319s have unusual bobbins/ cases. Make sure you have them.

Lots of info on your 319 here:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...c-t162425.html
I learned a lot from that one.
Those are very fun machines.
My grandkids loved playing with the flower maker on that machine until I broke the flower maker.
Think of it as a mechanical computer.

That's a great thread, Miriam. Thank you.

I learned a lot there, too.

There was a green one up for grabs close to me a few months a go. It looked like it was hardly used and I regret I wasn't quicker, it was gone just a few hours later :- )

I have two, a green and a black in my collection of machines. They rate right up at the top for fun sewing. My green one had been converted to take a standard needle. I had the sewing machine repair man covert it back to the 206 size because it lost some of its stitch quality with the change. He argued with me on changing it back but, hey, who's paying for it??!! Then he saw what I was talking about in comparison. All information you need for oiling and greasing can be found on the internet. The only thing that in my opinion was a poor design on them is the angle you take to change the bobbin but you will get used to that. And the slide plate seems difficult to get off and on until you figure out just how to hold it. Free motion quilting is a blast on these. It's almost like you can't break a thread no matter how poorly you are at it. (That would be me. Lol) Enjoy!

Thanks for the good info. :o

Well, I went and looked at this machine today. (It's being auctioned off tomorrow night.) It looks pristine, and it moves perfectly. I tried the little zig zag key and the needlebar swung from side to side as it should. The needle is gone and there are a few scratches on the bobbin case showing someone tried to use the wrong needle. Not bad, tho. It has 2 bobbins with it and that's all.

The wiring is shot,however, and it will need a new plug and wire. I'm not sure about the wiring to the foot controller, because this machine is wired through it's cabinet to one of those little step on pedals on the inside of the cabinet base. It's probably as bad as the power wire, I'm guessing.

I need to sell off some machines, NOT accquire more (and hubby will not understand it) but I feel drawn to get this machine. Only one bid for $12.50, still. Wish me luck!

BTW: How hard is it to change the foot control wiring in a cabinet?

With out actually seeing the machine and cabinet in question I dare say not difficult, at most time consuming. There are probably schematics for full rewiring available on the web, the vintage yahoo group files, or you can draw your own from the original. The cabinets I have seen either lets the cable for foot / knee control unplug to a separate unit, or it's wired directly to the motor, but usually with a plug. The older cabinets (pre 1940s - maybe a bit later) have a porcelain speed control part in the cabinets, knee control only; the later ones usually have a socket-plug setup. Replacement bobbn cases and bobbin are available.

Sewbizgirl, the wiring is the same as any other machine, it's just the "where do the wires actually go" that's a little different. You'll most likely have to remove the drawers to see where the wire goes, and replacing it is straight forward. It sounds like it's a #42 cabinet.

Cari