ok so WHY BOTHER???
SO why bother to refurbish an old black machine???
1) They CAN be made to work.
2) They are VERY well made.
3) They are like roaches - you really can't kill them.
4) They will last a very long time if cared for and used.
5) Keeps one more thing out of a land fill.
6) Nobody is ever going to make another one.
7) If you have ever sewed on one you will know why we all restore them.
8) The ugly ones work the best if they have been used the most - even if they have set around.
9) When they can be made to work they sew BEAUTIFUL and not much messing around with them all the time.
10) Some times they are very pretty under all the crud.
11) I'm finding that some people really do want them and really do want to use them.
12) I'm also finding that people have already bought one out a box, sewed and scrapped it - those people are ready for something that WORKS.
13) Dependable. Dependable. Dependable.
14) Those old black machines will sew through anything.
15) They can be worked on later on if needed.
16) Parts are available.
17) They were crafted not stamped out of plastic and metal
I think I could think up 100 reasons or more but I'm sitting in McDonalds in Naples and I'm running out of time. Please feel free to add reasons why you might remotely refurbish an old black sewing machine.