Yep, no arguments from me. The 538 is the wifes first machine, it will stay. The 413 will be a learning tool, then if I'm successful it will be sent down the road.
And I'm in agreement with you, I'm not gonna mess with any more machines that have plastic gears.

Which Singers are poorly designed and or have the week motors? I've probably already got one, but I'll avoid them if I know ahead of time.

Joe

PS; my wife is in her sewing area making grocery bags. Sewing up a storm with her old 538. Happy as can be.

Didn't care for my 206 and 327 or 328. My preference is to avoid Singer's with timing belts, though many work great. I try to stick with the Classics that are available in my area----15, 66, 99, 127, 128, 201, 301, 401. I've found these models I can easily sell, are very simple to work on, and relatively trouble free.

Jon

Jon,

Sounds like good advise to me.

Joe

Joe, don't worry about the pictures for the 533. I don't have access to the machine and it won't be here until mid June when my GD comes to stay. She will be fine with a SS machine at 13 years old. She made an entire quilt on it with the exception of the FMQ - she used my 301 for that. Her father said she couldn't bring it home until it had a thread jam so she could learn how to fix that as he works on the road and her mother doesn't sew. It never once jammed. Yes, I have been able to get her a manual through the generosity of a board member.

Plastic. I totally agree. I just had the even feed plastic hook to break off. I just got a new one. I was putting the machine back in the sewing cabinet. I heard and saw something flying off the sewing machine. It is a PLASTIC presser foot "lifter." Somehow it broke off and flew across the room...calling today to see if this can be repaired.

Love this discussion. I tell all my sewing friends to only buy an all metal vintage machine, because the new ones have so much plastic they could pass through a metal detector without setting it off!

The Singer 3810 we traded for has a plastic shell on it. Under that a cast light weight aluminum frame and inside of that all the workings.
All the drive gears are plastic
Many of the stitch controls, levers, nobs, gears, sliders, are plastic.
Some of the parts in the needle area are plastic.
The stitch length parts are plastic.
The bobbin carrier is plastic.

It has just enough metal to hold it together and function and I'm sure if they could figure out how to make that out of plastic they'd do it.

This machines only saving grace is that it stitches very nicely.

Joe