leonf

I played with this little guy last night. 99 features, but a spool pin and guide for a winder like a 15. I have a few bits

coming for it. but it stitches well. It liked having oil.[ATTACH=CONFIG]586463[/ATTACH]

Backtack on the stitch length lever.

HelenAnn

How is the wiring?

Mickey2

It looks very much like a 99, the thread guides, take up lever and flat face plate. Is the bobbin case the same? The intersting part would be aluminium cast body.

Cari-in-Oly

Mickey it is aluminum. The Bantam is a favorite to hand crank. I think it was Steve of VSS who made one into a hand crank a couple years ago and I know a few people here like KalamaQuilts have one.

Cari

Brass Head

I've been on the lookout for one of these. Should be pretty light? Does it sound like a featherweight? I always thought the aluminum-bodied machines sound a little clattery: not a bad thing, but not as soothing/sophisticated as the sound all that dense cast iron produces, as a rule.

The most laughable of the "lightweights" are the magnesium-bodied White "portables" which outweigh your average Hyundai. These sound like any White Rotary: rumbly, grumbly, unstoppable except when that goofy drive mechanism cops a mood. They're quirky enough that I like them, but I don't love them. They'e the machine I give away to relatives, etc. They're cheap, and once you get that rubber snubby business squared away, they're liable to run forever: just prop that thing away from the wheel when not in use so that it doesn't develop a dent, and scrub a little sandpaper on it from time to time. (The aftermarket snubbies stink, by the way: plasticky, slick, weak. (Sorta like politicians, come to think of it.)

Mickey2

I have never seen a magnesium bodies machine. I have a Singer 201K23, it's the aluminum version of the 201, beige with a slightly updated exterior. It's not light weight by todays standard, but the version in a suite case type cover I can carry with me with out beeing hard work. My black cast iron 201 is arguably portable in a bent wood case, but a walk down the street?...seriously, I'm quickly thinking of something with wheels as soon as possible.

The 201K23 sounds different, sort of a bit firmer in a way. It's in every way up to the cast iron version. My black cast iron 201 is my favorite, it's in cabinet with one drawer on the side. I guess it once was a treadle, because it has the spoked hand wheel, but the motor and lights are early 50s and the serial number is 1950 spot on. The treadle parts are removed, but I can see trace of alterations to the rod keeping the legs stable.

The neoprene replacement belts are strong (I promise), but they are orangey and lugged, and not always as low noise as promised, it depends.

leonf

yes, it is aluminum bodied. Wiring is serviceable at present but old. Belt is ready to break. It sounds like a 99, not like a FW. Had a major amount of dust bunnies around the bobbin area. Yes,
66 Class bobbins. Purty.
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Not so pretty is my Domestic 153 MB ( magnesium). In it's case base it pushed the scales to a bit over 18 lbs, so I'm not thinking it is heavy. But Brass Head is right about the rumbly bumlly noise. I enjoy it.

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Mickey2

Noise can sometimes be improved upon, felt pads under the base or new rubber feet. Repeaded appliactions of oil do wonders, the same for a new rubber pulley. The mechanical parts have its' limits, but I know a 99 should run nicely and smoothly and if it doesn't it should be sorted out. I have no idea about the brown Domestic model; I have read some prefer belt driven models to rubber pulleys, but I think it had to do with replacement parts and developing flat spots.

leonf

yes, I am sure my Domestic would be nicer if the drive wheel was actually round. Maybe some day.