Featherweight shopping and education.
12-13-2019, 08:19 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 1,920
Another suggestion, let everybody know that you're looking for one. I got 2 given to me that way. Especially if they are not quilters themselves, they may just happen to remember a little black machine sitting in their basement that belonged to grandma but nobody in the family sews.
12-13-2019, 09:16 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SW Washington USA
Posts: 4,384
saving up is a good plan, that is how I've paid for all my machines. are you on the facebook group Pacific Northwest Quilters? There is a sister group Pacific Northwest Quilters Advertising, they come up on there ever so often, that's where I sold mine. You could put up a wanted ad on the advert one. I've actually sold four machines on there as my sight has continued to fail. I've also bartered for fabric, always fun.
12-13-2019, 01:20 PM
#13
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 15,155
Originally Posted by luvstoquilt
I agree with all the above. I have a black one and i have had it for several years. Last year I bought a 1941 model painted ....my favorite color and my birth year. I love both of them and I love to listen to them. They literally hum. I bought them on eBay and the black one was $125 several years ago. The red one was a splurge and a special present to me from me. It was $1000. I have used it and she sews so sweetly. Her name is “Ruby”. My black one is named “Aunt Gertie” after a favorite aunt. I was going to sell the black one but it seems after they have a name I can’t part with them. I don’t have a white one but I have been told by several people they have more problems than the black ones. Is that true? I really don’t know.
12-13-2019, 01:50 PM
#14
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Burgundy, France
Posts: 101
Featherwights are darling little machines. They are not the best of Vintage Singers but their cuteness and portability make up for their whimsicality -they are not nicknamed "Princess of Singer" for nothing lol.
The American market is crazy with these machines, the prices are very high. You can get cheaper ones from Europe as you say. If you're worried about voltage, it is always good to remember that up until the mid 1960s not all of France was wired on 220v, a lot of houses still had 110v so a Featherweight bought from France may very well have a 110v motor and a simple plug adapter will enable you to use it in the USA. My Featherweight is in 110v and I use a 110v to 220v convertor. It's one extra item to carry but it works perfectly; therefore I think that the other way round will be true as well
The American market is crazy with these machines, the prices are very high. You can get cheaper ones from Europe as you say. If you're worried about voltage, it is always good to remember that up until the mid 1960s not all of France was wired on 220v, a lot of houses still had 110v so a Featherweight bought from France may very well have a 110v motor and a simple plug adapter will enable you to use it in the USA. My Featherweight is in 110v and I use a 110v to 220v convertor. It's one extra item to carry but it works perfectly; therefore I think that the other way round will be true as well
12-13-2019, 04:40 PM
#15
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Philomath, Oregon
Posts: 2,076
Originally Posted by KalamaQuilts
saving up is a good plan, that is how I've paid for all my machines. are you on the facebook group Pacific Northwest Quilters? There is a sister group Pacific Northwest Quilters Advertising, they come up on there ever so often, that's where I sold mine. You could put up a wanted ad on the advert one. I've actually sold four machines on there as my sight has continued to fail. I've also bartered for fabric, always fun.
There is quite a price difference between a “serviced” and a “refurbished” one. I’m trying to figure out what each entails now.
12-14-2019, 04:04 AM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,121
A typical servicing can add $100 - $200 to the cost depending on what needs to be done. If the machine just needed basic cleaning and oiling then it's on the lower end, but if it needed electrical work too (and many do) then it's going to be more.
My husband is very thorough when he goes over one, and it takes him 4-5 hours if it doesn't need electrical work. He basically strips everything down and cleans any gunk off and polishes and re-oils. Then he adjusts tension/timing as needed and then he gives it to me for a good sewing trial. I usually make up a couple of nice test blocks to send with the machine.
I'll add that there are a lot of variations in how nice the machines sew. Usually those that are more worn end up sewing much smoother as they are well broken in compared to those that have prestine decals and look like they've never been used. Often when you get a repaint, you'll be getting a machine that was well broke in, and then it gets a very good cleaning - and you end up with a beautiful machine that sews very nice.
the last one my DH did was decent, the one before that I nicknamed Sweetheart as it was one of the nicest I've ever sewn on. Unfortunately it wasn't one of mine.
My husband is very thorough when he goes over one, and it takes him 4-5 hours if it doesn't need electrical work. He basically strips everything down and cleans any gunk off and polishes and re-oils. Then he adjusts tension/timing as needed and then he gives it to me for a good sewing trial. I usually make up a couple of nice test blocks to send with the machine.
I'll add that there are a lot of variations in how nice the machines sew. Usually those that are more worn end up sewing much smoother as they are well broken in compared to those that have prestine decals and look like they've never been used. Often when you get a repaint, you'll be getting a machine that was well broke in, and then it gets a very good cleaning - and you end up with a beautiful machine that sews very nice.
the last one my DH did was decent, the one before that I nicknamed Sweetheart as it was one of the nicest I've ever sewn on. Unfortunately it wasn't one of mine.
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