anyone here Treadle a Necchi BU?
 

I have looked at several vintage BU's needing help for pretty reasonable prices, and I am considering replacing my 306 with the Necchi as I like the built in ZZ as opposed to my 306 cam only ZZ, and I am also wondering what needles the BU takes ( hopefully it will be more standard than the 206x 13 of the 306)

I treadle a BU Nova, and don't like it. Sweet, sweet machine, treadles smooth as silk, easy to switch between treadle and house power, but it takes high-shank feet, which leaves out every foot I own but the one on it. (That's why I've avoided slant machines, much as I like them. How many feet do I really need?) I'm seriously tempted to either A: lower the presser foot bar (I don't know how doable that is) or B: move it on to a new home. It does take ordinary 15x1 needles, which is nice. They are superb machines, whether treadled or powered.

Hmmm, Thank you for the insight, Luckily for me one of my singers is also a high shank machine, I might have to see about picking one up when I am in the states.

Can I ask you how much "Clearance" there is under the presser foot ?(I tend to sew thick seams and buildups) and does the ZZ seem pretty solid ?

Thank you
Dan

The clearance between the foot and plate is 3/8", and it seems like it 'rides' over seam bumps easily-I've never managed to choke it yet.

The ZZ is also very nice, and one of the wider ones I've seen, although I didn't think to measure it.

I've got mine in a 7-drawer Singer cabinet, and it fits fine. BUT the hinge pin holes are *smaller* than the Singer hinge pins. You're either going to have to grind down the pins, bore out the holes, or find Necchi hinges to use instead. I did a bit of both-boring cast iron makes me nervous, so I also ground down the pins a bit. I think that Necchi hinges are offset, which means it wouldn't then fit in a Singer cab, but I'm not for sure on that.

It really is a gorgeous machine. I wish I liked it better-I'd use it more.

MrsBoats - why don't you like the machine?

I acquired one a couple of summers ago - I'm having a terrible time threading the needle.

Bear, she said in her first post that it uses Highshank feet, and does not have anything else that does. I think the lack of feet to fit and no desire to collect a second set is the only real complaint.

Greywuuf is right. I do actually like the machine-it sews beautifully, and is almost silent when treadled--but the high shank is an issue, since it's the only one I have, and only came with the foot on it.

Are different feet that hard to come by? The one I acquired has several (yippee! - but I doubt that I'll use many of them)

No, they're not. Not quite as common as low shanks, but still fairly ordinary. I just refuse to buy yet more feet when I've got dozens of feet that fit every machine I own (except the top clamps, which are mostly for show anyway) except the Necchi.

I would be willing to bet that most people only use two or three of the presser feet that come with their machines.

Hi, I just discovered these silent beauties. I am on the hunt for a Necchi BU. I saw several on youtube and wondering how some machines run so quiet and others not as much. Do people "treadle" their vintage machines because it makes them more quiet?

I must admit, the reason why I fell in love with the BU because of it "silent running". If this is the reason I would definitely do it also. Is there any websites, or classes that show how to do this?

I'm just about to start treadling one! Will be getting it on Sunday and found your post while I was researching it. I have an industrial machine so no probs with the feet, but it might have taken me a while to realise they were interchangeable if I hadn't read up on it!

So excited. It's in the most unusual looking table top with Necchi treadle irons that look very Art Deco. I'll post some pics as soon as I get it and let you know what I think :)

I haven't used my Necchi BU (Original BU) for some time and it was one of the first vintage machines in my stable. I swear it uses low shank feet. It came with a few and I used them. I will have to get it out and check.

My collection increased without any organization and my feet are all mixed up. So, I consequently know when someone says they prefer to stick to one type shank. Since, I've learned to keep feet with machines.

And, you are correct. It is a silent beauty and sews extremely well. However, I'm hooked on the SS vintage Singers (hard to explain).