I found two machines-dilemma
 

My niece wants to start sewing. I told her I would give her a machine. I am not sure I can part with my old vintage straight stitch machines. However, I found two older machines for a very good price that I think will be a good starter for her & her daughter who is 9. One is a Brother for $30 and the other is a New Home for $20. I am thinking I could buy both :) Not that I need an extra machine. I am going to look at them to see the condition, how they run. What is your advice on these older models?

How old is the New Home and who made it? If it's vintage, it may have been made by Free and then it takes needles and bobbins that are hard to find. If it's a later one that is Japanese made it will take more common needles and bobbins that you can still buy new.

I have some questions for you:

How old is your niece?
How heavy is each machine?
Which one is easier to thread?
Is one more intuitive than the other? Dials easy to understand?
Which one is quieter?
If you don't need two machine, why buy two, just because you can? (Having been guilty of buying ones impulsively because they looked good/were cheap/claimed they'd be my backup--who needs 7 backups?--I say think about which is more important--the machine or the real estate it takes up and realistically how much use will it get?

Sometimes it is hard to pass up a good deal. I tend to collect things and things add up, so right now my mantra is "if something comes in/something goes out". I saw a great wonderful vintage non-Singer (white rotary??) machine in one of the "coffin" cases at the Goodwill and it was a wonderful buy, all the wood was just perfect everything moved (I didn't plug it in because it was too far from the test area) and under $30. Yet I have no real need for that machine. I have a modern Bernina, I have a cheap Brother to take to classes, I have my old vintage work horse, I have a 301 and vintage Pfaff and yes we have my husband's grandmother's machine in a case that acts as a lamp stand. Everyone of those machines works fine but most of them are never used and so I passed on the lovely find but here it is days later and I'm still thinking about it and wanting it but knowing it is best not kept in my house.

so I ended up buying both at a good price, I did check to see what bobbin & such the new home takes. It take a 15 so I am good there. He said he had his technician look them over & make sure they were running good. I will play with them ( I did at the store to make sure they ran good & they do). I will most likely give one to my niece and keep the other for downstairs. ( I am constantly running up & down). It isn't too heavy and could even use that on my porch when the weather is just too nice to be inside. Here is the real kicker, I haven't paid for them yet, we are on the honor system. The store insisted I take them home, try them out first. If I am happy with them stop back by sometime and pay for them. He didn't even ask my name. I finally said "If I am taking your items out of the store, please take my name. He was so nice. I will be back in town later this week and pay him as I will most likely keep them. All in all very interesting and fun.

I have three (3) New Home D-372 from the 70's. It takes the bobbins that Walmart sells 12 for $1.97 and uses Schmertz needles from WalMart. I have never paid over $50 for any of them. My favorite machine has always been the Viking 6430. I also have three (3) 301-A's which are my second favorites. My least favorite is my featherweight, it is just too light for my tastes.