Kenmore 1802 was the TOP LUXURY MODEL with what buyers called the "Tower of power" (possibly learned from a savvy salesperson) a stack of green plastic organizer boxes of accessories, monogrammer, buttonholer, super high shank presser feet, and 30 stitch discs, we now call cams The first 1802 (158.18020) came with this very unusual set of adapter feet, with an S shaped adapter foot with a lever on the back, the set of feet that came with it, are narrower. Later 1802's came with the 2nd set of adapter feet, which are easier to find.
1802. 158.18020 accessory card Notice how narrow the feet are, compared to Later Kenmore super high shank adapter feet.
1802 158.18020 original adapter feet set
First adapter foot left, later version on right (back)
First adapter foot with edgestitcher left Later adapter foot with edgestitcher right
Notice the limited sizes of rolled hemmers indicated
Accessory tray with the accessories indicated in manual (I didn't realize some models came without 3 of the sizes of rolled hem feet, in the Tower of Power kit!)
Original Kenmore information packet for assembling the tables, adjusting tension, ordering extra Monogrammer cams
Joy is the original name on purchase receipt, but Cathy is the name of the lady who gave up her Kenmore 1802, as she moved into a rest home, which is when I received it
1802 packet of instructions for accessories and feet, it stores in a polka dotted envelope, slipped into this pouch in the middle of the 1802 manual, pages 25, which has stitch samples illustrated on it, and page 26
Kenmore 1802 accessory card instructions has an illustration of the accessories & feet, on the back of the envelope
One reason no one could sew with this 1802, was it had the straight stitch foot installed, and someone apparently set it for zigzag, and hit the needle on the presser foot, bending the tip of the needle. Replacing the needle with a brand new needle, is usually the FIRST thing a sewing machine technician tries, when presented with a sewing machine that "doesn't work right". You would be shocked how many needles get put in backwards, are bent, broken, the original needle (which wore a hole in the side of the eye, it had been so overused!), or are the wrong CLASS of needles (this is usually a 4 number identification of which specific sewing machines use a needle, some are longer, or shorter, some have a scarf, some do not, some needles are curved, like for blind hemmers).
CLEANING & OILING SERVICING YOUR 1802
These are some of my most basic tools I use for working on sewing machines, but I forgot to include my headlight, and one of my favorites, an offset screwdriver, which is an almost Z shaped screwdriver, with a four head, or Phillips tip at one end, and a flathead tip at the other end. I also didn't remember to include a socket the size for adjusting the motor mount bolt. The short glass jar is what I put rubbing alcohol in, it is short and fat, so I don't spill it (I'm a klutz, due to my NF2 brain, spinal and nerve tumors), as easily, lol! I didn't include my Lily White sewing machine oil, either, it is in a gallon jug, because I have industrial sewing machines, too, which use a LOT more oil! I have not used the Super Lube yet, but they are supposed to be safe on plastic gears of various types of materials, from nylon, to hard fiber/resin gears (some of these gears are NOT supposed to be lubricated, so don't just add grease to every gear. Metal gears need grease, it won't fly off, when spinning at high speeds, like oil will, but only apply grease when metal rubs against metal on GEARS ONLY. If you do have a manual which says to grease a type of plastic/nylon/fiber resin gear, the Super Lube is supposed to be safer than other grease, for these non metal gears. Super Lube is not supposed to cause as many problems for people with allergies to fumes from cleaners and lubricants.
NOTE- I also used a tiny bit of WD40 (which I usually do NOT advocate using, it is not a good long term lubricant for sewing machines, but is a useful tool for helping melt dried up oil deep inside parts which are impossible to reach, without dismantling the machine. You MUST clean the WD40 out, once freed up, and oil again, to ensure all WD40 is removed, or it will dry out and stick again.) I tried cleaning and oiling with the rubbing alcohol and oiling with Tri Flow first, but this mechanism was still super stiff, due to sticky oil deep inside a part which needs to rotate, and using the WD40 and a hair dryer sped up the loosening of dried oil, allowing me to then clean it off again, before oiling with Tri Flow oil again. Do NOT aim the hair dryer at any plastic parts, especially the front dials, they may crack and break, due to heat, if you get them too hot, and don't have the mechanism behind them freed up, before trying to turn dials. It puts too much stress on the plastic inside the dial. ALWAYS free up the mechanism, inside the machine, before attempting to force dials, or you will be replacing the dials & knobs.
MOST vintage sewing machines need a thorough CLEANING INSIDE, before they can sew at their best, highest speed, without stressing the motor. Over the decades, the old oil will dry out, and it creates an almost invisible lacquer, at first, but as time goes by, this darkens to a golden brown. A machine which has been oiled, many times, may have a lot more of the dark golden brown lacquer, on the metal parts which are supposed to be able to move against each other.
Removing this sticky brown lacquer is relatively simple, I just dip Qtips or a paintbrush in rubbing alcohol, and then apply it to the oil ports, and the sticky brown areas. You will get a lot of brown lacquer that comes off, don't worry, that is normal.
The following video is of Cathy, this 1802, before I cleaned out the motor brushes, so you hear the squealing of the motor brushes, as I am explaining how the zigzag selector and linkage needs cleaned up and lubricated, and explain how the stitch selector dial works.
If you have a mechanical stretch stitch sewing machine, which only sews in reverse, or only in forward, when it is supposed to be sewing the stretch stitch pattern, of two stitches forward, one stitch back, repeatedly, you have a cam follower, which is supposed to pivot, but is sticking, due to old sticky dried oil.
Here is a video I made, showing where this part is, and how it is supposed to be moving, so you can see where to clean and oil again, to get it fully functional.
1802 stitch width knob either is frozen, or Turns by itself, changing stitch width while you are trying to sew. This is to the right, under the camstack, and is an illustration of an oil port which often gets missed, because it can only be seen from certain angles. It is a long bar, with the oil port in the center, and this entire parts needs oiled, to pivot, to allow the cam followers to move and is part of your zigzag stitch mechanism.
I used an empty injector, to suck up rubbing alcohol, drizzled it into this oil port, then added Tri Flow oil, and ran it several minutes, at high speed, switching back and forth, between straight stitch, and the widest stitch width. Blot up excess oil and alcohol. Oil with sewingvmachine oil, or Tri Flow oil.
Notice the dark brown inside this oil port on my Kenmore? This is lacquer that is being removed, now that I have added fresh oil, and run the machine. To help remove the old lacquer, oil the machine, run it several minutes, then remove the oil, anywhere it has turned brown. Add fresh sewing machine oil or Tri Flow oil (my 2 favorites for vintage sewing machines, I haven't started using the Super Lube oil yet, but it is supposed to give off less fumes) after cleaning out the dark brown lacquer. I usually use Qtips dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean old oil off the bare metal inner workings of sewing machines, or use a paintbrush, for hard to reach areas.
STUCK IN ZIGZAG OR STRAIGHT STITCH STITCH WIDTH KNOB TURNS BY ITSELF WON'T STAY IN STRAIGHT STITCH, OR ZIGZAG
Kenmore 1802 sewing machine motor oil port at one end of motor. There is a felt wick inside the motor, at each end, which surround the rod the pulley spins on. This requires lubrication with sewing machine oil. If you take it in for servicing, the motor oiling ports are 2 locations the service tech SHOULD oil, especially if you don't oil it, because not all manuals tell you to oil these. The orange paint is to tell you to oil "here".
Kenmore 1802 oil port at the pulley end. It takes several drops of oil, but do not over oil, or you will have smoke. Some manuals say oil up to 6 drops at each motor port, but 2 to 3 drops is usually enough. If you use an oiler with this type of TINY straw, a maximum of 6 drops, but if you use something that has huge drops coming out, only use a couple of drops.
I like to use a small ratchet with the large socket, for adjusting the motor mount to tighten the belts. You can use a flathead screwdriver, instead, but for me, this is easier.
I used the 13 mm socket on this, because it worked, but the 12mm might have been a better fit, my hubby pointed out the 13mm was a little loose, but worked great, I had to adjust the motor mount to tighten the belts. This is the only adjustment for belt tension on the 1802 and many Kenmore sewing machines. The top belt goes around the handwheel, and the dual belt pulley, which is spring mounted, behind the side panel. The pulley sometimes needs lubricated where it spins only (never oil where the belts ride), to quiet it down, and allow it to spin at higher speeds
1802 bottom view 158.18024 model has a 1.2 amp motor, which can sew very fast, if the machine is properly freed up
158.18024 Kenmore view of machine underside and motor
Kenmore 1802 behind handwheel and belts, note that the dual belt pulley automatically is pulled to the bottom, towards the motor, by the tension spring, when the belts are removed. The belt pulley is attached to a hinged arm, so that you only need to adjust belt tension, by adjusting the position of the motor, using the large bolt holding the motor on the adjustable motor mount. (Motor of 1802 and many more modern machines, are hidden underneath the sewing machine)
Kenmore 1802 lying on it's back, with side panel and handwheel and clutch knob removed. Pulley for the 2 belts, is mounted on a movable arm, and a spring holds tension on it. You have to have the belts attached to the pulley and motor and handwheel, in order to replace the side panel. This model can be a bit of a pain to pull the side panel off, and replace belts, and oil the pulley, due to the fact that the handwheel needs to be inserted through the opening at the top of the side panel, before you place the belt on the pulley, then the handwheel, then, with both belts under tension, on the pulley, you have to insert the tabs of the side panel in their home location, then manage to manipulate the handwheel back onto it's home location on the machine. It helps to oil the handwheel inside, and where it slides onto, before attempting this. It takes strength and coordination, 2 things I do NOT have, lol! Then, re-install the clutch washer with the tabs sticking OUT, and screw in your clutch knob, then tighten the clutch knob screw. (Sometimes, if the clutch knob screw hits the tabs of the clutch washer, you must remove the knob again, and spin the the clutch washer 180 degrees, so the clutch knob screw won't hit any of the 3 tabs, when you reinstall the clutch knob and screw.
Kenmore 1802 view behind the belt pulley, with side panel removed. Top of machine is to the right, bottom is to the left. Notice your reverse lever pin, behind the stitch length knob, is under tension by a spring attached to the rod that is behind the stitch selector.
Kenmore 1802 behind side panel, closeup view of stitch selector mechanism, behind and below the arm that the belt pulley rides on
Accessing the bobbin hook gear box, remove 3 screws, this plate pulls off, and you should either have a HUGE glob of grease (NOT melted, NOT hard, it should be soft, or needs replaced) which either sticks to the plate when you remove it, or is attached to the bobbin hook gear, inside the box.
Kenmore sewing machine bobbin hook gear case or box, should be relatively full of a soft glob of grease. This ensures this important gear stays properly lubricated, for smooth, quiet, trouble free operation. If grease is melted, or hard, it needs removed. If it is soft, it may be placed back on the gear, and the gearbox plate replaced.
This is the Kenmore 1802 motor wiring box, I wanted to make sure the motor did not have a bad bearing in it, because it would squeal, but only when the handwheel was turned the correct direction, not if it was turned backwards. This is a CLUE that "direction" of something, was NOT right. It was NOT a bad motor bearing, not belts, not lack of lubrication, it was the carbon brushes needed removed, tapped, to allow any dust and bits to fall out, then the motor carbon brushes replaced, making sure the curved part of the nearly new carbon brushes, was going around the commutator, not sideways. The commutator is curved, and spins at high speeds, against these brushes, eventually wearing the carbon brushes away, if you don't replace them. (It takes many years of sewing, to wear out these carbon brushes) Once I replaced the brushes, and put it back together correctly, it no longer squeals!
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The Sears Kenmore 1802 is one of Sears Kenmore's "top of the line" models, or some would say, it was their 2nd in line from the top, the 1803 has 12 built in stitches, while the 1802 has the built in blind hem, as well as straight stitch, zigzag, stretch smocking stitch, and the cam setting, to be used with the various stitch cams, of which, there are 45 available, though the most that came with any model, was 30 stitch cams, 20 double layer stretch & decorative cams, 10 single layer cams. You can find other cams for sale online, to achieve all 45 stitches, but no machine came with all of them.
1802 one version of the special adapter foot, which is VERY HARD TO FIND! Often, the adapter foot is missing from this tray, when you purchase it, second hand. Notice the feet that attach to it, are flat, not L shaped, like the other, more common adapter and adapter feet
Kenmore 1802 most common set of super high shank feet, adapter, and accessories
Kenmore 1802 twin needle super high shank feet, chainstitch adapter and plate in their gold box with the lid removed, so you can see it more clearly
Kenmore 1802 buttonholer all metal flat style, with metal cams
Kenmore 1802 sewing machine stitch discs (we call them type C cams, in 2020)
Sears Kenmore 1802 monogrammer coverplate 28758, guide plate 28759, and presser foot, 28871 with 18 stitch discs for the letters (I don't have all 26, you only received letter A with your 1802, and ordered the letter cams you wanted, it is rare to find a full set of them for sale, because most people only purchased their own initials)
Sears Kenmore 1802 sewing machine monogramming instructions monogrammer instructions with illustrations this card was in with the monogrammer and monogrammer positioning chart
Sears Kenmore 1802 sewing machine monogrammer placement chart with the starting point for where to place your needle on your project.
1802 monogrammer cams bought separately In their own green case.
This Kenmore sewing machine Guarantee from 1969, was in my set of almost completely unused, partially wrapped feet, attachments and accessories, when I purchased them off Ebay
Kenmore 1802 sewing machine guarantee, attachments instruction cards, and the envelope they came in. This slid into a pouch in the instruction manual. The manual is in the center right of the photo, the envelope is in the lower right corner
top of photo is the outside of the envelope inserted into the manual, which includes the cards with instructions for the presser feet shown illustrated on the back of the envelope.
1802 parts illustrations
I am adding the parts list photo FULL SIZE, so hopefully you can read it for parts numbers-
Kenmore 1802 sewing machine parts list
This is a list of the monogrammer cams I have for the 1802 and the part numbers they have on the back of them. I labeled it embroidery cams, but you know I mean monogrammer, lol!
Kenmore 1802 monogrammer, discs (we call them cams nowadays, but the advertisements and manuals refer to them as discs) with the instruction page in the manual, notice there is a LARGE clear plastic presser foot in the box with the monogrammer cams, which is part of the monogrammer
Sears Kenmore 1802 cams type C (stitch discs)
Sears Kenmore 1802 sewing machine monogrammer and discs ( I have 18 of the cams, not the entire alphabet)
1802 Round Monogrammer cams, discs (official Kenmore name) came in all 26 alphabetic letters, plus 10 numbers, 0-9. The monogrammer cams for the alphabet could be purchased in a set, or individually, the set came in a green box with slots for 30 cams, the remaining 6 could be double stacked in the monogrammer cam pins in the "Tower of Power".
Sears Kenmore 1802 sewing machine monogrammer discs (cams) I have, with their part numbers
1802
The Kenmore luxury machines are Super High Shank sewing machines, with a "quick change" presser foot lever setup loosely based on the Bernina's 3 second presser foot change situation, but is not quite as easy to use in practice, because you must remove the lever & reverse threaded nut which holes it on, in order to change the presser foot to use an adjustable zipper presser foot, because the adjustable part of the older styles of adjustable zipper foot, does not fit on the machine, if the lever is left on. Of the super high shank adjustable zipper feet, only the invisible adjustable zipper foot is able to be quickly interchanged with the quick change system being left on the machine,.
because only U shaped shank tops work with the Kenmore quick change system.
45 stitch cams are available, these are stitch samples I sewed using the type C Sears Kenmore cams
Sears Kenmore factory stitch samples which came with the 1802 sewing machine
Clockwise from top; The green plastic organizer trays include the monogrammer, presser feet, another tray for feet, chainstitch adapter, screwdrivers, seam ripper, needle threader, etc., buttonholer with geared plate and cams. I have seen 2 different styles of Super High Shank feet for these top of the line Kenmore's, there are 2 different styles of adapters, one more rare than the other. The rare one folds back on itself, and the adaptive feet are flat, attaching with a lever. The other style is similar to the regular Kenmore low shank feet, with a screw on adapter foot.
A wonderful individual, David Goboff, created a Kenmore sewing machine Model Chart which helps tell what each model can do, and what accessories originally came with them. Here is a link to his chart.
