J Miller

Caroline,

They are also belt driven rather than gear driven. Yep, we've discussed the differences more than once. She might want one, but affording it is a horse of a different color.

Joe

Cari-in-Oly

Be thankful she doesn't have her sights set on a crinkle finish one.

Cari

MFord

Hmm, I've wondered whether the old black ones might work better than the newer colored FW's! I have a tan one that I've bee taking to classes and meetings. It stitches very well, but the bobbin area is really fussy. I don't think it's as pretty as the nice shiny black ones with the gold decals. Maybe I'll get one of those one day.

I'd really like a nice 301 . Saw one on CL in Wenatchee for $70, but I don't have time to drive over there just now. Someday I'd like a beautiful treadle machine as well, but need to get a couple fixed and moved before I have room!

J Miller

Eeeeekkk! I've seen one picture of one of them. I doubt my wife would want a crinkle finish FW, but I would .

Joe

J Miller

Margaret,

From what I have read, the tan ones are still gear driven internally. Only the white ones had the belt drive.
I doubt a black one would be any better mechanically than yours. Also from what I've read and seen with our FW, and the one I've worked on, the bobbin area is picky on all of them. Keep it clean, make sure you don't turn the hand wheel backwards by accident, always start your stitch with the thread take up lever at the top, and ... hold the thread tails as you start sewing and all should be well. In theory anyway.

Joe

J Miller

Margaret,

OBTW, $70 for a 301 is a very good price, make time to go get it. Until she found out where you are my wife was drooling at the idea of a 301 for under a C note.

Joe

Cari-in-Oly

Prices for 301s have steadily risen the last few years around here, but occasionally I still see them cheap. I bought mine 4 years ago. $30 for a tan short bed with a cradle(naturally with the cabinet hinges still attached but no front clips) and $25 for a tan long bed in a case with some accessories. I kept the case and gave the long bed machine to my niece. Not too long ago I ran across a card table for the long bed. Couldn't get an answer out of my niece as to whether she wanted the table, I figured she probably sold the machine and didn't want to tell me so I sold it.

Cari

sdhaevrsi

How can you tell the difference between the card table for a FW and a 301? I have a card table I got for a great price, but it is missing the bars underneath the opening as yet, and I don't know which it will fit, or which bars to track down.

Cari-in-Oly

IIRC, the FW tables are the only ones with the bars, or brackets for the machine to sit on. I'll have to hunt up where I read about the tables. The 301 table has 2 little leather covered, oh, I don't know what the right name for them is, they look like little leaf springs, on one side of the cut out, I think they hold the machine by tension. I'll go find it and get back here.

Cari

Does your table have any numbers underneath it?

sdhaevrsi

Yes, it has D817993 on the underside, and Simanco 136314 on the metal frame work of the brace/bracket/insert of the hole. I never thought about trying to track down anything with those. Off to Google, now.