zozee

I'm hoping to snatch a Singer Featherweight as soon as I find one I want in great shape, ready to sew, and with a carrying case.

My biggest fear , and first question, is about the wiring. Scared of all things that might spark, smoke or electrocute, I immediately shy away from any cord that looks worn, old, or ominous. But can some original cords/foot pedals be trusted! How would I know? Or should I just plan to replace any cord and pedal that the owner hasn't already?

I personally would pay $350 for one in my area that fits my ideal. I just need to know , can I trust a cord if it has no visible signs of wear?

quiltingcandy

I would suppose the age of the machine will depend on whether to trust it or not. I have one from 1947 & one from 1949 and all the wiring looked great, so I never gave it a second thought. There has been no smell or sparking. One I did have to buy a new foot pedal/plug but that was because it was missing and I knew that when I bought it. I was able to take one with me to test the machine.

Before you buy one request to plug it in and test it. If they don't allow you to do that, the price should be drastically reduced. Then I would be more concerned about the motor than the wiring.

Happy hunting!

NJ Quilter

I got my FW from a friend who did house cleanouts at the time. Paid $40 (he was only asking $20 and I felt bad!). It is in excellent condition and the wiring was pristine. Have used it with no issues. They are pretty simple machines if the wiring does need replacing, however. I would feel comfortable doing it myself and I don't think it would be an expensive proposition.

jlhmnj

Look over all wiring for mushiness, cracking, and bare exposed wire while UNPLUGGED. For $350 you shouldn't have to replace any wiring or use any flaws as a bargaining point.

Jon

NJ Quilter

Absolutely at $350 you should just be able to plug that puppy in and start sewing! If not....me....I would run (not walk) away.

mike'sgirl

My featherweight is from 1951 and the cord looks new. Very supple and in good working order. If I were you, I would, along with making sure the wiring is good, make sure you have a bobbin case. I got mine at an auction, and while the machine looks very good, it was missing the case. I did find one on EBay. I only paid 150.00. I hope you find what your looking for. I love mine.

tessagin

$350.00 is what the FWs are running at the estate sales here! Everything about them wiring included is good condition. Attachments are usually included!

zozee

Around here I've seen them listed for as little as $200 and as high as (cough/giggle/smackmyhead) $550.

One CL ad reads for one listed at $450 starts out : "unit doesn't run, but..."

Well, sir, every smart buyer WILL run at that price. Run away.

Thanks, everyone, for the advice. I guess I assumed that any wire made in the 40s or 50s would have to be replaced for safety's sake, but some of you say it isn't so. Good to know. And yes, I would NEVER check a wire with it plugged in.

Well, never AGAIN, I should say!

ArchaicArcane

I would say that the cord that plugs into the wall and to the foot control should never be a deal killer. They can be replaced for under $10 and you can do it yourself. It's very easy - 6 screws and 4 of them are to remove the feet and open the pedal. 2 screws for the wires themselves. It's also a bargaining point during the sale.

Now the wiring inside - that's usually fine because it doesn't get disturbed much. There is a lead shield on the wiring for the light in the older machines - I noticed it wasn't there on a newer FW I serviced before Christmas - might have been the white one. Where I've found wear on the internals is right at the back of the connector. If you're ever concerned, you can take your machine to a sewing machine repair place or even an electrician. Lots of people have family friends who are electricians. 120V power is very simple. Yes - it has to be respected - but may people have the knowledge to work on a simple electrical system like what's in a featherweight.

The original Singer bakelite pedal can be adjusted. It's a simple carbon pile resistor pedal so it does generate heat - the power you don't use while sewing slowly is converted to heat because it has to "go" somewhere and you've told it not to go to the machine. If they get too hot or make noise, they need adjustment.

What the wiring looks like outside is often a good indicator of what the wiring is like on the inside but not always. I recently had to rewire my industrial machine right back to the coils despite the external wiring looking impeccable.

In my market, $350 should get you a pristine 221 or possibly a darn good looking 222. It's the very high end of what someone should pay here. I sit on them for a long time - and I only sell them fully serviced - at $275 here.

Ahh,.. I've done that too. You typically only do it once though, very few of us find the need to try it a second time to see if the first time was an anomaly!

DonnaMiller

You can get wires and foot controller from Sew-CLassic.com. For a small fee, they will put it together for you. Just plug in and sew. Call Jennie for a price. I got the solid state foot controller and it was the best money I ever spent. It doesn't get hot like the old, resistor type. Sometimes you can feel "voltage leak" on some old machines. It is a kind of vibration that may feel like it is moving. It is because the old machines don't have 3-wire ground wires. Getting the new foot controller stopped that in my machine.
Over the years the controllers get dirty and no maintenance. The design is prone to all kind of problems.
Why didn't I have sense to replace it long ago????. It is way lighter to carry around too. Of course I saved the old one to inflict on any future "purist" who may want it. I'd never go back.