Thank you for the opinions Napajohn, that is pretty much my thinking ... now I just have to decided if I need the pattern wheel functions as I have found a pretty nice 130 for less money than the 230 I am looking at....and I don't even have to repaint a 130 !

I built-up a Pfaff 130-6 in a Singer treadle using a top out of an electric Singer cabinet, and it worked just fine, but I liked my Singer 306W in another treadle better, so I re-homed the Pfaff treadle. I’ve since replaced the 306W with a Singer 319, and like it even better. One of these days, I hope to come across a black 319, but the green one sews just fine. With two green 319s (one treadle, one electric), maybe I can make a trade someday.

CD in Oklahoma

Thank you, CD. Do youyou still use the 206 x 13 needles in your 319? And can you find them in other than #14 and #16 sizes? Also how much improvement is using the larger treadle hand wheel? I originally swapped mine out but ended up using my "spare" large wheel on a 128 and was too lazy to change it out for this last project.

One other thing CD, what goes in the coffee can hanging under that mint green 319? Looks like a grease catch for a BBQ.

CD I like that stool.

12 and 14 are the two available now. Size 16 would be nice but Schmetz stopped making them nearly two years ago.

Hmm last ones I bought local were #16's must have got the last of the stash. When I went back last we to get "finer" ones.... #14's were in stock..looking on line I noticed only 2 sizes available, must be how I got confused.

Yes, I use nothing but 206x13 needles in my 319. I came up with a box of 100 old stock Singer 206x13 11/80 needles a while back, plus I have several 14s and 16s and two double needles. I use the 11/80 needles in it all of the time, and will until I run out of them. I bend or burr very few needles, which I find is unusual since most of my sewing is mending denim with a “darning technique” whereas I over-ride the feed dogs on occasion and force the fabric in odd directions.

The larger hand wheel helps satisfy my habit of spinning the wheel each time that I start the machine. It is also needed for “finger cranking” when I want to place stitches carefully, or work through a tough spot.

The coffee can is a beer holder, er, I mean, a thread catcher.....
I’ve found that the plastic coffee cans don’t work worth a darn for catching hot grease on the grill, so I’ve put them on all of my sewing machine stands.....

I’m still experimenting with the mechanic’s stool. I was using it on a hardwood floor as shown, but was having trouble staying hooked up to my treadle with its free-wheeling. I’ve moved across the room onto the rug shown in the 306W photo to see how I like it there. I’m just so used to having wheels under my stool that when I decide to move, I tend to tip a rigid stool over if I use one.....

I’ve taken a few “rides” on that claw-foot stool shown with the 306W. It’s an heirloom from the old ranch homestead (notice that it’s wired together?) and I don’t want to break it (or me).

CD in Oklahoma

I used to have a drum throne on my industrial machine - loved it. When I sold the machine the guy paid me triple for what I had in it. I have seller's regrets though.

CD...I may have a chance to buy a Pfaff 130 in May. Is it more difficult/involved to put a Pfaff 130 into a Singer treadle base than putting a Singer 15-90 into a Singer treadle base? This may decide whether I go fo the 130 or not. Thanks Kathy