I obtained this old BUSCH knitting machine about four years ago, since then it’s been in the bottom of my shed under the other machines in its original cardboard box, nice and dry.
Looking for something to do during lockdown and bad weather I decided to clean her up and try and get her working. I thought it would be worth a try as it looks similar to a Passaph but thankfully much more simple. The machine even had the original instruction book, guarantee and tools, it had been well looked after and cherished in the past.
I completely stripped down the bed and cleaned up the needle slides, metal compression strips each needle in turn, many of the needles were rusty and laches tight. I found what was left of a very thin sponge bar so cut one down so it fitted the 2mm square slot and fitted it in place and bolted it all back together. The needles had to be in place before the last compression strip on the bed was bolted up tight from underneath, more than once they found themselves on the floor.
The carriage was then stripped and cleaned, not much to see inside as there are no special features. The stich tension mechanism was not working so this was repaired. The central knob on the carriage will lift and lower, when in the up position it will allow the carriage to past over the tops of the needles without operating them.
To cast on the instruction book recommended using 'e' wrap but this was difficult as it took time for the machine to sort its tension out, but after 6 or 7 rows the pressure to move the carriage become less.
BUSCH did not use a mast to provide wool tension going to the carriage it recommended hold the ball of wool in one hand and moving the carriage with the other, not an easy task as at the end of rows and made it very easy to drop the stiches, a technique I almost manged. I hope the lady who bought the machine back in 1957 made a better job of knitting than I did.
I took some photo's as I worked and made a small slide show so you can see how it turned out.
Looking for something to do during lockdown and bad weather I decided to clean her up and try and get her working. I thought it would be worth a try as it looks similar to a Passaph but thankfully much more simple. The machine even had the original instruction book, guarantee and tools, it had been well looked after and cherished in the past.
I completely stripped down the bed and cleaned up the needle slides, metal compression strips each needle in turn, many of the needles were rusty and laches tight. I found what was left of a very thin sponge bar so cut one down so it fitted the 2mm square slot and fitted it in place and bolted it all back together. The needles had to be in place before the last compression strip on the bed was bolted up tight from underneath, more than once they found themselves on the floor.
The carriage was then stripped and cleaned, not much to see inside as there are no special features. The stich tension mechanism was not working so this was repaired. The central knob on the carriage will lift and lower, when in the up position it will allow the carriage to past over the tops of the needles without operating them.
To cast on the instruction book recommended using 'e' wrap but this was difficult as it took time for the machine to sort its tension out, but after 6 or 7 rows the pressure to move the carriage become less.
BUSCH did not use a mast to provide wool tension going to the carriage it recommended hold the ball of wool in one hand and moving the carriage with the other, not an easy task as at the end of rows and made it very easy to drop the stiches, a technique I almost manged. I hope the lady who bought the machine back in 1957 made a better job of knitting than I did.
I took some photo's as I worked and made a small slide show so you can see how it turned out.
