Thinking about it, the manual says that the machine can take up to a #23 needle. I had only #25 with me, and between that, the possibility of not seating the needle completely, and the likelihood of the needlebar being too low (how does that happen? I understand it being pushed up from a collision, but not down, short of a hit from the top with an anvil...) it may be a fairly simple fix. We shall see. I will chronicle some of the things I find. This one might even get DH interested in sewing.... yeah, maybe not.
Anastasia - I've actually decided I'm going to put in an email to an acquaintance who used to own the Singer shop in town. I want to know why he wouldn't work on them.
The needles didn't really surprise me, probably mostly because I had a pack here already, and they're the same needles (roughly) that the Long arm uses. I sometimes think on a good day that I could thread them though with one eye closed and just throwing the thread through the eye of the needle.
Perhaps some bitter apple or something would encourage sharp little teeth away from the belt?
minibarn - No kidding! I practically started drooling when I saw that light.
I think it's wired to the motor though, so I'm going to see if that's negotiable, because my little brain is seeing this as a table / motor that might be able to do double duty for some other tools...
Rodney - You would not be popular with the machine in the living room, not if you fired it up. It reminded me of our table saw when it started up. Granted it was cold and had sat for some time, but it's no 201 that you can sew in front of the TV with and no one will hear it running. Definitely a "Shop" machine.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...ml#post6647514 - The photos she'd posted (and in fact the first one I posted) somehow managed to completely hide any trace of the motor at all, so I'd mused that maybe it was a figment of someone's imagination.
Caroline - That's one of the things that drew me to it. Most of the ones I've seen around here were missing more paint than they still had. This one doesn't even have pin rash for the most part. There are chips at the leading edge, but that's it.
MacyBaby - I'm pretty sure this is a throwback to when I was looking like crazy for these for people and not finding them for under $600 and usually closer to $850. I started seeing them and thinking "Oh the things I could do...." I love your idea of corralling your machines. I would love to do that but we're in town and the town says we have to remove the one shed we have because we've used up too much of our property with the garage we built. Meddlers.
Miriam - I didn't really look at the stitch length. I saw a video on youtube and it looked adequate. What does the 241 do or not do?
SteveH - I'm really impressed with how good it looks. I thought if I got one, especially at a good price that it would look like the ones Caroline mentioned.
I will refinish the table because of the ciggy burns on the right, but it's good and smooth and sturdy right now for the most part. Hmmm. I'd wanted to order the decals I love so much and put them on this machine, but the finish is still so good it would be a shame to disturb it. I could stain the table top a contrasty enough color and put the decals on the table then clear over them though....
nanna-up-north - LOL! Even though DH knows I'm not looking anymore, when I emailed him the ad, he just emailed back and said "let me know where to meet you with the truck after work."
I am going to be disciplined today and get some other work done, then try to go over him tomorrow to see what else he needs. I'm considering ordering the needlebar and hook from a shop in the US just to have them, since my supplier here doesn't have them. Is that packratting?