leonf

I saw quilts displayed at a folk life festival where my GF and I gave demos on 99 handcranks.
I saw a FW case hiding there and visited with the lady. I asked her about her favorite. " Oh, the FW travels so well, but it has limits...." She also had a 99, 201, 301, 400, 403 a few others. But what did she use the most? "Touch and Sew." I about fell over. Bkay, she is your kinda gal.

One woman came to our tables and had one question. "Chain stitch or lock stitch." I told her lock, of course, but that I had others that were chain stitchers.

bkay

They certainly have their good points. I love the weird bobbin filling method, but others hate it. It is a little small, but you can just unscrew it and empty out all the old thread.

I keep my eyes open for a 601e or a 603. I did buy a 601 auto-reel, not knowing it was not the same bobbin mechanism as the other Touch and Sews. I suppose the dealer glued the a Touch and Sew emblem on top of the auto-reel emblem, but I guess it's possible that Singer did it. I believe I heard the auto-reel was a real problem to keep working back in the day. But for $45.00, in a cabinet, with a stool, I guess I didn't lose much.

bkay

By the way, has Susan made it there yet?

Cari-in-Oly

Bkay there were two versions of the 600. The difference between the two is the bobbin rewind system. And in the T&S lineup there are 3 different bobbins for the various machines.

Cari

leonf

How not fair is that? gee and I was mad at Dodge when my 92 15" 5 lug wheels wouldn't fit my 96 Minivan with 5 lugs 15" wheels. Bkay, Susan hasn't made it to KS yet Polly in the next month or two. I keep looking for T& S's for you

bkay

Don't they all use that plastic two piece bobbin? The 400s and 500s use the 66 bobbin. Then the 600 auto-reel uses the plastic 2 piece bobbin, but has the bobbin winding knob on at the base of the pillar. All the others I've messed with have that lever in the bobbin area. I thought all T&Ss wound in place.

Unfortunately, I didn't know there were two versions of the 600 until I bought the wrong one. I found a 603 that a guy offered to sell me for $65.00 in a cabinet, but I had already bought a sewing machine and had it in the car that day, so I didn't buy it. It was a Thursday at an estate sale and I planned to go back, but didn't make it.

The 600s and 603s aren't as rare as hen's teeth, but they don't show up every day. They say some 626s have metal gears, but I've not actually seen any.

bkay

Cari-in-Oly

I have to revise my earlier statement a bit. There are three versions of the two piece bobbins. 1-has white stripes, fits all 600 & 700 series. 2- has black stripes, fits the 62xx series machines like the 6268, etc. and 3- has different black stripes, fits the Athena, Futura and Touchtronic machines.

Cari