I recently acquired a vintage sewing machine that is branded Free-Westinghouse.

I have been searching online for hours and I have not been able to find any useful information. I would love to find a manual for this model or something similar.

Here is what I know from the machine:

*It was made by the Free Sewing Machine Co. in Rockford, Illinois, USA.
*It is a model 303 according to the badge.
*There is a patent number stamped on one of the silver discs on the back: PAT 407045.
*The badge reads Free-Westinghouse.
*The number 4003 is stamped into the metal underneath.
*The plate states it was Made in Japan.
*It has a built in light rather than the type that attaches behind.

The case is a little rough, but the machine runs like a champ. I am having one cord replaced as it was very old and brittle. I cannot locate anything other than the "4003" that could be a serial number.

I would love to find more information about this machine or a similar one. However, I am not finding much on the internet.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! :)

She is a beauty. Sorry I can't help.

That is a pretty machine, I like that blue!

Wow! Very pretty!

Great Machine, love it!

Ooooh. She's very very pretty- check with Billy (Lostn51) or post this on his vintage machine thread. He loves the Japanese machines and he knows a lot about them. He's your best bet.

Thanks everyone. I think she is pretty, too.

I wasn't sure if I could post directly to the Vintage Machine thread. I didn't see anywhere to start a new thread there.

I will try Billy, though.

Wow, its really cute, and I sure love the color!

Oat...you can add this thread to the Vintage Shoppe threads at the bottom of the thread....see where it says, "Add this topic to a virtual section"? Click that and select the Vintage Shoppe....Billy will be sure to see it then! :)

I already added the Virtual Section and if you want to add it to the Vintage Sewing Machine Shop Just post in there.

I really like your machine but as with a lot of the Japanese 15's they are nearly impossible to pin down a manufacturer. I have been working on the research for it and I am probably 2 years out from having any answers. But I am loving the color!!

I can tell you that it was not made by Koyu-Seiko or Seiko that I am sure of. I am taking the information that you submitted and adding it to my data base so I can use it to figure the manufacturer out.

Billy

cool machine, but sorry can't help with any info

Charlee and Billy - thanks for the help with getting this into the Vintage section.

And, Billy, thanks for taking a look. If you ever find anything out, I would love to know.

I will keep digging. Maybe one day I will find something! If I do, I will be sure to let everyone know.

:)

http://www.google.com/products?q=Fre...=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&safe=strict&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=Ysv-S6bRBoH-8AbW9MSkDQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&r esnum=1&ved=0CCcQrQQwAA
I just googled and got a page of hits with manuals, etc. Good luck.

Beautiful machine. For some reason I am partial to blue ones. I hope you enjoy it.

What a beautiful machine! I love the blue color!!

Thanks. I will look through this. I have looked at so many sites! Maybe if I contact some of these sellers with similar looking machines.... I just can't find anything for the model 303. But, maybe this machine was also branded under another name with a different, more popular model. Who knows? The search goes on.

I appreciate all the suggestions and feedback. :)

Oat,
Just read post about your sewing machine. Love it. My husband worked for Wesinghouse for over 30 years. At picnics & Holiday parties, small appliances with the W name on were given as door prizes. Most were well made, we still have a couple around here. Some of these were mfg. by someone else with the W name on. I have never seen Free Westinghouse, however. Some were made by GE or RCA. Also for many years RCA made Sears products, you might try looking under Kenmore, which is Sears brand.

Hope this helps. And all this because you were looking for lego fabric.

lol

That is really interesting. I haven't found any further info, so this is really good to know. It gives me another direction to look.

Thanks! :)

Pretty machine!

I have pm'd you about my machine like this one. although everyone seems to see blue mine is a pretty light green.please read the pm I sent you. thanks Mary

Gorgeous! I am really into Japanese SM's. Maybe because they are so easy to use AND so sturdy. I am working on a Mercury Electric Dial-O-Matic that is so awesome. Once I finish cleaning it up, I will post pics.

Congrats. You will love sewing with it. I love the Japanese machines my self. I just recently got a Vogue Stitch blue metal SM. I am sending it to Billy for a spa treatment with then next month.

I just bought one exactly like this at the Goodwill! Would love some info, too.

I just bought this same machine and haven't been able to find out anything about it. The guy I bought it from said he got it from an estate sale. He rehabs old machines and sells them, but said he'd never seen one like this. We'll just keep searching!

What a beautiful color! Please keep up posted whe you find new information for your machine.

I just saw one of these machines at a sewing machine place. I left he, but it is calling to me. Maybe I ought to ask Santa for it.

Oat - I have this machine myself and use it regularly. I received it from my grandmother who bought it brand new in 1958. I do have the original instruction manual and also the matching blue metal case that holds the attachments. The attachments manual is also here with me. The pictures you posted are exactly what I have, same model 303 other than mine is on a sewing machine table that stores the machine inside when not in use. And your serial number 4003 is slightly lower than mine. Let me know if I can help in any way to get you the information in the instruction book.

Hi Jleigh,

I also recently purchased one of these machines at a Garage sale for $1!. Serial Number 4589. But no instruction manual or attachments. Would love some help from the instruction book.

Thanks so much

Sorry I can't help you, but it's sure a beautiful machine. I'm sure that someone will be able to help you though.

As soon as I can I will scan the entire manual and have it available for anyone who needs it. Not sure if there is somewhere here to post that on this site? Guess I will find that out when the time comes.
I can send it directly to you either way.

I am looking for this manual also if anyone can help me.

Jleigh, if you made a scan of the manuals, could you please send me a copy too?

I have a Free Westinghouse 603, have never been able to find a manual anywhere! Maybe this would at least be similar!

Or if anyone has a Free Westinghouse 603 manual, please let me know!

Sergethrift, welcome aboard. This thread is 4 years old, many of the people responding aren't active anymore. If your machine looks like the one shown, it's a 15 clone-a Japanese copy of a Singer model 15 with minor differences. A Singer model 15 manual would be close enough to help you. They're available as a free download at Singerco.com.
Rodney

Hi there...I have this same blue machine w serial #5052. It is in a wood cabinet w a rattan insert and lifts out on hinges. Anyone know it's value?

Sadly, while these Japanese clones are really great machines, there is not a lot of value in them. The US was flooded with them after WWII so there are literally still millions of them. The pretty colored ones tend to get a little better price than plain black ones, but still, not much. It's only worth whatever someone is willing to pay you for it. I have several and have paid anywhere from $5.00 to $20 for all but one of mine. One I paid a lot for but it's an original hand crank machine in a pretty green.

Cari

I bought a 303 and realized it had no foot peddle. Where could I find one? Also where would it plug in? Photos would be appreciated.

Your machine should have a short cord with a plug coming off the motor, and one for the light as well if it has a light. These plug into what's known as a cord block. The cord block has two cords coming off of it - one to the outlet in the wall and one to the controller(either a foot controller or a knee controller, used often when a machine is in a cabinet).
The cord block you need is shown here on this page - https://shop.sew-classic.com/Univers...-Wire_c50.html it's the first item on the page. You add the controller of your choice to it.

If your machine is in a cabinet, look underneath and check to see if the controller is mounted under the cabinet.

Cari

Cari's link didn't work for me. This is one of my cord blocks. Most are not labeled so nicely.

https://www.quiltingboard.com/member...922-590161.jpg

Leon is right, most are NOT labeled as clearly as his is.

SugarCopper

As Cari said you should have some wires coming off the machine. The cord block can be found here -
https://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Cor...143-SCE143.htm

You'll notice one end has a plug to plug into a wall outlet and the other has two wires that would connect to the foot pedal - aka motor controller. Sew-classic has a wiring service at
https://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Foo...SCE-Wiring.htm

And for your machine you would want either of these foot controls to be wired to the cord block.
https://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Foo...p-SCE168FC.htm
https://www.shop.sew-classic.com/Foo...TAL-SCE507.htm

If you do not have a manual, one that comes close can be found at http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...al-rotated.pdf


Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

If you have an unlabeled cord block; plug in the light first. If it is on you are OK, if it isn't try the foot pedal and see if it acts as a dimming switch. Then pug it into the other socket. If you plug a motor into the wrong one it will spin full throttle...ooops. Ask me how I know...hehe