Tammi! I didn't realize archaic arcane was you. Doh! Somehow I missed seeing your name in your siggie, though I did read through all your machines! (drool)
Thanks for the info on the chain stitching. I thought that the CS throat plate from the 411G is the same as the Touch and Sew. No? Even if it is, I suppose the 411G bobbin case is about as hard to find as the 411G itself. I've read that the 431G can also chain stitch, but again you need the throat plate, which is probably a bugger to find. Do you have one for your 431G? That would be my dream machine because it has a free arm.
I did find a manual for the "431 Convertable" -- do you know where that was made? (There's no letter suffix on it.) It mentions nothing about chain stitching. Why would they make a 431 that could not chain stitch when the 431G can do it? Maybe the manual is just an oddity, but it's the only 431 download on the Singer site. Actually there was another download (both labelled 431), but only one worked.
About teflon -- when heated to high temps (about 500°F, I think) teflon produces a vapor that kills birds. It's not good for other living things either, but they don't drop dead from it. (Kinda like the canary in the coal mine phenomenon.) It happens when teflon pans burn on the stove or are overheated in the oven. Since most people don't have birds they don't know it's happening. I don't have birds -- I have cats, but my theory is that teflon is just bad, period. I might be paranoid and phobic but I can't help it. A related problem is that toxic PFOA is produced in the making of teflon. It's in all of our bodies, and it's not good. Here is some info from WebMD and the Washington Post:
http://www.webmd.com/news/20060127/e...n-chemical-ban
and
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...012502041.html
In spite of this, if I had a workshop or a separate room I think I would use it.