# You guys are a bad influence



## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Look at what I found and am considering now.


http://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/clt/1035253183.html


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2009)

My MIL had one like that! I borrowed it to make my neices and nephews Christmas outfits. 

Did you know that machine can sew through a finger? :stars:

Just don't get in a hurry to make stuff and sew until 2 AM. You tend to get sloppy and then you tend to sneeze as you're sewing and BAM you've just sewn your finger and gotten blood on the pretty outfits you were making!:bash:


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## Sew-Classic (Jan 5, 2009)

Very pretty. 

That's a VS (vibrating shuttle) machine. The key word here is "vibrating". 

This type of machine uses a "long bobbin" and bullet shaped shuttle rather than a round bobbin in a case. 

As a treadle or hand crank they can be a pleasure to use. They have a rhythmic sound and feel to them. But when they have an electric motor, they can rattle the fillings right out of your teeth.

As a matter of personal preference, I don't buy, work on or deal in them.


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Thanks for the info. It mainly caught my eye because the case is so nice and it is just plain pretty.

Shamelessly "using" a "friendship", can you tell what this is?

http://terrahaute.craigslist.org/for/1026761573.html

It is 8 miles from me as opposed to the other that is 108 miles from me. And, my husband and I are both tinkerers. I think we would enjoy "restoring" it ourselves. I know we would because he loves it when I let him at my sewing machines and hovers when I have them open myself.

Thanks for the info above and thanks for any info you can give me on the other.

Mary

ETA: Well, I did some looking as I waited on samples and I think it is a 16-61 or something like that. An electrified version of an earlier treadle machine.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

The rusty one looks like a 66 with the Red Eye decals. It is indeed an electrified version of an earlier treadle.

But you can pick one up in much better shape than that for not a whole lot. $50 or less, if you watch for it, will find you one that just needs some basic care. 
This is Grace:








I snagged her for 33 cents at an auction last fall. (A lot of three actually, all in excellent shape, for $1)


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## Sew-Classic (Jan 5, 2009)

Depending on your area and luck, you could go to ten auctions and not see anything worth loading into the car as far as sewing machines go. Then, on the way home, you might find one sitting on the curb that it just what you were looking for. Or, you could search for months and not find what you want. 

I can respect the fact that you may prefer a "bird in hand" over "two in the bush" so to speak when it comes to vintage sewing machine hunting. I wouldn't get to caught up in trying to find a machine for free or close to it unless that is the main purpose of your mission. Don't forget to take into account how much time, energy, and gasoline you wish to devote to the hunt as well. $50 for a quality machine with the potential to last beyond your lifetime doesn't seem like a bad deal at all to me, but I'm not the one purchasing here. Bottom line, you will have to take many factors into consideration when you make your purchase. One of the most important is the "pitty-pat" factor and how much it's worth to YOU. 


BTW, the machine is the second picture looks dirty, but not rusty. even the handwheel looks relatively rust free, but the best way to evaluate is to look at it in person. Probably needs a new case or base of some sort though. Missing the bobbin cover plate (common) and the wiring and controller should be inspected carefully. -fairly common


Happy Hunting!
______________________

_Jenny_


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Yeah, to be sure you want to _carefully_ examine sale bill photos before bothering to go hunting at auctions. (Mine were at auctions where I was hunting _other_ things! lol)
My point was simply that with a little patience, you'll find old sewing machines are all over the place and $50 or less will get you a perfectly serviceable machine in need of very little work.


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## Sew-Classic (Jan 5, 2009)

Alot depends upon your area, how much time, energy and gas you wish to devote to the hunt and just plain old luck. 

I won't pass up a machine just because it's needs a little extra work, some parts or TLC to make it right either. I look at it this way, I can spend the time fixing it or I can spend the time hunting down another. I'm also not the type to drive 15 minutes out of my way to save 50 cents on a dozen eggs. 

For me, I routinely invest 1 to 8 hours refurbishing and testing a machine. I guess I either have high standards, really bad luck or a combination of both.

I've snapped some photos with the last Singer 15-91 during the process to give an idea as to how I approach the process and posted them on my blog. The reward for the extra effort put into the machine really does come into play. Not only do the machines look their best, but they function better too. 

Refurbishing a Vintage Sewing Machine- What's That?


When I first started tinkering with old machines, I took the familiar "dust it off and drop some oil in it" approach, and the machines would sometimes work OK with this superficial method. The more thorough, complete and comprehensive approach is what I take now, and I like the results better. 

Others like to do things differently, and I fully respect that. Different strokes for different folks!


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Well, part of why I was looking was I wanted one that required work before I ended up w/ what I want. We built our own house - literally. My husband restores cars. I wish you could have seen the Model A he did for his grandfather. IT made that second machine look like it is show room quality. Now that car is almost show room quality.

At this point I am not as interested in sewing on it as I am in having some pretty machines just because I want them. But I want them to work.

Btw, reading your blog and some other research I did made me realize I learned to sew on my mother's 401. I'm glad other like it but I hated that thing.


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## Sew-Classic (Jan 5, 2009)

Well, if you hated the 401 or thought is was not a nice model, then I doubt that you would like sewing on any of the vintage machines. (unless of course your mom's 401 needed repair or you experienced some user error issue). The 401 is actually one of the most coveted vintage machines by many users and collectors, and for some pretty good reasons. 

Anyhow, happy hunting for your "new" display piece. Some of the old treadles are just stunning. I recently GAVE AWAY a very pretty White- so you might want to consider some others besides just the Singers.

Here is the White:

click to enlarge (very pretty machine)


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## Shepherd (Jan 23, 2005)

That's a real beauty. I'll pull out my treasure someday and take some pics of it - it belonged to my mama.

So did you get this one?


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

I think Mom's machine had some major issues because I learned very well how to unjam it for her. She and I were both thrilled when she got a different machine because that one was such a pain to use and she had no patience with it. As soon as it would jam she would just leave it for me to dig out for her. i just looked again and I was wrong. Mom's was a 403.

I suspect it was very poorly maintained. My mom did not like to do anything extra. When she sewed she never pressed anything. So, I doubt she ever oiled it or cleaned it except when I unjammed it. I am sure someone somewhere told her it would be too expensive to fix and she just bought another. 


Anyway the fun is in the looking a lot of time. I don't have to be able to sew on it every day to enjoy owning it. I have a wood cookstove that I have never cooked a thing on but I sure enjoy having it and knowing I COULD if the situation warranted it.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Mary


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## Sew-Classic (Jan 5, 2009)

Thread nest and jams are usually easily resolved. Since you plan on building your mechanical abilities and doing some tinkering with some machines, you may find this troubleshooting guide helpful:

Thread Nests, Wads, Bunches, Knots, Loops & Tangles Under the Fabric in the Bobbin Area- How to fix it


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Thanks for the information. I think if I had Mom's machine now it would be fine but I was 8 or 9 at the time. I just don't have fond memories of it when I look at the pictures. I am sure they were great machines but Mom wasn't much on teaching. Frankly, she probably didn't know. 

I figured out the upper threading when I had a machine that would consistantly drop the thread. I could hear as soon as it would start that it wasn't threaded correctly and managed to avoid those nests thereafter.

My one complaint about my Babylock is I can't open it and see if it is threaded correctly.

The craigslist person emailed me back once but I haven't heard anything more.

I'm still thinking about the first one because my son is going to Lafayette Tuesday. But, I would rather wind up w/ a treadle machine. They have always facinated me.


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