I like mine too. I think the biggest thing is you NEED the manual for those machines. They're not a real intuitive machine. My 628(? I don't quite remember the last number) is pretty complicated to setup the decorative stitches. What I like though is it has a built-in camstack that you can use in combination with the disks for even more stitch patterns.

Monopas-how's your water heater nightmare going? If it's leaking out of the tank, your tank is rusted thru and it will need replaced. If it's leaking at one of the fittings there might be hope. Sending you a PM.
Rodney

What a shame. I love my Touch and Sew 706. Had it from second hand for about 34 years now. Mind you I do have a brilliant sewing machine repair man at out local shop, who likes working on them. I know lots of repairers call them "Touch and Throw". Mine has been fine since a major repair about 5 years ago.

Me too. Soooo Sad. I have 5 and they run perfectly for me even with after market cheapo plastic bobbins. One of my favorite machines.

I think if you figure out how to use them correctly, maintain them and use them often they would be just fine. I think they have kind of become a joke because some people just don't get along with them. I picked one up yesterday and I think it will be a winner. It is a Singer 603. All metal. It does need the disks. It only has a zz disk. Those are simple to use if you read the manual on winding the bobbin. They are just like a 401 but can do chain stitches.

Great use for a Touch and Throw! Maybe next take the top off and plant some flowers in it:>

Yours looks identical to mine. It's 42 years old and worked like a charm from Day 1. I've done wedding dresses, prom dresses, quilts, and on and on. Love it but got a new Janome a few years back and took this one to my local
quilt meeting house and use it weekly there instead of carting one back and forth.

The one in the photo is pretty battered, a 758 that I picked up at Goodwill because I needed the 0 cam (horrible irony is that I had ordered a repro 0 cam just that same morning for the same price). Some of the plastic bits in it are broken. My house has been where plastic bits T&S machines have come to die. I had several, none of which worked for a variety of reasons, until I did a major purge in 2010 and got rid of all of the junk machines. It was after that that I learned what machines were worth saving and got interested again.

On the other hand, I found a 603 (original version not E, so no chain stitch), in case and very very clean. Once I figured out that the not E version had a different bobbin winder switch (Singer has condensed the manuals for the two versions in a way that is not helpful), I discovered that I quite like it. And I had kept all of the accessories and cams from the T&S Swarm.

I was thinking about getting a little propane blowtorch and making a nice video. I could call it Torch & Slag!

As for the water heater, it looks like it may just be time to replace it. We just have to clear out the garage enough to get a clear area for installation. Fun.

Oo! While you're here, other T&S people, does the needle on yours go when you wind a bobbin? Is it supposed to do that? I know you wind the bobbin from the threaded needle, but I kind of expected it to not run while actually winding.

Yes you leave the needle in. You need to thoroughly read the manual and follow it step by step. I was hoping the 603 did chain stitch. BUMMER.

The 603E does chain stitch with the right parts, but not the first version 603. The bobbin winder switch on the front vs. in the bobbin area is the only was to tell them apart, as far as I know.