deedum

I love love love my 15's! I have two and looking at buying a third. A girl can't have too many of them. I do all my FM on my 15. I have one set up for FM and I piece on the other. Of all my machines (8 of them, new and old), these are my favorite. You just can't beat these! I got my first Singer 15 in cabinet, 37 yrs ago for $20. I bought my other 15 in cabinet last year for $50 and looking at a portable for $50. $100 might be a tad high, depending on yr area, I do know the prices are going up on the vintage machines though.

deedum

Speed is no issue on the 15, plenty of power, so easy to maintain. Doesn't ask for much at all. I haven't even missed my Janome that has been in the repair shop for the last TWO MONTHS! Who know when I will get that back and the cost. My old vintage singers have never had to be in the shop, what does that tell ya..

DawnFurlong

Okay and here is another machine in a cabinet posted to Craigs List (and this person lives within 5 miles of me). I am thinking this looks like a 15-91?? Can anyone confirm? He is asking $135 - said he got it at an auction. I would offer less on this one.

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Lucky Patsy's

That is not a 15. Looks more like a 66 to me. The tension knob is on the side face on the 15, whereas it is on the front of the machine in this picture. The 66 does not drop feed dogs and has a drop-in horizontal bobbin which may cause some problems in FMQ. Good luck on your search. Around here estate sales are often marked down half price on the last day.

quilt addict

I have not started sewing on my 15 as it is in line up to get cleaned. Ususally the give away for them is that the tension is on the faceplate, or left hand side of the machine instead of the front.

The second machine looks to me like a Singer 66. It does not drop the feed dogs so may not be a good investment if you are looking for a machine to FMQ. But for me this one is also overpriced. Looks like it may be missing a plate and it does not show the cord and controller in the picture.

DawnFurlong

Thanks for the ID and the tip on Estate Sales Lucky Patsy's!

shnnn

Love quilting on my 15... the bed may be 7" but you have a little more space there because the neck of the machine is much thinner. It uses standard low shank feet, and class 15 bobbins - I took the snap-on adapter off my Brother and use the 1/4" I bought for it. If I found one in a cabinet for $100 here and it worked I'd grab it!! I bought mine off ebay for over $100 in a wooden base built out of 2x4s. It's just not something you find often here... I did find an ugly cabinet at the thrift-store... paid $25 for the empty cabinet alone. I have seen ONE for sale here, in a cabinet, for $200 and it needed to be rewired (but, it had the "rare" knee controller ).
Don't forget to check the wiring for cracks - and when you thread it, the needle threads right to left, and the flat side of the needle faces left.

DawnFurlong

shnnn - how do I check the wiring for cracking? Hoping for a response from the seller tonight. It was posted on 1/20/12, so not that long ago. But it seems like these machines get snapped up fast.

shnnn

Just look at the wires to see if the plastic coating is cracked - especially where it bends the most... cracked wires are not a death sentence - but they are a safety concern, and do need to be replaced, so that would affect the price a lot.

DawnFurlong

I sometimes see Singer 15 clones. Are these comparable to the Singer 15-91 machines? I found a Seam Master Class 15 clone for sale, $40. But having trouble finding info about this particular machine. Thought I did see that some say that the clones made in Japan are comparable.