Originally Posted by
Caroline S
That 283F Phoenix appears to be a workhorse. I googled to find images of it. The curved wood "thingamy" looks like it is removable so the machine could be used as a free arm. I think the sewing machine would be worth taking a chance on if the price is right.
Yes, the free arm aspect is what interests me the most as none of my other machines have one! I was just posing the question about the price... interested to know what you think too, Caroline - but I also don't know how the market in Australia compares to that in the US. I picked up my Bernina 640-2 for $50 in a thrift shop (which was a bargain, even by that measure) but paid to get the electrics checked and the machine serviced - so all up it cost about $200. Now that I know how good it is, I'd pay the same over again! It's really tricky when making the initial outlay when you've no idea what the machine is going to be like. I know the seller tried to get $200 and nobody bought it, now they've dropped to $150. I still think it's a bit expensive if the seller hasn't used the machine and can't provide much info about how it sews or runs.