dhanke

What would be a fair price to offer for a featherweight 221 that is in good visual condition, but no power cord or foot pedal. It has the original case, in good condition and several attachments as well as an instruction book.
A client of mine is listing his mother's home with me, he wants to get rid of everything in the home. I don't want to offer too low because I feel I'd be taking advantage, he doesn't have a clue and really, neither do I. Without the power cord I don't know if she runs, but she sure looks good

Charlee

I don't think you'd be taking advantage of him to offer $200 or $225. The foot pedal is going to cost you between $35-$50 (ebay prices) (the power cord and foot pedal are all connected). I'd be doing some more digging tho, because I'm betting that pedal/cord is there somewhere! ;)

miriam

Don't be too nervous about your Elna. Mine was bought very used. Then I was using it as a business plus all the day to day sewing. I was very hard on it. My sewing 'room' was in a closet of an old house - unheated so I'm sure running it cold wasn't so good.... Then when the repair man rebuilt the motor he used the wrong parts. After 3 times, I found that out... when I finally pulled the motor myself and took it to a MOTOR repair shop - when they looked at it they said it had wrong brushes in it. The 15 year old boy who was helping me broke a gear getting it back together. Then since I never got that fixed - didn't know how... and no money or I wouldn't have been working on it n the first place, it kind of deteriorated sitting around and it got kicked around a bit. Believe me it is in rough shape. There is now quite a bit of rust on it too. Pretty sad. Now days I have a repair manual and lots of parts... well, a donor. I also have another Elna SU I picked up free off CL because it is broken. I figure one day I should tackle it and maybe get one good machine. Since I have two old green machines, DH and I were just talking - maybe I should take a class or two to fill in the gaps what I don't know how to do. Those 4 old Elna machines would give me great pleasure to see them stitch again. To keep your Elna running good, oil with good sewing machine oil once in a while, keep lint out of the bottom - keep the gears very clean and keep it from getting too cold. AND keep young males away from the insides... Remember, it's vintage, they can be repaired. I'm working up the courage to work on the Elnas. I've gotten pretty good at the Singers - I had NOTHING to lose though. I'm thinking the best way to learn sewing machine repair is to get one in horrid shape - you can't kill it if it's already dead - it's pretty cool when they do actually work. I've had a few never did work again but I learned a few things. Someone gave me 10 machines that had been in a flood. I still have one - it is a 15 clone - still needs work on the tension and the thing is all gummed up inside - maybe I used WD40 or something on it??? I don't really know. LOL Mistakes aren't failure - not trying is for sure. See, I'm working up the courage.....

dhanke

Thanks for your input, I'm hoping the cord and foot pedal are there in the house somewhere, I'm going to go over there tomorrow to see if I can find them.

melinda1962

It is not named Redneck, it just is. LOL I am in central LA, rural Catahoula Parish, about 50 miles from Alexandria, to the northeast.

melinda1962

I found the saddest thing at a dumpster a couple of weeks back. I guess someone had bought a seamstresses house as is, and had no interest in the contents. There was a Singer T&S, threaded, with the foot control attached, with several boxes of fabric, that was good cotton fabric, as well as some projects that were incomplete, such as a baby quilt that was 90% done. And a set of 12 quilt blocks that were hand embroidered different flowers. I gathered it all up and shared with my mother. She is the hand quilter, more so, and that much work on the quilt blocks deserves better than me machine quilting it. I kept the sewing machine. It sews really well, and it was a shame that the owner had no one who shared her interests.

Miz Johnny

I've used a hairdryer on many stuck parts--to loosen the screw on the faceplate of a Model 12 with about 140 years of oil gunked around it; the ZZ mechanisms of machines; a Viking that won't make it's decorative stitches, etc. A necessary item for the tool box!!

irishrose

Oh, I have no problem taking Miss Elna apart and cleaning her. I used to pay to have it done every year then the two repairmen that knew what they were doing retired. I have the number for one of them. He does exclusively Elnas in his home, but I haven't needed to use it. Mine is the light blue one.

H-m-m-m. Maybe I should try the hair dryer on the ZZ gear on the Stylist. Her straight stitch is fine, but the ZZ clunks. I wonder if it has anything to do with the broken plastic washer?

luce321

Sorry about that Melinda. Have a great day.

luce321

Great job rescuing those treasures Melinda. It makes me sad to think that someone would discard something so nice. Maybe they did not know the value of what they had.
Glad you came along.