kiffie2413

At the top of the goodwill.com home page there are several icons, click on the search one and it will take you to where you can type in what you're looking for.
Regards,
Kif

AudreyCS

A lot of Featherweights have those numbers on the motor (3-120) That refers to the motor alone. The model is still a 221

cashs_mom

If you go to the advanced search on eBay you can find sold listings and see how much they sold for. I don't think eBay is the best way to buy a FW. My husband bought mine there and it had some problems (husband's that know nothing about vintage sewing machines shouldn't buy them for their wives ). My husband is running about 1 in 3 in this dept. I've quit talking to him about machines I'd like to have. lol

RotaryQueen

Yeah, I feel the same way about ShopGoodwill for acquiring VSM as you say about ebay! I have won 5 machines (2 Berninas, 2 Vikings and a singer 66 redeye) from goodwill and 4 had serious issues with frozen mechanisms AND broken cam gears. The 66 was dirty, no foot control and cord cut. But that I could tell from the pictures. I wanted it for my treadle, so didn't care about electric components and for $9.98 I didn't expect pristine decals so that is the only one I am still happy about. I won't even let myself look at shopgoodwill anymore. They always have several FW listed and, like the 66, they are simple and robust enough to probably be easily repaired. But, for the price they go for I can also find one on craigslist that I can test first! At least in SoCal, where vintage sewing machines are widely and cheaply available.

Jeanette Frantz

There are so many sellers out there who do not know how to pack a sewing machine for shipping, and I've known of many, many people who have received sewing machines improperly packed that are absolutely destroyed. That's the reason I won't buy online, but since I have a FW and more machines (all inherited) than I'll ever be able to use, I'm not interested in buying anyway. The machines I have have all come from family -- so they're precious to me for that reason. I did get a machine for my cousin, but the machine was located here in Florida (about 40 miles from where we live) so I went to see the machine before I handed over any money and there was no packing to do because we picked it up. JMHO

Cari-in-Oly

You should always be aware that the machines on ShopGoodwill are donated items and the people listing them have no way of knowing whether they work properly, if at all. They have to photograph and describe many, many items all day long and cannot take the time to thoroughly test each and every item. Whether or not the item is packed well is the only thing you can blame Goodwill for, not whether the machine is in working condition or not. After all, how many times have we seen here and on other groups when some has a machine they can't fix and they say they just donated it rather than mess with it any more.

Cari

RotaryQueen

Oh absolutely! I in no way wished to blame goodwill, I meant to say I no longer feel like I am so compelled to add a machine that I am willing to take a chance on a machine that, while cheap, is beyond my time or abilities to repair. I never paid more than $20 (ok, except the two berninas) and limited to local pick up so I didn't have to worry about shipping. I still stare forlornly at the red Viking 6570 that has resisted my attempts to unstick the controls, but at least I only paid $20 for it. It could be a good way to increase the herd for someone else, just not me.

Cari-in-Oly

Those Vikings are famous for being frozen from non use. Keep at it, don't give up yet. Just don't force anything. It takes time to get all of the old oil and gunk out of them. the insides need to be thoroughly cleaned, all of the old grease removed. You're not the first person I've seen who's been about to give up on one.

Cari