On my Elna SU ,The front white top selector is jammed

Suspect the machine has seized due to lack of regular cleaning and oiling.

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Wheel on right side that controls the needle up and down is very tight...

The tension dial is on the front of the machine right above the needle. The higher the number, the tighter the tension is applied to the top thread. HINT: When threading the top thread, ALWAYS RAISE the presser foot throughout the entire threading process. This allows the thread to seat completely in the tension disk. Tension is correct when the top and bobbin threads meet in the middle of the fabric.

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Elna SP ST SU sewing machine repair tips (I use liquid Tri-Flow Synthetic Lube or silicone spray to loosen parts seized from old oil. Do NOT use WD-40, cooking oil, motor oil...)

My model list tells me this is the Star Series SU model, white with a blue top. These were made between 1964 and 1978, so getting on for 50 years old. I am assuming that the fly wheel wont turn at all for you, when machines are left for long periods any lubrication internally dries up. You can try to rectify yourself if you are patient, need Tri-flow Oil (preferably with a long neck applicator so you can get into the little spaces), a special lubricant which also contains a solvent, and a hair dryer to add heat. You will need to take off the top cover (two screws) to gain access to the main shaft and needle swing bearing. Also the free arm top plate should be removable with a single screw. Then get into the machine and clean with a small brush any visible lint or gunky build up on shafts, lubricate, then apply heat to the metal parts and wiggle to free up. Expect to spend some time on it, before you'll get things to free up. The needle swing bearing, the arm which holds the needle often seizes up too so straight stitch will work but no zig zag. You might want to join the Yahoo group Elna Heirlooms, lots of Elna lovers there who share their knowledge.

it sounds like the machine needs to be serviced at a sewing machine
shop

I was going to direct you to the www.arizonaexpressionz.com website which had lots of Elna instruction and service manuals including the SU but today its links seem to be out of action. It may come back to life so worth checking another time.

In the meantime, did your repair shop actually service the machine or just pull the top cover off, put in oil and tell you that's it. There are still Elna trained technicians out there who are familiar with the older Swiss made machines and its probably worth trying to find one if you think the service centre you've visited hasn't actually addressed the issue.

The other option is if you are in the USA, contacting White Sewing Centre and maybe sending it to them to be serviced. LInk is www.whitesewingcenter.com.

Or if you are technically minded yourself, you could join the "Elna Heirloom" group on Yahoo and then ask the other members there for help, there are lots of Elna lovers with models much older than the SU there who lovingly keep their machines running and share their knowledge. Just be clear as to whether yours is a Star Series SU (white with blue top) or Air Electronic SU (if you look on the id plate of the machine there will be a 2 digit code either 62 or 68.

I hope this helps you a little, I'd certainly persist with it if I was you. I just purchased my second SU 2nd hand after buying a new model of another brand 5 years ago and being quite disappointed with its performance, particularly with heavy jobs.

Turn the stitch selector off "A". Try again to release the disc by pressing on the central knob..

If you look at the elnagraph, can you see if the reading arm has moved away from the disc? If not, try rotating the fly wheel until the circle mark on the disc lines up with the white arrow in the elnagraph. Now try again.

There is actually a slight variation in the discs between the early supermatics and the later models - is it possible that you've acquired this disc from other than original purchase with the machine?

You can find out quite a bit of information on this if you subscribe to the yahoo group called "Elna Heirlooms" the other members are very knowledgable on the discs and there has been several theads on this. You might want to join up and read through past messages, there is also info under files and photos, lots of helpful members.

The difference is in the little hole on the underside of the disc that a little finger (called driving pin) locks into. Its deeper on some than others.

If you find that you still can't get the disc out then you may need to take it to an experienced SM technician for him to do a service. I treasure my Elna Star Series SU machine and will never part with it.

Throughout the Swiss Elna range there were several of their top of line models that have the black cams for additional stitches and they all have an "Elnagraph" device in the top of the machine case where you insert the cams.

There are single cams where the needle just moves ffrom side to side while the fabric moves forward. And double cams where the needle moves from side to side while the feed dogs move the fabric forward and backwards to get a combination stitch. The trick is to get the Elnagraph to engage so the arm in it can "read" off the disc.

There are a couple of other knobs that you need to adjust to get the cam stitch though.

Star Series: (white machine with blue top) you need to put the stitch selector inside the elnagraph flap to "A" on the Star series and then stitch width to 4 and stitch length to the red A zone.

Air Electronic SU or Carina: you have 3 knobs from left to right - stitch selector (put it on 7) , stitch width (put it on 4, orange area) and stitch length (turn it around to the orange zone for the automatic stitches).

And on the early Supermatic the adjustments are a little different again.

And ALWAYS turn the stitch width and length dials back to zero, before you change the stitch selector, or pop out a cam.

I hope this helps you get your Elna stitching from the cam, there is a great Yahoo group called Elna Heirlooms too where there are lots of knowledgeable Elna owners and some files listing all the cam stitches.

You take the thread down the left side of the silver wheel and then gently tug it upwards so that it clicks into the wheel. Then pass the thread through the rear of the thread take up lever(this should be raised), from left to right. Then take the thread down and slip it into the thread guide, down slip into the needle clamp and then thread through the needle from front to back.

There are two types of discs - single and double.
For the thinner single discs do as follows:
1.Turn stitch width knob to "0"
2. Turn stitch length knob to "0"
3. Insert the single disc
4. Turn the top selector to "A"
5. Make sure the needle selector is in the centered position.
6. You may now choose any stitch length or width you wish. I usually try "3" for the width and 1/2 for the length to start.

For the thicker double discs do as follows:

1.Turn stitch width knob to "0"
2. Turn stitch length knob to "0"
3. Insert the double disc
4. Turn the top selector to "A"
5. Make sure the needle selector is in the centered position.
6. You may now choose any stitch width.
7. The stitch length must be put on "A" - this is the difference between the single and double discs!
I hope this helps!

Depends on which SU you have, but you need to move the stitch selector to Zig Zag, then set the stitch length to 2.5 and the stitch width to at least 2.

On the earlier models the stitch selector is a wheel inside the flap on the top of the machine, on the air electronics, it is a coloured dial.

If this doesn't help, check if you've inadvertently moved the needle position to the side setting.