Necchi BU, Mira series questions ...
 

I'm looking at a Necchi BU Mira series machine on GW. No secret I'm broke, but that machine fascinates me.
{ http://www.shopgoodwill.com/auctions...-16321140.html }

My question is, would this machine be worth the effort to rescue it and refurb it? By the pics it's missing the needle and slide plate, but otherwise it's complete.

I have an Japanese Aldens machine that is almost a Xerox copy of the Necchi BU and it's one of the quietest running and sewing machines I have.
The needle plates will interchange and I have extras too.

So can those of you with the Necchi BU Mira series tell me about it?

Now .... I "DID" a search and came up with zip. So please don't tell me to do a search, I done did one. I'm search challenged anyway.

TIA

Joe

Joe,

There are no cams or connecting rods for the Wonder Wheel showing in the pictures. The cams and connection rods are very difficult to find.
The machine looks to be in very nice condition otherwise.

Cathy

I missed that one. I think you could bend your own connecting rods but that still leaves the cams.
Rodney

Yes, the wonder wheel issue is a pain but I'd still have to buy it if it were cheap enough:>

Can someone post a pic of a machine with the complete wonder wheel thing. I meant to ask about that, but forgot.

Joe

Hi Joe,

I'd get it, but I'm an enabler. I have a Necchi BU that has become my go-to machine. It's quiet and no-nonsense. I picked it up off of GW's auction as a pickup-only as the only bidder. Here's some general reviews of the Necchis:

From McKenna Linn (quilter, author, and moderator on a couple of vintage machine yahoo groups):
http://www.mckennalinn.com/vintage_sewing_machines.html
and some tutorials from her:
http://www.mckennalinn.com/sewing-machine-how-tos/
which includes info on drilling the hinge-pin holes larger if you want to put it in a Singer cabinet.

From Ed Lamoureux:
http://sewing-machines.blogspot.com/...necchi-bu.html

If you do get it, there are two different yahoo groups for them. The larger is called necchisewingmachineclub which has additional files and manuals in a subgroup called Necchi_Sewing_Circle. That's the group started by Ed Lamoureux and where I found a manual and a service manual for my BU. The second group is called necchifiles and was started by McKenna Linn.

Here's a blog post with pictures of a BU Mira with Wonder Wheel:
http://tammyscraftemporium.blogspot....i-mira-bu.html

And here's a demo from YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBIw8JgRav4

Someone here made a post about a replacement "tire" for the Wonder Wheel (I think grant15clone?) and that he had to purchase a bulk amount of supplies to make them and he had extra. However, unless you're interested in making designs, you wouldn't really need the Wonder Wheel. It will still do straight and zigzag without it.

They are really good machines.

Good luck.

John

John,

Thanks for the links. I'll go and check them out.

"IF" I were to get this machine I'd never stop looking for the rods and Wonder wheel. Just the way I am.

Joe

Joe,

There is a parts for sale section on the necchisewingmachineclub yahoo group under the Database tab and you could watch for one there. Sometimes, people will get a machine for parts and have some leftover. Occasionally, you'll find them on ebay...the addiction is all about the search.

Or you could wait and see if a complete Mira shows up on GW or CL. Once I started looking, I started seeing them pop up routinely. I wasn't after the Wonder Wheel, though. I got a Supernova for designs. :)

John,

I looked at the pics. That is one facinating machine. I doubt I'll go for this one, but I will keep my eyes open for a complete one. Like you said, you never know when or where one will show up.

Joe

The machine itself is great - the Wonder Wheel - at least on the machine I have - is more of a novelty and less useful than nothing.