"Okay, I fessed up to hubby and he's okay with it!

He did say, "But I don't know how you're going to get it here"
Me: "The big rolling suitcase"
Hubby: "That suitcase is full of clothes" (Storage)
Me: "That's okay, I can take the clothes out, but I'll have trouble carrying the suitcase up the stairs"
Hubby: "Take a taxi!"

I would marry him again and again."

-------------------------

Oh my. Possibly the most romantic thing ever.

Now go get that Phoenix 429!!!

;-)

p.s. The eBay Bell is shocking - it even has the 429 brand on it. Nothing but the Name Brand is changed. I am horrified at the price.

I guess I'm into "practical romanticism" (definition: he tolerates my sewing machine hoarding)

The guy is supposed to answer my questions about whether it has a manual or bobbins. (I don't want to seem to eager lest he think it is a $500 machine ha ha). He has promised to, but said he's been busy and forgot about it. I'll email him and set up a time to get it.


Actually the faceplate is different. Flat chrome instead of the "streamliner" nose with light switch. Not functional sewing things, though. But "my" Bell doesn't have 429 on it. I'm still thinking that mine might be a 3/4 machine. What did you think of his ad? I was kinda put off by it. A lot of stuff about how his work is so great and others' is not, but not a lot about the machine, or what was included. Also he keyword-spammed by using Pfaff 130 in the title. Against the rules. I wouldn't buy anything from him. His stuff is way overpriced anyway.

The weird thing about Bell sewing machines -- If you do a search, you'll find a very small machine that is collectible, and a few others. They were made in the USA, and the company was based in the USA. For some reason, Baer and Rempel badged a machine for them. Had Bell given up making their own machines, or was that before they started making their own? A lot of makers badged machines for other companies or stores (a million examples such as Kenmore, Macy's, Gimbles etc.), but I never heard of one sewing machine maker badging for another. I found a little info on Baer and Rempel on needlebar, but there was no mention of Bell. Bell was not in their gallery archives, either. I also didn't find anything on Ismacs about Bell. There's still a lot more research to do.

"Actually the faceplate is different. Flat chrome instead of the "streamliner" nose with light switch."

Nope, actually, it is the same.

Look at those photos on eBay by Dude Who Charged $700 OBO* for the Bell, and look at mine. Mine has the Roman Nose Lamp. His did, too, until it was removed and --nothing put back in its place--. Perhaps that was done to give it more at-a-glance resemblance to the Pfeffer 130, the name of which he was using to bolster his own price. Notice that that Bell has no lamp at all. None. It really is the identical machine to our $20 429s.

Correct you are as well, that using Pfeffer 130 in the title as a spammy-search-catch is uncool.



*That's almost seventeen dollars a pound! Yeesh!

I'm confused -- I see a flat chrome faceplate on the ebay Bell. Is that what is behind the "roman nose" on your machine? I was wondering where the lamp was.


hee hee. if it were a car it would be $68,000!

I keep forgetting to ask you...does your Phoenix use standard low shank feet?

I see it now -- the chrome on your machine is behind the nose. I didn't notice that before. Now I'm kinda wondering how the lamp wires are connected on your machine -- I guess through the upper hole on the chrome piece? That seller is really a rip-off artist!

Does your Phoenix have a darning foot. The one I had was real neat. The foot was kind of tiny then you swung something down from behind the pressure foot and it did free motion or darning.

sounds neat! I hope mine comes with some feet.

Cecilia, when you have a chance, could you measure a Phoenix bobbin for me? (No rush.) I'm wondering if this one at Jenny's site may fit. They are 11/32" high by 27/32" OD:
http://shop.sew-classic.com/Bobbins-...k-SCBN9033.htm
If not there is another possible candidate in her shop.

Outside height of bobbin sandwich 9.25 mm
Inside height of bobbin sandwich: 7.7 mm (Quite sure this does not matter)
Thickness of sandwich pieces: .6mm (Quite sure this does not matter)
Outer diameter: 21.5 mm
Interior diameter: 6mm

Wow, I measured with a by-eye caliper rule and I am within .05mm of things adding up in the sandwich part of things. I am a wizard. ;-)

Best of luck.

Thank you! I think the Pfaff bobbins might fit. Converting English to metric, the Pfaff are approx. 21.43 mm diameter and 8.73 mm high. The diameter is perfect. The height could be a rounding error, but it's only .52 mm smaller. We Americans are in the dark ages in terms of our units. I've been in "unit conversion hell" my whole life, and it doesn't look like it's going to change any time soon.

And your wizardry is pretty amazing.