Can't beat the old reliable machines
 

In the past 15 years or so, I have worn out 2 newer Pfaff machines, a 2030 and a 2140. I was in the middle of making a quilt for my youngest son's college graduation and the motherboard on the 2140 went caput. Took them both in and it is hopeless. What do I do? I get out the 1948 Singer 201 that was given to me a few months ago. Played with it, got it oiled, greased, adjusted and it sews perfect. Took me a few more adjustments to get it to free-motion correctly. Love the extra space under the arm. Finished the quilt, presented it to him this afternoon and he loves it. That old gal is a keeper.

Mary

isn't it great to have a reliable backup!

Those old 201s are priceless. Just curious, what adjustments did you make to fmq on it? I'm interested in getting one for fmq. Was it hard to get the tension right?

The 201 is my favorite, I have one with a belt driven motor. If you aren't dependend on lots of auto features like needle up/down, auto tying off, cutting thread, and can do a bit of DIY cleaning and oiling it is a top notch machine. I doubt any new machine will be more capable and well behaved. Even though it's just a straight stitcher I hold it in high regard. I hope one with the gear driven motor will turn up near me :- )

At the moment I can't make mine free motion, I get very tiny stitches for some reaosn. I have messed up the tension I think, because a while back it behaved very well. The odd thing is tension and stitching are fine for regular sewing.

Mickey2, one of the reasons with tiny stitches while FMQ, is that you're moving the quilt too slow, long stitches means you're moving the quilt too fast, so I would assume that's the problem, since it stitches fine while regular sewing.

The one I am sewing on is a gear driven. The adjustments I made for free motion is I did not lower the feed dogs. It sewed better with them up, but I put the stitch length in the sweet spot just between reverse and forward. The tension is set on 4 and the foot pressure is very loose. My husband told me to go out and get a new machine, but with the way this one is sewing I couldn't find one that would last me almost 70 years. I would be lucky if a new on would last 10.
Mary

Thanks both of you for the tip pocoellie and Mary, I shall have to sit down and practise more. I think I have found a pressure gauge that will work with the bobbin case in the 201; The Featherweight Shop has a tiny one where you just let it hang in free air and hold it up.

I guess most of us like a good zigzagger with a few utilty stitches, but what ever you buy in the future, I'm sure the 201 is well worth having tuned up and ready to go. It's can cost a bit either time and effort or to hand it in some where. The gear driven is a bit cumbersome with the grease wicks and rewiring, but there is very good tutorials on the web. I'm sure you have found them.

The early 201s look so nice with the art deco chromed plates and god decals, but they almost always need full rewiring.

My DH is an electrician by trade, so the rewiring will be easy with him around. His mother has a gear-driven 201-2 from the 1950's and I keep asking him to rewire it. Maybe he can this weekend:) I would love to have the machine up and running for my MIL! It originally belonged to her grandmother, so it's been in the family for a bit.

Love the old machines! My favorite is the Singer 301. I couldn't stop with just one had to have one of each color.
My Janome is set up for FMQ and use my 301's for piecing.