Try a singer 301 It's from the fifties, feed dogs drop for fmq, easy-very easy to maintain. Has a handle at the top, only weighs 16 lbs. Well within your price range. Singers first gear driven machine-no belt, enclosed motor.....I could go on. Some come with a heavy clumsy tweedy looking case-often stinky-but you get them for less without a case. They are not that hard to find..ebay is a bit on the pricey side, but estate, thrift, craigslist are all good places to try and find one. There is alot of support here in the vintage sewing section of the board if you were to have any problem with any machine.

I agree with the suggestion to buy an old Singer 15 (15-90 or 15-91) or a "clone" of the Singer model 15, which was put out by a bazillion different companies and is still being produced. You can recognize them in pictures by the tensioner sticking out on the left side (face plate or "nose") of the machine.

Parts are easy to come by and even if you have to replace the motor (or re-wire it if it's a gear-driven model) and replace all the electrical parts, you're still going to have a GREAT piecing and quilting machine for about $70-200, depending upon the original cost of the machine. Plus, it will sew absolutely anything.

It's not a true industrial machine - none of the Singer domestic models are industrials, though some eBay sellers seem to delight in using that term to describe them. But it's capable of very heavy-duty sewing, including blue jeans and the occasional sail canvas or Sunbrella.

One of the other advantages is that you can easily learn how to troubleshoot and maintain this machine by yourself and never be dependent upon the repair shop, again. There's very little that's breakable on these machines. :)

For a limited budget, you really can't go wrong with one of these machines set into a heavy cabinet. And they're just plain charming to look at, too. :)

Check out your local Sears....Kenmore's are fantastic machines. Although I have 2 Janomes....I still have and do use my Kenmore that I only paid $117 for in 2003. It has never needed anything done to it either...fantastic machine!

I would go with a 301A singer. Well within your budget on ebay or www.shopgoodwill.com. You couldn't give me a newer model machine with all the goodies on them that can and do often cause problems. You can buy one of these and have money left over.