also had a nice nose plate/cover, with the light unit. Mine had slightly bubbling paint & it looks immaculate now: )
I have still not managed to remove or free the stuck LCR combined Stitch Width knob... I look on it as a work in progress. Current state is here:
Detent Button stuck nicely in, & Stitch Width connector removed from the now free notched block. The LCR part of it, which works OK, still connected. Now I look closely at the photo I think that circular piece behind the detent button is NOT plastic, but steel!! It'll get some serious heat very shortly; ) I scratched it with a needle but couldn't see it properly with my poor naked eye before, but the photo here tells me it is steel!?? I have been deliberately cautious before, for obvious reasons.
I'm now thinking that I am on the edge of success here: ) This one has been a bit of a Saga up to now.
An hour later I have succeeded in separating the awkward knob & extracted it: )
No visible damage to the plastic parts from the Hair Dryer heat: ) 2,300 watts on maximum blow... Gently though.
I don't need to remove the big knob, it works the Stitch Width control & that works anyway. The small cental knob operates needle position. The problem was that they were both stuck together. They ain't now: )
The Detent Button is still stuck. I applied direct heat to it with a small soldering iron. Nothing. I tried a bigger soldering iron, still no luck. So now the button has some space around it with the central knob out & the notched block free & extracted, my plan is to use the trusty hair drier, via a suitable funnel to direct large amounts of heat right on target.
A fruitful Sunday here I feel, & it's time for food. And maybe a celebratory glass, or two, of good Chardonnay: )
20th December 2023
Found by lucky chance a local chap who has many years of experience with Berninas & he says he'll fix the stuck Detent Button! He picked up the machine a couple of days ago & assured me it might even be ready before Christmas! Wow! That'd be a great Pressie for me after all the time & effort I've put into this machine. I just know it'll be cool after this final fix.
On the other hand, I don't care if it's after the holiday. I'm thinking it'll make a very cool present for a certain Great Niece whose birthday is very close to Valentines Day. She learned to sew on one of these same machines belonging to an elderly aunt & I just know she'd love to have one of her own: ) But only if she's good. I'll be checking her mum to find out...
21st December 2023
Just had a call telling me the machine is now good to go. Delivered back tomorrow & will I be pleased? Most certainly: )
It's now back fixed & looking good!
29th Jan 2024
Got a couple of scratches on the Detent Button surrounds but I don't care. The trick with most Berninas seems to be, use them regularly & keep them lubricated with the correct oil. (Strictly no additives)
The drop feed on this one was free a couple of months ago, but it's getting sticky again & will get some further attention shortly. Might even try some freehand work myself. I don't use them enough, to be honest, but I get my main buzz from getting the non-fully functional working machines working well: )
This one is particularly nice because it clearly had minimal use before being set aside & it is showing its charms now. It's as close to new as you will find for a 1974 machine.
I've got a big affection for the Minimatics as a super useful, vintage, mechanical machine. (As opposed to 'Electronic' with lights & such. You may have guessed that already: ) Easy to maintain, with enough variety of stitches for many users & will last a long, long time. And be an absolute pleasure to use.
They also cost less than a lot of the modern, plastic, awful horrors that are presented new, shiny & tempting for novice users & often fail very quickly. Could put you off sewing for life...
Long time, experienced users know this already, but I'm talking here to the novices who don't know this: ) Many of my neices, grand neices even, have learned to appreciate the real joys of creating on these vintage machines, given the opportunity to try. So much more positive than TV, or video games, FB etc. etc.
End of Sermon!
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