JoAnn,

I have a 201 in a beautiful cabinet that I want to refurbish, but in the three years I have owned it, I've just dusted it off! I can't find the time to sit with the manual and figure it out.
I can't wait for the sale next week to get my hands on that 185!

Diane

I paid $25 at an antique store for my green machine. From the pic it looks like it is in good condition. I don't use mine too much but how can anyone resist the green! Have fun!

Refinising a cabinet is very easy, if you do it outdoors. If it isn't painted, the old finish is easily stripped off. Paint is more difficult. It it's mahogany veneered, mahogany has big open pores and they used a filler to fill them and level the surface of the wood so that the cabinet doesn't look bumpy like orangepeel. If you strip the old finish gently, you won't need to "refill" the pores.

I bought this old book years ago, like back in the early '80s. But there are similar books. I always look through used books at thrift stores, etc. But I think supply is a generational thing. Back in the '80s I used to find lots more of that sort of thing at thrift stores & estate sales than I see there nowadays.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Furniture-Doctor-Grotz-Refinishing-Repair-Restoration-Antiques-1962-1st-Edition-/300922395720?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item4 6105f5c48

I used to see those 185J machines at thrift stores and tag/estate sales, too. But I never liked the plastic case, so I always passed them up but would grab a 99k if I found one.

I paid $15 for mine about 3 months ago at a local Church sale - in a blonde cabinet with only a zipper foot, no bench. I was/am thrilled. It was clean except for a glob of lint in the feed dogs. Apparently the screw hadn't been removed for awhile cause I had to oil it & keep working it to get it out.

I GOT IT! I was second in line to enter the sale, the machine was tagged $50 and I didn't haggle at all. She is a beauty and sews great! There were no accessories, no notions, no manual, not a spool of thread or any sign of a sewing room in this house, which leads me to believe it had very little use. It did have a cover, with some dust on it, but otherwise in fabulous shape. LOVE IT!

Diane

very very nice! and I don't even LIKE newer machines....