featherweight from ebay
 

Well.. I received the fw I bought off ebay...lesson learned...paid $185 plus shipping and to say it is in rough shape is an understatement..but as the expression goes 'IT IS WHAT IT IS'...anyway i thought i had seen a thread on here before on changing out the lightbulb..it did come with one buried in the syrofoam peanuts and there was also a little rubber ring type thing...does anyone know how to go about inserting the bulb, my fat fingers aren't working and i would like to know if the bulb works before i make my list of what i need to send for to see if i can get this thing to work...should have taken a pix of the case they sent before i threw it away...a pitiful attempt was made to hold it together with duck tape but it basically was three separate pieces not even meeting with the tape...good news i won't buy anything off of ebay any time soon...maybe after the holidays i will be able to find one from a board member that is actually in 1 piece...lol

Please don't beat yourself up. You made the best decision you could, with the information you had at the time. I too have been disappointed in a mail order purchase or two, but consider this: If we all waited until a machine came available locally we could touch and examine before buying, we could be waiting a very long time to even get the chance. As it is, you possess a machine that needs rescue. Consider custom paint maybe. Spare parts needed are out there too. Perhaps you think you paid too much for what you got, but if you enjoy the machine, you are ahead. Others in our circle of friends and family spend $50 to feed two at some chain restaurants, and in 24 hours or so we know where THAT money goes. You, on the other hand, will still have the makings of a fine little hot rod of a Singer. I myself made a big boo boo on a little 128 (see my post asking forgiveness). And it was MY mistake, no one elses. Overall, you can feel better about yourself than me I think. You didn't do anything wrong! Don

I would contact Ebay and tell them that this was beyond use and not what it should have been. They have a way of protecting you and maybe get your money back.
I bought a FW on ebay and it was perfect. I paid $182.50 for it. You should be able to have some compensation here.

Don't abandon eBay because of one bad experience. I have bought many machines off of eBay and have been pleased with them all. You have to look at the pictures so carefully, and then ask for more if you can't see everything you think you need to see. You need to communicate with the seller on how to pack the machine. Once you buy it, you and the seller are in partnership to be sure it gets to you OK....

Hope this doesn't discourage you....for $185 you got what you paid for. Don't let your expectations run away....you have to be realistic.

Hope you enjoy your machine. Take some time to clean it up and get it going. You'll change your mind once you get acquainted with the machine.

Not necessarily....if the machine matches the description and the pictures, then it's a done deal. No going back. That's why I said you have to be sure you look at all the pictures and ask for more.

Agreed! I have been an ebayer for about 13 yrs and only once did I have a bad experience. If you truly feel that the item was misrepresented contact ebay. You can also leave negative feedback for the seller. That being said, the price you paid isn't all that bad. The lightbulb is a 2 pronged type that twists and comes out/goes in. You should probably use a little flashlight to visualize the 2 holes the prongs of the bulb fit into; push then turn the bulb until it "sets".
The rubber ring may be for the bobbin spool, but I don't think mine has one (but mine's from 1937).

I would try to make a complaint with Ebay. It sounds like maybe they had a misleading description for the machine. Were there pics? I would also contact the seller to see why they didn't describe it better so you could have made an informed decision.

Ebay
 

I have bought a lot of machines off ebay have had trouble with one and the seller made good on it.
The other one I got so cheap it wasn't worth bothering with the seller, I left feed back about the way they pkged it.
All the rest I bought from sellers with high seller accs. And above 98% postive feedback.

I buy and sell on ebay for about 5 years now and you should contact them. I had a badly described item as well and ebay made good for me on it. Besides the broken part not described, the item as damaged in shipping (due to poor packing). It took 45 days for me to get my money back, but I did!

Check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjYlr...embedded#at=25

About half way through the video, at about 4:21, he begins explaining how to change the light bulb on a FW. I highly recommend his book and/or DVD set. I have both and use them all the time.

I've bought machines on eBay that were smashed to smithereens and others that came in perfect condition. You just need to check out whether the seller has mailed a sewing machine before, or not. Also, ask them ahead of time how they plan on packing it for shipment.