WOW machines are a stretched 201 but they lose the 201 look in the process whereas the homesteader retains that vintage singer look.

WOW also stretches many of the modern 9 inch throats (juki, janome, brother, etc) the cost is $1,800 and the wait list is 40 people deep and takes about 16-18 months from when you get on the list to when your name is called.

the final result of a stretched 9 inch is an 18 inch machine - you lose the feed dogs completely and the needle up/down and thread/cutter is moved to the top head position.

I think some of the DIY type quilting machines are actually re-purposed commercial sewing machines like for sewing draperies, sails, tents, etc. The motor is then re-mounted under the machine somehow or sitting on a little pedestal off to one side or even behind it. Tacsew, Consew, Singer, Tajima, Juki, Toyota and I don't know who else but I'm sure there are many more commercial sewing machine manufacturers make long throated, high speed, single or perhaps simple zigzag stitch machines. These machines are expensive when they are brand new/lightly used but you will occasionally stumble across one that has been stored for a while and the seller has no idea how expensive it really was. I think the NuStyle Quilting machines are re-purposed commercial Juki's or Consews.

I broke 5 needles today on my Vicious Viking (which prompted the need for a new machine, lol) I get so stressed out when the needle breaks for no reason, so frustrating.

Then i found the 5 part checklist for needle breakage (here on this site!) Turns out my needle at zero is not centered over the single needle stitch plate. I biased the needle to 0.5 and suddenly the machine is cooperating. Also treated the cotton thread with silicone oil and it stopped breaking. I am trying to finish this quilt - a baby quilt so it should be done already.

You should take it in for service if at zero it's not centered correctly. Glad you temporarily found a fix, but it sounds like it needs some work done on it. Hopefully, it's still under warranty.

Just had service! It is 3 or so years old. I recently got the single needle stitch plate (and the quilting frame) ... I am doing so much more fmq with vicious Viking now than i was before. I also got a singer 15-91(i am in love!) and am doing all my piecing on that one.

Then you should take it back in and tell them it's misaligned.

The machine in the picture is a 31-15. They have mounted a motor behind it; if you look closely you can see the motor pulley. They have changed out the hand wheel, but I can't tell exactly what it is they have put in its place. The tension mechanism is new, probably a Consew tensioner. The 31-15 and one of the Consew machines (can't recall the model right now, tired) can use interchangeable parts. When I need something for my 31-15 I'll look at Consew parts - sometimes they are cheaper and definitely easier to find.
The throat on the 31-15 is 10 inches. They didn't gain much by doing this conversion other than A LOT of weight!

I don't think you are nuts!... From what I am seeing, there are several people who use a vintage machine for their quilting...I actually inherited my great-grandma's vintage singer, it is in the original treadle cabinet, although "Ma" at some point had an electric motor added to it. I have never used it, only have it out for display, and actually admitted on here I never thought about using it to quilt... :oops: It never dawned on me until I started researching about it, and happened upon a whole group of people who use their vintage machines for just that purpose...
Good luck to you,
Kif

I think it's a 31-15, too. Or maybe a 31-20, which is the same machine only with the M bobbin, rather than the class 15 bobbin.

I recently had a box made for my treadled 31-15, and had a support put on the box for a modern domestic motor.

I wanted it arranged like this so that I can set it in the middle of a work table and have room on both sides for the pipes to support the Flynn frame, which I have never even taken out of the box. I've been so busy that I haven't had time to play with it since I had the box made, but I'll get around to it one of these days.

If it works out, I want to try to figure out how to convert it to the M bobbin. :)

This is a really common industrial machine - all of the replacement parts are easily available online and the Juki hopping foot for high shank machines works just fine on it.

Thanks for the heads up on the Juki hopping foot! Off to go shopping :)!