J Miller

If you have deep enough pockets and are lucky enough to find one, a Singer 431G is direct drive, all metal, and has a free arm.

Joe

Rodney

Finding really good vintage free arm machines here in the USA isn't that easy. Free arms were far more popular in Europe and Australia than here for many years. Elnas and Husqvarnas do show up regularly. The Singer free arms were primarily made and sold overseas.
Rodney

Margie07

Mickey 2, yeah, if I get another machine it might be a Bernina. My sister has a Bernina 1090 that sews like a 15-91, taking thin to heavy fabric, even though it's computerized. I would probably want to get a all/mostly metal non compete fixed machine, which is reliable and lighter than my 15-91. But for the time being I don't have the money to purchase a machine, and am not quite sure what I'm looking for, since I'm a beginning sewer.

Margie07

*non computerized

Margie07

Thanks, I may be interested in trying to locate one of those. It would just need to be a small enough free arm as I'm pretty small. For the time being I'll experiment doing it on my flatbed sewing machine.

Mickey2

Singer 431G is probably the only all metal / direct drive motor, and probably the rarest. Vintage Berninas, anything from 500 to 800 series (1950s to 70s) are very much the same machine, with a few differences, size, features, etc, but all basically the same construction. The 1008 is the current of this build. The 800 series and up have more plastic gears than 700 numbers and down. They last though, my 730 is intact after decades of use. I think even some of the 125s had one or two plastic gears, though I actually think the earliest were metal geared. European brands were early to introduce free arm and zigzag, equally so with the plastic gear. Maybe the early Necchi Supernova free arm version is all metal, it's a very nice machine, but if I remember correctly, the Bernina free arm is narrower.

Margie07

Wow, a history lesson! No offense, as I love history. It is splendid to have such experienced and knowledgable people on this board. I am grateful for your time to teach me these things.

ArchaicArcane

The 421G may be a little easier to find. It's the same as the 431G but doesn't chainstitch. If nothing else, it gives a couple more options.

Cari-in-Oly

Okay, here's one that might turn up sooner than the Singers. All metal, free arm, direct drive, and doesn't weigh a ton.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]540625[/ATTACH]
They show up from time to time on the big auction sites and since it's a Japanese machine prices are usually lower than the Singers, but still not cheap. I've mended jeans with mine so I know it can handle thicker fabrics, and the fancy stitches are built in with metal dual cam stacks.

Cari

SteveH

ok, that's cool!