ELNA Supermatic User manual

Service Manual
Edition February 1954 - Revised December 2023
Supermatic - Transforma

1

INTRODUCTION
ELNAtechnicalmanualswereoriginallycreatedforexclusiveusebytrainedELNASalesandTechnicalpersonnel
only.
MynameisJimCavanaugh.Ihave30yearsofexperienceasatechnicalwriter.Icreatedthisservicemanual
based on my interpretation of the original ELNA Service Manual (Edition February 1954) with additional
informationfromotherELNAservice,trainingandusermanualsaswellaseveryYouTubevideoIcouldfind.
Ihavetriedtocompileacomprehensivesourceofinformationfor use by other ELNA enthusiasts. I have
enhancedexistingillustrationsandcreatednewoneswherenoneexisted.IacquiredmyfirstELNASupermatic
(a 1957 Two Tone Green Serial No. 7,883,352 shown below) and began to overhaul and troubleshoot my
machine. I found the available information to be lacking. In addition to this Service Manual I updated three
editionsoftheELNAPartsCatalogs.Irecommendyoureferencetheminconjunctionwiththismanual.TheParts
Catalogswillhelpyouidentifythepropernamesofcomponentsaswellastheirlocationandorientationinthe
machine.ThereisacolumninthePartsCatalogsthatliststheserialnumbersforwhenchangesweremadeto
specific components. Identify the serial number of the machine you are working on to understand which
revisionofcomponentsappliestoyourmachine.Keepinmindthatsomeofthechangesthatweremadewere
donetocorrectproblemsorimproveperformance.Itispossiblethatsomecomponentsinyourmachinemay
havebeenupdatedatsomepointinthepast.
To aid in my comprehension of these machines, I acquired two additional ELNA Supermatic machines for
reference,a1953Green,SerialNo.3,571,077anda1961Beige,SerialNo.1,288,854.
IwillpostthismanualinthefilesoftheFacebookgroups“ElnaSupermaticandtheElnaGrasshopper”and
“VintageElnaSewingMachines.”TheaforementionedPartsCatalogscanbefoundthereaswell.
Ihopeyoufindthisinformationuseful.Iwillcontinuetoexpandandupdatethismanualasmyknowledgeand
understandingofthemachinegrows.Iwelcomeanycommentsorinformationtothatend.

2

CONTENTS
NOTE!MakealladjustmentsonELNASupermaticonlyinthefollowingsequence:
1.TimingofFeedDog
2.CenteringofNeedleBarfor"Transforma"
3.CenteringofNeedleBarofZigZagStitch
4.AdjustmentofNeedlePositionCenteringDial
5.AdjustmentofclearancebetweenNeedleandShuttleHook
6.TimingofShuttleHookinRelationtoNeedleBar
7.AdjustmentofNeedleBarHeight
8.AdjustmentofNeedleClearanceusingDoubleNeedleClamp
9.AdjustmentofPresserBar
10.CenteringofPeedDog
11.AdjustingHeightofPeedDog
12.AdjustmentofStitchLength(“Supermatic”)
13.AdjustmentofStitchLength("Transforma")
14.TimingofNeedleBarSwing
15.AdjustmentofFullyAutomaticFeedControlforDoubleDiscs
16.AutomaticThreadRelease
17.AdjustmentofAutomaticThreadRelease
18.ThreadTension
19.AdjustmentofCouplingDeviceatFlywheel
20.BentThreadGuides
21.AdjustingtheAutomaticBobbinWinder
22.RemovingtheShuttleHook
23.Machineisnoisy(withstitchwidthsetat“3”or“4”)
24.SlippingofMotorFrictionWheel

3

Basic Procedures to Follow
Safety

Warning!ElectricalHazard!
Disconnectthepowercordbeforeservicing.
Deathorseriousinjurymayresultifthedangerisnotavoided.
Flywheel
WhenturningtheFlywheelbyhand,onlyturntheFlywheel
towardsyou.
RemovingtheFlywheel
TherewerethreedifferentFlywheelandCouplingdesigns.
ToremovetheFlywheelLoosentheCouplingKnobScrew.
UnscrewtheCouplingKnob.
RemovetheCouplingStop,CouplingSpring,Coupling
WasherandFlywheel.



4

Thread
Caution!ToavoiddamagetotheCheckSpringwhen
removingtheupperthreadfromthemachine,neverpullthe
threadbackwardsthroughtheUpperTensionDevice.Cutthe
threadaheadoftheUpperTensionDeviceandpullitthrough
inthedirectionoftheneedle.


5

OpeningtheFrontCover
Caution!CaremustbetakenwhenopeningtheFrontCovertoavoiddamagetothemachine.
TurntheFlywheeltowardyouuntiltheTake‐upLeverisin
theraisedposition.
TheTake‐upLeverwillinterferewiththefrontcoveronolder
models.Thecoverwasmodifiedtoremovetheinterference
onlatermodels.
AccordingtotheElnaPartsCatalog,thischangeoccurredon
machineSerialNo.527,626.However,Ifoundanexampleof
anewermachinewithoutthischange.

ThePresserFootLevermustbeinthedownpositionbefore
openingtheFrontCovertoavoidinterference.

ThePresserFootLevermayberaisedaftertheFrontCoveris
openedifnecessary.
RemembertolowerthePresserFootLeveragainbefore
closingtheFrontCover.
Note!Forsomeserviceprocedures,removingtheFront
Covercanprovidebetteraccessandavoiddamagingthe
FrontCoverorhinge.



6

1. Timing of Feed Dog
Whenfeeddogiscorrectlytimed,itmustnotmovethematerialwhiletheneedleisinthematerial.Ifthis
requirementisnotmet,proceedasfollows:
Removeneedle,presserfoot,needleplateandfreearmcover(heldonby2Phillipsscrews).
Removeoilholescrewontopoffeedgearandremovealso
feedgearring.
Liftfeedcamrodsothatitcomesoffsimultaneouslyfromthe
feedgearandtappetlever.

Liftfeedgearoffaxle.
Makesurethatbearingwasherispositionedonaxlewithlip
overinsideedge.

Tocorrectlysetthetiming:
Turnflywheeltowardsyouuntiltheneedlebarisatlowest
position.
Repositionthefeedgearontheaxlesuchthattheroundhole
onthetopofgearfacesonetoothtotheleftinrelationto
thecenterofthefeeddogpinion.
(Besuretheneedlebarremainsatitslowestposition.)
Replacefeedcamrodbyplacingbothofitsends
simultaneouslyontheircorrespondingcounterparts.
(Donotuseforce!)
Replacefeedgearringandoilholescrew.
Replacefreearmcover,needleplate,presserfootandneedle. 

7

2. Centering of Needle Bar for Transforma
Whentheneedlebariscorrectlycentered,theNeedleGaugeNo.607801orastraightneedlesize90or100
(whenlookedatfromfront)mustbeexactlyinthecenterofthestitchholeintheneedleplate.Ifthis
requirementisnotmet,proceedasfollows:
Removeneedleandpresserfoot.
InsertandfastenaNeedleGaugeNo.607801orastraightneedlesize90or100.
LoosentheStopScrewattherightoftheheadportionofthe
uppercasing.

Openthefrontcover.
TurntheflywheelslowlytowardsyouuntiltheNeedleBaris
initslowestposition.
TurntheCradleSpringScrewclockwiseorcounterclockwise,
toadjusttheNeedleBarsothattheGauge(orNeedle),when
lookedatfromthefront,isexactlyinthecenteroftheholein
theneedleplate.
TightentheStopScrewafteradjustment.



8

3. Centering of Needle Bar for Zigzag stitch
Removethepresserfoot.
InstallCam"03"(Zigzag)intheELNAGRAPH.
Installasize110/18needle.(Mustbestraight!)
Setstitchwidthknobat"4"andCenteringDialatcenter
position.
Turnflywheeltowardsyouuntiltheneedlereachesitslowest
positionstotheleftandtheright.
Checkwhetherthedistancebetweentheneedleandthe
endsoftheslotinneedleplateareequalonbothsides.
Ifthesedistancesarenotequalonbothsides,proceedas
follows:
Openthefrontcover.
Loosenthecradlespringscrewfarenoughthatthecradleat
itsextremeleftpositiondoesnothittheheadofthecradle
springscrew.
NOTE:Thecradlespringscrewmustbeunscrewedenoughtonotlimitthetravelofthecradleduringthe
adjustment!
OpentheSupermaticcover.
Loosenthesetscrewontopofthecradlelever.
Adjustbyturningthecradleleverstud.
Tightenthesetscrewafterthisadjustment.
ConfirmtheNeedleisnowcenteredintheslot.
Replacethe110/18needle,withastraightsize60/8needle.Thisneedlemustpassthroughtheholeinthe
needleplatewithouttouchingtherearedgewhendeflectedtotheleftandtotheright.

9

TurnthecradlespringscrewCWuntilitbarelycontactsthe
cradle.Atthispointyoushouldhearaslightclickingnoise
withthemachinerunning.
Thisisthecradlehittingtheheadofthecradlespringscrew.
TurnthecradlespringscrewCCW1/4ofaturnatatimeuntil
theclickingstops.

Thereisastopscrewontherightoftheuppercasing.
Tightenthestopscrewuntilitbottomsoutagainsttheendof
thecradlespringscrew.
Closefrontcoverandreplacepresserfoot.


10

4. Adjustment of needle position Centering Dial
WiththeCenteringDialsetatthecenterpositionandthe
stitchwidthknobsetat"0"theneedleshouldbeinthe
middleoftheneedleplateslot(whenlookedatfromfront).
Ifthisrequirementisnotmet,proceedasfollows:
Removethepresserfoot.
InstallCam"03"(Zigzag)inELNAGRAPH.
Installasize110/18needle.(Mustbestraight!)
Setthestitchwidthknobat"0."
TurntheCenteringDialtothefullLeftPosition.
Turnflywheeltowardsyouuntiltheneedlereachesitslowest
positionattheLeft.
Checkdistancebetweenneedleandtheleftendoftheslot.
TurntheCenteringDialtothefullRightPosition.
Turnflywheeltowardsyouuntiltheneedlereachesitslowest
positionattheRight.
Checkdistancebetweenneedleandtherightendoftheslot.
Comparebothoftheabovemeasurements.Theyshouldbe
equal.Ifthisisnotthecase,proceedasfollows:
Usinga6mmwrench,loosentheHexScrewintheCentering
LeverjustenoughtoallowtheCenteringLeverStudtoturn
butleavingenoughfrictiontoholditinplaceduring
adjustment.

TheCenteringLeverStudfitsinathroughholeinthe
CenteringLever.Theeccentricstudonthebottomofthe
CenteringLeverStudridesinaspiralgrooveinthetopofthe
CenteringDial.ItisheldinplacebytheHexScrew.
TurntheCenteringLeverStuduntiltheLeftandRightneedle
positionsareequal.
TightentheHexScrewafteradjustment.


11

5. Adjusting clearance between Needle and Shuttle Hook
Whenclearancebetweenneedleandpointofshuttlehookiscorrect,theneedlemustjustclearorbarelytouch
thepointoftheshuttlehook.
Ifthisisnotthecase,proceedasfollows:
Removeneedle,presserfootandneedleplate.
Lowerpresserfootlevertoopenfrontcover(threadtake‐uplevermustbeinaraisedposition).
Stitchwidthknobat"0."
SetCenteringDialatCenterPosition.

Installastraightsize100/16Needle.
Turnflywheelslowlytowardyouuntilpointof
ShuttleHookisexactlybehindthecenterofthe
needle.
SlightlyloosentheSetScrewintheCradle
Support.
InsertscrewdriverintoPositioningBoltand
turnuntilneedlejustclears,orbarelytouches,
thepointoftheshuttlehook.
TightenSetScrewafterthisadjustment.





Closefrontcover,replaceneedle,needleplateandpresserfoot.



12

6. Timing of Shuttle Hook in relation to Needle Bar
Iftimingofshuttlehookinrelationtoneedlebariscorrect,
thepointoftheshuttlehookmustbebehindthecenterof
theneedleaftertheneedlebarhasrisen2.25mm[.089”]
fromitslowestposition.
(Forthistest,theCenteringDialmustbeinthecenter
positionandstitchwidthknobat"0.")
Ifthisrequirementisnotmet,adjustasfollows:
Removeneedle,presserfoot,needleplateandfeeddog.Openshuttlecover.
RemovingtheUpperandLowerGuardRings
Removethe2SpringScrewswhichholdupperguardringto
lowerguardring.
DonotremovethetwoscrewswhichholdtheShuttleBeak
totheupperguardring.
LiftUpperGuardRingfromshuttleassembly.

Turnflywheelslowlytowardyouuntiltheopeninginthe
ShuttleHookfacestowardsthebackofthemachine.
Withafinger,turntheLowerGuardRinginsideofshuttle
hookuntilthestraightedgeofthelowerguardringisaligned
withtheedgeoftheshuttlehookopening.

Pulloutlowerguardringthroughtheopeningintheshuttle
hook.
Loosenslightlythethreescrewsatthebottomoftheshuttle
hookuntiltheshuttlehookcanbeturnedwithslightfriction.
Donotremoveoilholescrewincenterofshuttlehook!

13

Installneedle.
Stitchwidthknobat"0."
SetCenteringDialatCenterPosition.
Lowerthepresserfootlevertoopenfrontcover(threadtake‐
uplevermustbeinaraisedposition).
Turnflywheelslowlytowardsyouuntilneedlebarreachesits
Lowestposition.
Withacaliper,measuredistance(X)betweentheloweredge
oftheCradleandtheupperedgeoftheNeedleClamp.
RecorddimensionX

Subtract2.25mm[.089”]frommeasurement(X).
AdjustcalipertonewreadingX‐2.25mm[orX‐.089"]and
lockthecalipersatthisdimension.
Placethetopjawofcaliperagainsttheloweredgeofthe
Cradle.
Turntheflywheelslowlytowardsyouuntiltheupperedgeof
NeedleClamptouchesthelowerjawofcaliper.
Stopturningflywheel.
Withfingers,turnshuttlehookslowlycounterclockwiseuntil
pointofshuttlehookisjustatthecenteroftheneedle.
Verifytheneedlebarisat2.25mm[.089”]fromitslowest
position.
Graduallytighteneachofthethreescrewsevenlyuntilall
threescrewsaretight.


14

InstallingtheUpperandLowerRingGuards
TurntheflywheeluntiltheThreadReleaseisinitshighest
position.
Thiswillpositiontheopeningintheshuttlehooktowardsthe
rearofthemachine.
InserttheLowerGuardRingthroughtheopeninginthe
shuttlehook.
TurntheLowerGuardRinginsidetheshuttlehookuntilitis
orientedasshown.
InserttheUpperGuardRingintotheshuttlehook,making
surethattheShuttleBeak’srightstopcomestolieinthe
openingoftheThreadRelease.
InsertanemptyBobbin,inordertocentertheLowerGuard
Ring.
Openthefrontcoverforanunobstructedview.
WhilelookingthroughtheScrewHoleattheleftoftheUpper
GuardRing,slowlyturntheflywheeluntilthethreadedscrew
holeontheLowerGuardRingisinlinewiththescrewholein
theUpperGuardRing.

ScrewoneofthetwoGuardRingScrewswithSpringintothe
screwholeafewturns.
InserttheotherGuardRingScrewswithSpringintotheother
holeandtightenbothscrews.
Check:ItmustbepossibletopressthetwoGuardRing
Screwsdownwardswithouttheirjamming.


15

7. Adjustment of Needle Bar Height
Theneedlebarheightiscorrectlyadjustedwhenthepointoftheshuttlehookjusttouchesthelowerendofthe
gaugeNo.607800whilepassingbelowthisgauge.Ifthisisnotthecase,adjustasfollows:
Removeneedle,presserfootandneedleplate,theninsertneedlebarheightgaugeNo.607800.
Stitchwidthknobat"0."
SetCenteringDialatCenterPosition.
Removegaugeandclosefrontcover.Replaceneedleplate,presserfootandneedle.
Itisessentialaftertheaboveadjustmenttocheckalsotheclearancebetweenneedlesandpointofshuttlehook
whenusingthedoubleneedleclamp(topreventskipstitchingandneedlebreaking).

Turnflywheeltowardsyouandcheckwhetherpointofshuttlehookjust
touchesgentlytheflatatthebottomofthegauge.
Ifneedlebarissettoohigh,proceedasfollows:
Lowerpresserfootlevertoopenfrontcover.(Threadtake‐uplevermustbe
inaraisedposition.)
Turnflywheelslowlytowardsyouuntilpointofshuttlehookisjustbelowthe
needlebarheightgauge.
Loosenscrewinneedlebarlinkpinandlowertheneedlebaruntilgauge
restsuponpointofshuttlehook.
Tightenscrewinneedlebarlinkpinafterthisadjustment.
Ifneedlebarissettoolow,followthesameprocedureasabove,butafter
looseningthescrewintheneedlebarlinkpin,raisetheneedlebarabovethe
shuttlehooktobegin.


16

8. Adjusting needle clearance using Double Needle Clamp
IftheclearancebetweenthetwogaugesNo.607801orneedlesandpointofshuttlehookiscorrect,thepointof
theshuttlehookshouldjustclearorbarelytoucheachofthetwogaugesorneedles.Iftheaboverequirementis
notmet,adjustasfollows:
Removepresserfootandneedleplate.
Removesingleneedleclampandattachdoubleneedleclampinitsplace.
InserttwoneedleclearancegaugesNo.607801ortwoneedles100/16indoubleneedleclamp.
Lowerthepresserfootlevertoopenfrontcover.(Threadtake‐uplevermustbeinaraisedposition.)
Stitchwidthknobat"0."
SetCenteringDialatCenterPosition.
Turnflywheelslowlytowardsyouuntilpointofshuttlehookisjustoppositethefirstneedlegauge.Check
clearancebetweenpointofshuttlehookandgauge.
Turnflywheelslowlytowardsyouuntilpointofshuttlehookisjustoppositethesecondgauge.Checkclearance
betweenpointofshuttlehookandgauge.
Ifclearancesarenotequalforbothgauges,
proceedasfollows:
Loosenscrewinneedlebarlinkpinjust
slightlysothattheneedlebarisstillheldin
positionbyfriction(topreventdroppingof
theneedlebar),thenturnneedlebar
clockwiseorcounterclockwise(seearrows)as
requireduntilclearancesatbothgaugesare
equal.
Tightenscrewinneedlebarlinkpinafterthis
adjustment.

Removegaugesanddoubleneedleclamp.Closefrontcover.Replacesingleneedleclamp,needle,needleplate
andpresserfoot.


17

9. Adjustment of Presser Bar
Ifthepresserbariscorrectlyadjusted,thegaugeNo.541361orthepresserfootmustbeinlinewith(parallel
with)theslotsintheneedleplate.Ifthisrequirementisnotmet,proceedasfollows:
Removeneedleandpresserfoot,andthenfastenpresserbaradjustinggaugeNo.541361topresserbar.
Lowerpresserfootleveruntilgaugerestsuponneedleplate.
Openfrontcover(threadtake‐uplevermustbeintheraised
position).
Checkifgaugelinesupwithslotsinneedleplate.
Ifgaugedoesnotlineupwithslots,loosenslightlytheset
screwinpresserbarguide,thenturngaugewithpresserbar
asrequireduntilgaugelinesupwithslotsinneedleplate.
Tightenthesetscrewafterthisadjustment.
Removegaugeandclosefrontcover.
Replaceneedleandpresserfoot.


18

10. Centering of Feed Dog
Iffeeddogiscorrectlycentered,itsteethbarsmustbeinlinewith(parallelto)theslotsintheneedleplateand
mustclearbothsidesofeachneedleplateslot.Ifthisisnotthecase,adjustasfollows:
Removeneedle,presserfootandneedleplate.
Setthestitchlengthregulatingleverat“0."
Turnflywheelslowlytowardsyouuntilfeeddogisinhighestposition.
Loosenthetwoscrewswhichholdthefeeddog.
InstallfeeddogcenteringgaugeNo.70226inplaceofneedle
plate.Feeddogwilltherebybelinedupautomatically.
Tightenthetwofeeddogscrewsafterthisadjustment,
removegauge,andreplaceneedleplate.
Setthestitchlengthregulatingleverat"4”forward(longeststitch)andcheck,whilemachineruns,whetheror
notthefeeddoghitstheneedleplate.
Followsameprocedureforreversesewingbysettingstitchlengthregulatingleverat"4”reverse.
Iffeeddoghitsneedleplate(clickingnoisewhenmachineruns),removeneedleplate,loosenfeeddogscrews
slightlyandmovefeeddoglightlyforwardorbackward(asrequired)untilfeeddogclearsneedleplate.
RecheckwithfeeddogcenteringgaugeNo.70226toseewhetherfeeddogisstilllinedup.Readjustif
necessary.
Removegauge,thenreplaceneedleplate,presserfootandneedle.


19

11. Adjusting Height of Feed Dog
Theheightofthefeeddogiscorrectlyadjustedwhenthetipsoftheteeth,atthehighestpositionofthefeed
dog,areabout0.8mmabovetheneedleplate.Ifthisisnotthecase,adjustasfollows:
Removeneedle,presserfoot,needleplateandfreearmcover.
Replaceneedleplate.
Loosenhexnutonlifterskidscrewbyusingawrench(7mm).
Turnflywheeltowardsyouuntilfeeddogreachesitshighestposition.Next,turntheeccentriclifterskidscrew
withwrenchuntiltipsoffeeddogteethareabout0.8mmaboveneedleplate.
IffeeddogheightgaugeNo.607829isavailable,placethisgaugeonneedleplate,thenturnflywheelslowly
towardsyouuntilfeeddogisinitshighestpositionandchecktheheightofthefeeddogteethinrelationtothe
recessedportionsonbothsidesofthegauge.
Ifadjustedcorrectly,thetipsofthefeeddogteethmusteithertouchorinterferewiththerecessat0.8mmand
mustnottouchorinterferewithrecessat1.0mm.
Ifaboverequirementisnotmet,adjustfeeddogwithlifterskidscrew.
Tightenhexnutbyusingtwowrenchessimultaneouslyonhexnutandlifterskidscrew.
Removeneedleplateandreplacefreearmcover.Replaceneedleplate,presserfootandneedle.
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