Pfaff 262
 

I just purchased a third sewing machine. I've been using, and, loving my 1970's and 1980's Berninas. Today I had the opportunity to buy a Pfaff 262. It is in a very nice cabinet but has no manual, accessories, or even bobbin case. However it purrs like a kitten. I paid $20 so should be able to afford parts.

Question: does this machine have a good reputation? Do you have suggestions for legit places to order parts/manual online? I live in tiny town and there are no places around that would have what I need. Thanks for any or all comments.

Pfaff in general has a good reputation. I don't have personal knowledge of that machine but would have snapped it up at 20.00 too! I saw one advertised locally at 125.00 without a cabinet and dissappear within the first week so either they decided to keep it or someone grabbed it! I was merely watching and drooling.

I have a 260 (from late '50s). It's extremely smooth, and has a rotary bobbin. I accidentally broke part of the bobbin mechanism but very keen on fixing it again, because it's obviously worth fixing.
It's what I'd call typically European, being very smooth and lovely to sew with. Much faster than my Singers, too.

The sewing machine that I use 70% of the time is a Pfaff 130. It is similar to your machine. It came without many extras except the manual. Then a few years later I found a box of attachment for a 260 at a garage sale. I kept what I wanted and sold the rest on Ebay. Yahoo has a forum for "old Pfaffs" that might help you out. Somewhere on-line I found a list of the feet and their part numbers. It is a short shank machine, and some Singer feet fit fine. I use a Singer short shank walking foot.

Enjoy your machine!

Do you have a picture? I love to see those old Pfaff cabinets.

No, I meant to catch a quick photo but forgot. For now it is stashed in my garage until I get a space cleared in the workroom. I have a lot of work to do in there. Hubby and I shared that space but he died three months ago. Now I have to build up the courage to clear his things out. :-(. I'm going to try to open up more space for my "stuff".

Hi Novie,

First, let me say that I'm sorry for your loss. Take your time going through everything in your shop. That's tough so don't push yourself. Hang in there.

Old Pfaffs are marvels of German engineering. I have a 332 which I believe is similar to yours except it has a convertible freearm. Does your machine have a little sliding door on the top? If so, then you have a built in camstack to make decorative stitches. If not, then disregard the information I'm giving about the decorative stitches. You can find a free user's manual here:
http://s2.vsmgroup.com/VSM/Pfaff/pfaffmanual.nsf/1fd5659e6f37141041256697003e64c0/477407f0a5b24a2f852575f30058e20e/$FILE/Pfaff%20261-262%20.PDF

Here is a supplement to the service manual:
http://tinymicros.com/mediawiki/imag...ice_Manual.pdf

There is a free yahoo group called oldpfaffpforum which has additional files, including the service manual as well as a printable version of the stitch wheel which you can print out and laminate and put together with a brad. It is used as a guide to tell you how to create the different decorative stitches. You can see what one looks like here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PFAFF-260-26...item2a3d98b46a

I'm pretty sure this is your bobbin case: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOBBIN-CASE-...item4d1d4907b1

Or you can get a bobbin case here: http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/loo...ords=pfaff+262

The top should lift right off of your machine for cleaning and will snap back into place. You should see two belts (unless your machine has an external motor on the back as some do). When you clean or oil be very careful in not getting any oil or other liquid on these belts as they are cotton or nylon with metal cleats and liquids will make them fail quickly. The cleated belts are no longer made and difficult to come by, but I believe there is a remanufactured plastic (rubber?) version that will fit your machine (but double check before ever ordering that this is the correct one) is available here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTOR-BELT-7...item46101b198e

They are workhorses and yours should work for many more years.

Good luck and feel free to ask any more questions. Pictures are also always good.

John

My husband just bought a Pfaff 130 from an ad on craigslist for $200. No questions asked. He had been seeing them all over for up to $600. It is the Mercedes of home sewing machines, from what I can tell. I am amazed and impressed with the technology from the 1950's . It is solid, extremely well-built, using high quality, heavy metal, and finely wrought details. It is a pleasure to use. He has serviced it and it is my new favorite, if I can get him to give it to me! If yours runs, you made a marvelous deal. If it doesn't, it is worth fixing, to say the least.

Look at my Avitar!! I am the original owner of the 262 you see in the picture. I bought it brand new in 1968 or 69. It is a fabulous, stout, strong, reliable machine. But you have to oil it!