I just picked up a Brother 281 a couple weeks ago and have started working on it. It looks just like the 271 photos posted in this thread.
I picked it up at a thrift store for cheap. It's dirty and had a little rust starting from sitting a long time without oil. I've cleaned up the hook area and oiled what I can reach so far. It looks like a nice solid machine and it's one of the smoother running zigzag machines I've messed with and I'm not even done yet. Mine didn't come with cams and until I searched here and saw this thread I'd forgotten that it even used them. You wouldn't know just by looking at the machine.
I do have a couple questions. I don't see how to remove the top to clean and oil inside it and taking the knob off that covers where the cams go has me stumped. I tried the Brother site. They have manuals for some of their machines but not this one. Too old I guess.
Thanks,
Rodney