Smokeythecat has't had a chance to reply yet and we have been talking around the subject quite a bit.
What you describe is new to me Aurora, there might be something to it. I was told to always start with the needle down, and I have a slight suspicion what you were taught came from someone who was used to a treadle. Getting a machine to start from cold aftere it has been stored away for a couple of weeks might need a few seconds to warm up and maybe a round of oiling. In theory it shouldn't be much more than that.
Last edited by Mickey2; 03-30-2018 at 06:07 AM.