Ew...and I agree that my next machine will not be a front loader. I hate stinky laundry. Along the cleaning line of thought...I cleaned about two Tablespoons (?) of lint out of a new sewing machine today. I found myself asking how someone could let it get so linty...then I thought about my serger....um, that little baby needs to be cleaned. Kinda like when I was at an estate sale and I asked myself why someone would have so many sewing machines...um...I now have 4 of her machines for a total now of....16. And, tonight, I'll clean my washer. :)

Joe,

Thanks for the reply. It was never a treadle, and I see no place for the belt....BUT...my friend came over today (with two more machines) and he fixed the plug and encouraged me to plug it in. IT RUNS! What a great surprise. I'm glad I took the time yesterday to clean and oil it.

quiltingweb,

Yeah, my bad, I forgot those use the friction drive wheel. Duh ..... where's my sign?

Joe

Oh please...you know more about machines than I ever will. I just hope by hanging out here, some of it will rub off

Hubby and I were poking around in a couple of antique stores today and I came upon a cabinet with a sewmor zig zag machine that looks alot like my Lenco. It was nicely turning, relatively clean, and in a standard little cabinet. They wanted 75 but I thought that was way too much, though I don't have another sewmor. Its been there for awhile. I was sorta contemplating going back later and making a more reasonable offer. What would y'all say is a fair price for this? I'll see if I can find a pic of a similar machine. It was way too dark to get a good one in there, and its way buried in their stuff, so I am pretty confident that it will still be there whenever I make it back.

I couldn't have taken it with me anyway because we went to lunch and came back with a 55" HDTV and leftover mexican food...I didn't have any place to put it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/craftybean/2540186774/ found a photo of an identical machine...

nice looking machine. you never know what you can do - I got a machine half off the other day - it was at an antique mall type place... just make an offer and see what they will do

I messed with a Singer 503 this morning - it was pretty dirty - inside and out - Skip I have to put an new plug on it - the old cord has some crimps toward the plug... The balance wheel was very stuck on so I pulled the motor thinking I could get in the inside a bit - NOT... but I did accidentally discover it is easier to change out the bobbin tire with the motor out!!! The tire had crumbled all over that end of the machine - tire powder everywhere. Then when I tried to get it off it stuck like glue... I'll still have to test sew after the plug is fixed plus clean and adjust the tension. It always amazes me how well those clean up. I think I prefer the 503 to the 500 because it is so much simpler to use besides it will do the same stitches with the right disks. Oh and I got the balance wheel off... DH wandered into the shop and he was wearing some leather gloves - he was able to get it unstuck... Seems like that is a common problem with that model machine - I think it is the shape of the balance wheel - kinda hard to grip.

A new plug is always a good thing.
Skip

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/atq/3248902388.html
This is nice looking but a bit spendy

I have that same head but the cabinet is stunning. I paid 5.00 for that head. :)