White Superlock 534 Serger: The Ultimate Guide
What to choose when it comes to sewing every person seems to have their personal favorite. The different features appeal to different people. The White Superlock 534 Serger is no different. It has features many people love to use.
White Superlock 534 Serger: This sewing machine is capable of doing a rolled hem. Plus, its reputation as a workhorse lets everyone know that it will do their sewing tasks for years to come. It must be a good sewing machine as it comes with a 40-page owner’s manual.
To learn about the White Superlock 534 Serger, just continue to read our article. It contains all the information about this sewing machine, who makes it and more. By the time you finish reading this article you may want a Serger for yourself.
White Superlock Serger 101
Who Makes White Sergers
Originally the White Sewing Machine Company made all the sewing machines with the White name. The company was founded in 1866, by Thomas White in Cleveland Ohio. At the time the company was called the White manufacturing Company but became the White Sewing Machine Company in 1876.
From 1923 till it lost its contract with Sears, the White sewing Machine Company made sewing machines. That changed when the new president took over in 1955. With the loss of the Sears contract, White bought up top appliance brand names and branched out.
Now named the White Consolidated Industries, the company bought Westinghouse in 1975 and continued to manufacture sewing machines and other household goods. They bought Frigidaire in 1979 to add to their already diverse line-up.
When Electrolux bought the company in 1986, the White name disappeared from the company’s sewing machine line. Those machines were and are sold under the Husqvarna Viking Brand name.
FYI Husqvarna Viking, Singer, and Pfaff brands are all owned by SVP now.
How to Thread a White Superlock 534 Serger
Threading a White Superlock 534 serger may not be as easy as it looks. The machine has a special order to it and if by chance your thread breaks after you have threaded the machine; you have to start all over again from square one.
Here are the steps that need to be taken to get the threading done right:
First, raise the needle to its highest point using the hand wheel.
Second, you need to start with the bottom row and the upper looper. Then you go to the lower looper before proceeding to the top row.
Third, you take the thread through the right needle and then move it towards the left needle.
A special note, before you start or as you pass the tension discs, set all of these discs to 0. Also, make sure the thread doesn’t go down into the machine. If you need a diagram to help you, just click this link.
White Superlock 534 Oiling
To clean and oil your sewing machine correctly, you will need the following tools and supplies:
- Screwdriver
- Spray duster
- Vacuum using the skinny hose attachment
- Serger manual
- Sewing machine oil
- Small brush or pipe cleaner
Once you have assembled your cleaning kit, here are the steps you need to take to make sure your machine is oiled right:
Step one - unscrew the looper cover and swivel plate.
Step two - vacuum and get as much of the fabric out as you can.
Step three - remove the needles, pressure foot and needle plate and remove all bits and pieces of fabric and dirt.
Step four - use the small brush or pipe cleaner to remove all the dirt and bits of fabric from those areas.
Step five - now you use the spray duster to get those tiny particles you may not see.
Step six - oil every moving part you can find. About 2 drops of oil for each part should do the trick.
Step seven - put your sewing machine back together and test it out.
White 534 Serger Needles
If your needles break a replacement may be found in a Kenmore or Singer needle. Also, a 15 x 1 universal needle should also be able to replace the needle you have lost. If your needle keeps on breaking, then there are two possible sources for that taking place.
First, you need to check the tension on the thread. If that is set too tight, then too much pressure will be placed on your needle causing it to snap. Or, your spool may have a crack in it.
This crack may catch the thread and put too much pressure on the needle. That pressure will cause the needle and its replacements to break. This will continue till you fix or replace the spool of thread.
White 534 Serger Locks Up
If you are having trouble with your sewing machine, the cause may be in your lock-up system. To rectify this issue, just remove the needle plate first, then remove the presser foot.
Once you have done that, check to see if the clearance between the lock looper and lock stitch needle is as the manual states it should be. That figure is 0 to 0.1 mm. If it isn’t, then you just loosen the set screw on the looper pin and adjust the clearance by turning the lock looper in the direction you need to go.
The lock looper turns both ways. When you have that done, just re-tighten the screws. If you need more help, here is the link to the owner’s manual for the sewing machine. It will help you solve your problems with your White Superlock 534 serger.
White Superlock 534 Serger Tension Settings
When you get ready to sew, you should turn all the tension settings on all the tension discs to 0 first. Then you need to turn each disc to its specific tension that is required to sew properly.
For the left needle the tension disc should be set at 7; the right needle is at 3 as are the upper looper and the lower looper. Clicking on the link above and getting to the owner’s manual will help you make sure you have the right tension setting for your next sewing session.
The discs turn counter-clockwise when you need to set them to 0. Then turn them clockwise to set the proper tension.
White 534 Serger Manual
Since White sewing machines are not made anymore, and the updated brand has been sold to SVP it may be a little difficult to get an owner’s manual to help guide you through your sewing machine operation.
Hope is not lost as SVP has all of its owner’s manuals at the Singer brand website. That includes the White models as well.
We have placed it here a second time for your convenience.
Finding White Serger Parts (Power Cord And Foot Pedal)
Finding parts for your old White Superlock 534 Serger is not going to be that hard at all. Even the power cord and the presser foot are easy to find. All you need to do is click on this link and you will find every part you need for your 534 sewing machine.
The power cord and presser foot are right on the landing page. If you are not successful and the parts may be out of stock, just do a simple internet search or go on one of the many sewing forums and ask the members there.
They should know where you can get the parts you need with ease. Another place you can check is found at this link. Parts are not hard to come by when you know where to look.
White Superlock 534 Value
One thing is for sure, you will not get rich if you own a very good White Superlock 534 in pristine condition. One price we have found has the sewing machine valued at $110. Others have it at $90.
eBay has a variety of prices for different machines but none of them will get you excited and make you rush to sell your machine. In other words, White Superlocks 534 sewing machines are only worth the amount someone is willing to pay for it and it may not be much.
In the end, you may get a nice meal at a very nice restaurant out of the proceeds of your sale.
Some Final Words
The White Superlock 534 serger does come with a good reputation. It is a fine machine to use even though it may be a hassle to thread. Keeping it cleaned and oiled are the keys to help it last you a long time.
Also, if anything does break on the machine, you know that its parts are not that expensive and are very easy to find. Keeping your White sewing machine in top condition will not be that difficult.
Finally, while it is a good machine, it is not worth a lot of money. Its value is in its ability to continue to work well, long after it has gone out of production.
