How do I expidite a decision ??????
 

OK, here's a bit of my personality trait; when I get into a hobby, or collecting things, I start buying each different kind and model that interests me. I use it for a while then set it aside and get another one that's different and do the same thing over again. I've done that with cars and trucks, firearms, fountain pens, and now I'm doing it with sewing machines.

I love to tinker with and refurbish them, but eventually, sooner than later I hope, I'm going to have to start selling some of them.

I need to decide what machines ( that's plural ) I will keep, so I can move on to re-homing the rest.

So far I have several that will never be sold, traded or parted with. My HOTHER ( my avatar pic) is one of those. It was my mom's machine for many many years. I use it quite a bit and it's kind of a connection to her. I lost her back on '01.
There are a couple others as well, my #1 Singer treadle, a 66-4 was a gift from my late cousin. And my Free Long Bobbin Rotary will stay too.

But other than using them one at a time until I really get it figured out, is there a way to expedite the decision making process?
I know what I want to do, but which machine I will settle on is the hard part.
I want a ZZ machine with the capability of decorative stitches. Removable or built in cams doesn't matter. The one big criteria is the machine cannot have any plastic gears. That is chiseled in granite. It also has to have a large arch such as the Singer 66 or 201 or similar, if possible. Singer, Kenmore, or a Japanese maker is OK too. I kind of lean towards the Japanese machines as they are typically quieter than the corresponding vintage Singers.

But .......................... ????? This is giving me a headache. Any suggestions?

Joe

I know that someday I will have to rehome some of my choir of Singers ----I don't think they will have a big enough room for 60 Singers in Assisted Living-----so if you come up with any ideas, let me know!

Joe, I LOVE my Morses. I have a Fotomatic IV with a lot of different stitches, a 4300, and an earlier ZZ machine.
The IV has only one plastic gear anywhere- and my sewing machine guy took it out and replaced it with a metal one. It was in the feed dog drive, if I remember correctly. The other machines have no plastic.

I LOVE the 158 series Kenmore machines. I've got a 158.17550 that I've had since 1971 & it still sews like new. That machine was used daily for at least 20 years...made all my kids clothes, all my clothes (even my jeans), all the ex's shirts & had a home dressmaking business. The only thing I've ever had to do to it was replace motor brushes! The only other machine I've ever had that sews as smoothly & quietly is my 201-2.

Only one suggestion-go back and re-read your post...you've already begun to lay out what you want to do...:)...yep, I know, hard decision! Good luck.

Joe, you are asking a most perplexing and difficult question. If you must scale back, do away with the blemished machines vis a vis sell them and keep the museum quality ones for display and enjoyment. The "noisier" vintage machines are far better than the knock offs IMOA. I agree that harp length is important, but history is important too. I'm actually focusing on the very old ones now which was always my intent in collecting. Good luck with your decision.

Joe you did answer your own question. Keep those, get rid of the rest and get some more machines to work on - you will know it when you get it. I keep a clone for messing with - then some time along the way, I sell it. I keep a Singer 403 and my Singer 401g, an Elna and now I have a Phoenix. I also keep a clone for my DGD because it is from the lady she was named for. The rest are for sale - I seriously need to get some gone.

Dan,
Well we don't agree on this issue. I'm not running a museum. And 99% of my machines are no where near museum quality. I do not get any enjoyment from displaying them. Like everything else those I keep have to be useable. And I do like the ugly ones, they have character and usually a story behind them. Like Minerva, and Mini, and Rusty and some of the others.

I will sell what I can get rid of eventually. But those I keep will be for our use, not just pretty window dressing.

Yeah, I guess I have.


Joe

You answered your own question--I knew you would. My criteria is, when I am using a machine, I keep saying to myself, "I love sewing on this machine." Of course I love them all, but some are more of a love connection than others.

I had a friend who asked if I had any machines I'd be willing to sell her because hers was on the blink...I had to think long and hard about which one I'd want to sell, so I'm going through the same thing. So, my solution was to loan her one of my machines, all tuned up and ready to go, and I'll see about FIXING her Pfaff. I've never worked on a Pfaff before. Sounds like an adventure!

I do have to say, my Necchi Supernova has all the accessories, cams, bobbins, manuals, user's handwritten notes and that would be one I don't get rid of. I also have a Kenmore with all of its cams and attachments. Also a fun machine to use...oh, they are all special in some way. Oh, I do have a plastic Janome mini that belonged to my daughter....I'd get rid of that in a heartbeat.

Machines "I'd" sell in a heartbeat ... if my wife will let me . :)

>Singer 413 x 2
>Singer 3810 (missing the bed, but has manual and is ready to sew)
>Singer 518*
>Singer 4622A*
>American Home; basic Japanese ZZ ( Case looks like crap - really, somebody painted it with dark brown paint :puke: )
>Singer 66-4 ( no case but is complete and ready to sew otherwise)
>Dial 'n Sew: basic Japanese ZZ ( case looks crappy, it was busted all to heck but I glued it back together. Machine sews great. No manual.)
>Kenmore 120-491 ( I got to fix the top tension, otherwise it's good to go. Complete with box, manual, accessories, bobbins, needles{substitutes but they work})
>Singer 15-91 ** Ugly toad with no case, but complete otherwise, cleaned and lubed, rewired with cord set and ready to sew.
>Singer 66-18 X 2 ** Godzilla paint. Not sure I want to part with these but I have three of them. If someone would pay my price, bye bye.
>Minnesota Model A ( Treadle machine with no treadle. Finish is fair but she would sew if she had a home.)
>W&G Industrial HS lock stitch machine, Type 10 ( No table or motor, but I've got needles and one bobbin. Also a manual to print out.)


* = Wife won't let me.
** = I'm hedging on these.

I'm sure there is more.


( Note to moderators. This is not an add to sell machines, just a list of some I could and might part with.

Joe

I'm surprised at the desire to sell 15-91. It's one of my favorites to piece on

I only see 4 with asterisk's; remove those 4 from your list and sell the rest. None of them are collectible but they are useable and maybe, just maybe, there is someone in your area who can put a serviced, reasonably priced machine to good use. I'm not saying you do not use or appreciate them, what I'm saying is sell off the chaff to recoup your money (possibly a bit more) to re-invest in machines of higher quality or better condition to improve your collection.

Cheryl,

I have beauty of a 210-2 that runs oh so sweet that I can piece on if I want. It's everything the 15-91 is and then some. Plus it's nice to look at too. Like I said the 15-91 is a toad. I've never been able to clean the gunk off it. It works, but ....
I really just bought it to teach myself to rewire a potted motor. If it wern't for that I wouldn't have bothered.

Yep.

Joe

I have a 1950 Morse Fotomatic. It is so powerful and has a good built in Zig Zag stitch. I love it!

If I had a Morse, it would not be on the sale list that's for sure. They are some of the prettiest machines I've seen. Not had the chance to get one though.

Joe

Since you say you like to tinker a bit, maybe what you really should think of is there anyone I know who would use / like / need this machine. Either sell or gift it to that person. That way you are still connected to that machine and yet it isn't taking up space in your home.
I am a spinner and I was really into collecting drop spindles for a while. But eventually I realized that a lot of those I had were really just for looks and I really only liked to use 4 or 5 of them. So over time I sold some on eBay and gifted some to friends who I taught to spin. Some of these folks didn't have the ability to purchase one of these nice spindles and it made a nice gift, and for my fellow spinners who were still caught up in collecting, they loved adding something new to the collection.

Tough question - you've answered yours.

Mine: Elna - never - she and I have been together since 1973
1956 Singer 301 - nope, AnnieRose is the piecer and FMQer
1961 Kenmore, bye, bye if I could get at her - her tension was the reason I bought the Elna
1928 Leader - pretty as a picture, but treadles hard, so good-bye
1926 White Family Rotary - - don't know yet - she will be a beauty
1952 blackside 128 with a bentwood case - bye to him - too homely, IMO
1918 Redeye - my son searched 5 states for her - need I say more?
1950s MW 15 clone - a shiny black beauty with shamrocks. How can I let the shamrocks go?
1950s Admiral - another black beauty that looks like a Necchi, though it's a Brother machine with gorgeous Art Deco trim in turquoise - it can leave
1940s Necchi in cabinet - excellent condition, but it doesn't say keep me, though I do like the knee control and it was my best FMQ back up when Annie blew her cord and I hadn't purchased the second 301 yet
1952 Singer 301 - no relationship yet, but Ilike having a back up for AnnieRose
Singer 404 - still in pieces, but will be a good machine
1950s Universal - has to stay - it looks like my mother's treasured White from the 50s
1970s MW - plastic body with metal guts - has some stitches the Elna doesn't have ????
I'm trying not to add any more!

I have a MW clone with the shamrocks - very nice machine - the shamrocks are on the nose plate and on the round hole cover in the back and on the decals. Love it!
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Miriam,

Did that MW come from GW? I look at all the clones even if I'm not interested in them. I remember seeing a MW clone within the last couple months that was interesting but not enough to go for.

Joe

Joe that machine was pathetic looking in the ad - I figured I would try for it - the motor wiring was shot and the case broken up but I really like the machine. Mostly cleaned up real nice - kind of an ugly spot on the surface though.

Miriam,

Those are the ones I really like to get. I can fix 'em up and make 'em run nice again. Zoom zoom.

Joe

Joe - this one was a thrill - It has cute decals, the finish cleaned up nice, the little clovers are so cute and it turns like it was meant to sew. I need to adjust the tension then I think it will be good. We put a different motor on it.

Joe I have a box of old motors for you to fool with.

I am going to re-home a Janome, a Rotary, and a Singer 603E with all the accessories.

I will be keeping the machines in my signature.

I'll take the box of motors. I do like to mess with them.

Tensions are one of my big problems. Sometimes the machines just fall into place and they sew anything, with any thread like nobodies business. Other times I have to fiddle with the tension as I sew with them to get them right. Eventually I do then they work good. I got a couple like that I'm fiddling with right now.

Joe

Joe, sometimes the only thing you can do with a tension is take it apart, clean it and put it back together.

Yep, and after that sometimes they still require tinkering before they decide to cooperate.

Joe