I've been cleaning up a Bernina Record 530. It does not get power from the cord so I need to replace that. The stitch selector lever was stuck so I oiled and oiled and oiled - a little every day - nothing. It would not budge. Well I set it out in the sun today and guess what - it is freed up. There is still a stuck knob and the feed dogs are stuck in the raised position. Anybody got any ideas how to unstick a plastic knob? I sure don't want to break it. It is the stitch width selector. One of these days that machine WILL work.
I found a road side freebee last night. It is an 1960/70 Kenmore. It does straight or zigzag. It was very much an ashtray. I got it cleaned up. Need to haul it in the house and plug it in to see if it works. I got it freed up. Seems like a fairly nice metal machine. I'm not sure how to tell what model it is. It was missing the pressure feet and the bobbin case. I had that in my pack rat stash.