To hijack the original post just a bit...
Wine woman: wow, I never heard of concerns about traveling with my 440. I haul it all over the place. I do make sure it has time to warm up when I bring it in from the cold, but it is a tough machine. However I have started using my vintage machines for straight stitch classes. I still haul the 440 with me on RV trips that are over a week since it does a lot more tasks easily.
Pam