Originally Posted by
Wintersewer
I've been dabbling in vintage sewing machine repairs for quite a few years and I have never heard of a "head going" .... I love those late 60's early 70's Kenmores. I've found most of them to be all steel and almost undestructable. .... Did the dealer by any chance try to sell you a new machine??
I would have this same suspicion. The Kenmores of this era are going to be sewing in a hundred years.
Which model is it? There are a few of them which actually have more than one interior belt and if they replace only one, it might not be the belt that's causing the trouble.
I would guess that the motor could burn out with heavy use, but the mechanical parts? Nahhhhhh.... I wouldn't buy that. I don't think your repair person knows what they're talking about. Just the way he phrased it is odd.
Learning how to repair and maintain these machines is really fun and a lot easier than you might think. There are going to be some jobs that are too difficult to handle without proper tools (that dual belt pulling, for instance) but if you know what needs to be done, you can show the repair person where the problem is and they won't be as likely to try to take advantage of you if you act like you know your stuff.
As for a second machine - find a Singer 15-91 in a sturdy cabinet, spend $150 replacing the electrical components (wiring, control & light) and getting the motor cleaned and re-wired and you will have a FABULOUS piecing and FMQ machine. (Jenny at sew-classic.com does this motor refurbishment at a very reasonable price - less than $150 for ALL the electrical refurb and replacements.) Where are you going to find such a perfect sewing machine that will sew for another hundred years for $300?
