Recommendations for Quiet, Quality, Small Simple Machine???
01-31-2015, 11:20 AM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Central NY
Posts: 859
I have many vintage all steel Kenmore machines, and all are low shank centered needle. They sew perfectly, but are very heavy.
Originally Posted by slbram17
I have some older Kenmores...not that quiet but heavy. Just my experience. Also, they are the super high shank (makes finding compatible feet an issue), and the needle is not centered (resides on the left, making it a little tricky for me to get a decent quarter inch seam).
I was not familiar with those characteristics when I purchased the used Kenmores, and I might have still bought them then. But now, I don't think so. I just want low shank, centered needle machines. I kind of like the top loading bobbin cases too, seems easier than messing around with the front loading cases when they need refills and/or unjamming.
My quiet machine is an older Bernina with none of the above issues, except it has the front loading bobbin case. But it was way too expensive for a used machine.
I was not familiar with those characteristics when I purchased the used Kenmores, and I might have still bought them then. But now, I don't think so. I just want low shank, centered needle machines. I kind of like the top loading bobbin cases too, seems easier than messing around with the front loading cases when they need refills and/or unjamming.
My quiet machine is an older Bernina with none of the above issues, except it has the front loading bobbin case. But it was way too expensive for a used machine.
01-31-2015, 11:21 AM
#22
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,507
A guy just stopped by and bought a Singer 401 from me. He had a Janome with a fried mother board - new it was $350 to fix was $300. He was very frustrated with anything computerized. The Singer 401 is pretty quiet and fairly light weight and very versatile.
01-31-2015, 11:42 AM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Central NY
Posts: 859
A $350 computerized machine is on the lower end, quality wise. I'm in a position in life (old) that I can buy really good machines and mine have been in use for 15 plus years, so I have more than gotten my money's worth. Modern machines can do wonderful things, and to me they are worth the $$ and the shorter lifespan.
Originally Posted by miriam
A guy just stopped by and bought a Singer 401 from me. He had a Janome with a fried mother board - new it was $350 to fix was $300. He was very frustrated with anything computerized. The Singer 401 is pretty quiet and fairly light weight and very versatile.
01-31-2015, 12:21 PM
#24
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 286
I must start by saying that I like the sound of smoothrunning sewing machines. The sound you hear from a running sewing machine canbe changed in many ways. Mechanical machines must be properly lubricated tosound properly. Sewing machines sound and run better sitting on a pad and notsitting directly on a desk or table setting up a vibration. Try using a foldedhand towel, heavy place mat or pad made from batting scraps. Pads can also bepurchased, like the one sold by Martelli. Martelli has a sales video thatexplains what a pad for a sewing machine does. Some machines have a sound that irritatesmany people and cannot be changed easily.
01-31-2015, 12:50 PM
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
The least expensive machine sold at Walmart is a basic Brother machine that will zigzag. Place it on a couple mouse pads to quiet the vibration.... Light weight and dependable.
01-31-2015, 01:42 PM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,472
I've had excellent luck with Brother machines. I have a very lightweight HS-2000 which is very quiet & small. I use it as my travel machine. I bought mine at AllBrands.com & they had excellent customer service!! Had my machine in hand 3 days after I ordered it! I was really impressed!! Check them out as they have many brands available.
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