Caroline S

He is asking $80, start at $40 and perhaps meet somewhere in the middle. It still would be worth it at the asking price. It is ALL about justifying and enabling here on the QB.

profannie

If space is an issue, than you can wait until a "portable" one (in a wooden box instead of a cabinet) shows.

oldtnquiltinglady

OMG, did you get it. I am drooling, and I would have gone straight over and brought it home with me, $80 be damned. But TN may be too far for me to be getting in such a dither. I hope you did get it, and you find that you love it better than any Janome on the market right now. My most favorite machine in my sewing room for any kind of quilting chore is my 15-91 with the potted motor that I had to pay $160 for at an auction in the rain about l5 years ago because the auctioneer's wife was bound and determined to make me spend more than $100 for it--that was the going price for one in a cabinet back then. I still get mad when I think about that day and that deal.....

zozee

Okay, well, here is an update. I contacted the guy by phone to get the vibes and decided he was a good guy. I went and checked out the machine. The couple lives literally 3 minutes from my house. (I could walk, but dragging a cabinet home on foot could be quite the feat.) He'd told me he wouldn't be home, but his wife would be (which totally put me at ease) and she could show it to me. She was very friendly and looked kind of familiar but maybe just someone I'd seen in passing?

Oh, my goodness, the machine is really pretty. It was either barely used or very well taken care of. I'm guessing the latter because the drawers are chock full of notions, attachments, and other supplies (electric shears, oil, you name it).
The cabinet was in really good shape, too.

In my excitement to get sewing, I failed to get a good look at the wiring FIRST. I used the manual to learn how to thread the thing. (Easy, isn't it?) Then I began. Whoa, Nellie, is this machine ever fast!! And so quiet and smooth.
I was in love in 5 seconds!! But at about the 5-second mark, it quit on me. That's when I thought, "Uh-oh! Better check the wires!" Thankfully nothing had sparked or zapped. I then noticed that the clutch had slipped (is that the right expression for the knob inside the flywheel was loose and the needle not moving?)

I tightened that back up and proceeded to examine the wires. They weren't bad, mostly surface wear, but I could see wires in a couple cracked-open spots. I told the lady I was nervous and she said she was, too, and she handed me a roll of electrical tape. I unplugged the machine and put tape on about 5-6 rough looking places. I began again by saying out loud, "Okay, Lord, please protect us." I meant it.

Just then the lady recognized me. She said, "Do you go to _______ church? I think we've met?" Sure enough we had!

I had visited there recently.

I ran the machine again and the same thing happened--clutch slipped , needle stopped. I wasn't sure how to trouble shoot it and didn't have time to stick around (it had been a good hour). But i was definitely leaning toward getting it. I had gone there with $50 in mind and $65 in hand.

She spoke first. "Did you have a price in mind, because I was thinking like $50." Oh, my goodness!!! I was ecstatic on the inside but stayed cool on the outside. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking. She needs wires fixed and I don't know what else, but I think $50 is a very fair price." She agreed to let me go back in the morning with my muscular hubby to pick it up. Fifty sweet bucks. Even if the sewing repairman charges me another $50, I will think I've gotten a good deal.

As for space, we shall move things out to make room for this 15-91 !!

zozee

My Janome came today, too, while I was looking at the Singer. I didn't know it, but hubs went and hid it upstairs and made me hunt for it. When I came home and told him I had stopped by and looked at the Singer (en route to the grocery store) he said, "Why do you need 2 machines? I mean 3?" I said, "It's not a need, it's a want." And I proceeded to pull out all the stops of justification.

zozee

Mark, I'm not sure yet what's in the white box. I'll check it out tomorrow.

redmadder

I confess, I read every word. You wouldn't have gotten it if I had been visiting my daughter north of Baltimore. Congratulations!

profannie

Great deal!

mjhaess

Offer less. I bought a 201 in a beautiful cabinet for 35 dollars...

manicmike

I also read every word, and isn't it lovely to buy from lovely people?
Sure, the wiring is important but easily fixed. It's just a case of replacing what's there. The replacement wiring is cheap, easily available and there's nothing like youtube and watching someone else do it first.

Great work