ChrisB

I have a Singer Touch & Sew 626 that I bought in 1966. It has been many miles with me and a very good machine. It did have plastic gears in it that broke. I was told it would be cheaper to buy a new machine but decided, with all the metal parts my old Singer had and all the plastic on the new ones, to have it rebuilt. That was in the 80's and I still keep it for a backup machine.

ManiacQuilter2

My father bought me one for my graduation in 1970. I used it until I bought my first Bernina in the 90's. Never had any problem with it. It traveled with me on many flying trips from LA to NYC.

Tink's Mom

The wind in place bobbins on some of the T & S machines sometimes have a learning curve. To me that is the only part of the machine that wasn't up to par. On one of t he T & S machines (don't remember the model #) had rubber feed dogs that as they age will sometimes start to shed onto the item you are sewing. They can be easily replaced with good ones.

mamagrande

I had one and the machine repair man called it "touch and swear", said it's not worth repairing...

novicequiltergrandma

There is a lot of info on the T & S on the Vintage forum. Do a search there. I learned to sew on my mom's featherweight and then she bought a T & S. I hated it except for the automatic bobbin winder.....love that!. Now that I've researched a bit, I know which particular models to watch for and which to avoid. If I can find one really cheap, I might try it again. An all metal one will obviously hold up better (models up to 620 I think). Also, the plastic button that you use in the bobbin area is broken on many of these machines. Once that happens, you can no longer wind the bobbin in place. Always make sure that button is there and will engage and disengage properly. Most people loved or hated theirs. It can be a very finicky machine and after the featherweight was just too frustrating for me. Love my old Singers that can sew through a tin can without missing a stitch!

ShowMama

I had a Singer Golden Touch & Sew that my husband got for me in 1976, and it had been a store demonstration model when he bought it. I sewed everything on it for years and years, probably 25+. I sewed hubby's shirts, all my clothes, two daughters' clothes, curtains, quilts, and a sport coat, plus I mended many many pairs of blue jeans.

But when it finally stopped working, a sewing machine repair man said it would be a very expensive repair because many of the parts and wheels inside are made of plastic. He told me that over time, the plastic becomes brittle and breaks easily. He said it would really not be cost effective to repair it.

So I purchased a new machine instead of having the old one fixed. But I still have the old machine as I couldn't bear to part with my old friend. We had spent a lot of time together over the years.

I don't know what you will decide to do, but wanted to tell of my experience.