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Harsh. I know there are good repair shops out there but when I read these horror stories it sounds like a bunch of them are even shadier than the bad car repair places out there.
$150 and all they did was lube it? It takes about 5 minutes if a machine is in good shape. Rodney |
If you're going to buy vintage or older machines you need to learn how they work. What makes them tick. How to diagnose their ailments. What is their foibles. Many of them are susceptible to thread jams, those are easily cleared if you study how the machine works. Not every problem is oil related. It is fairly easy, these old mechanical machines are not that complicated. People who choose to remain uneducated about these things are easy prey to the shysters and crooks of the world.
As for ebay sellers you almost always need to figure the seller is going to say whatever he / can to hype the machine. You can't take them at their word. If they are honest, great. If not, you'll be forewarned. I'd bet both the 301s in the OPs post are thread jammed. Easy fix. Just study the instructions all over this forum about it. Joe |
When I bought my 401 at an estate sale, I asked if it worked. They plugged it in and used a very thin piece of see through cotton. I pulled my "heavy denim test kit" out of my purse and told them to let me try it. It sewed like a knife going through melted butter and was purring like a kitten. I paid $150.00 for it and do not regret it one bit. It's in a desk cabinet. Not what I was looking for but. I can put it down and use my other machine on top. I have a board the length and width of the cabinet to balance the weight of my other machine. Posting this because if you go to any sales where there is a machine to try out, take a "denim test kit" with you. Mine is just a 6x6" square of denim. If it passes the denim test you should be good to go. I did make sure first see that the stitching for the fabric and the bobbin case (free of lint) were in good shape before. Light denim shows light and dark thread. Love that machine. DH uses it too.
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Yes, smart, tessagin......especially in Texas. There simply are no old machines to be found for sale in Texas. I am always on the prowl for 99k's and FWs while I visit with my grandkids in Austin.
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If an item from an eBay seller isn't as described, contact the seller first to establish how they react to these situations. Give them the opportunity to make it right. You may have to provide pictures, etc. If they don't respond as a good seller should, file a SNAD with eBay.
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Keep working at it, you'll learn lots from this group, also think about joining some of the Facebook groups that have formed for folks like us that love our machines whether they are 301's, Featherweights, Vikings, Vintage - whatever!
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Hi Joe et al!
Oh, I'm going to do my best to tinker with these, for sure! I contacted the seller for one of them, and she insists that it was working great before shipping. Anyway, I still want the machine. The poor thing looks like it wasn't loved. The finish is sort of pitted, if that makes any sense, and I half-seriously wondered if it had been through a fire! But there's no smoke smell whatsoever. I think it probably just sat for a long time. It'll never be shiny again, but I'm going to make it look as beautiful as it can. And I bought it to sew with, not to display. The hard part seems to be figuring out exactly where it's getting stuck. It's when the thread take-up lever is going up, almost to its highest point. The rest of the circuit is really smooth. It just grinds at that one place so far (on the black one... I haven't even started working on the mocha). Thanks, all, for the help! Ila
Originally Posted by J Miller
(Post 6904459)
If you're going to buy vintage or older machines you need to learn how they work. What makes them tick. How to diagnose their ailments. What is their foibles. Many of them are susceptible to thread jams, those are easily cleared if you study how the machine works. Not every problem is oil related. It is fairly easy, these old mechanical machines are not that complicated. People who choose to remain uneducated about these things are easy prey to the shysters and crooks of the world.
As for ebay sellers you almost always need to figure the seller is going to say whatever he / can to hype the machine. You can't take them at their word. If they are honest, great. If not, you'll be forewarned. I'd bet both the 301s in the OPs post are thread jammed. Easy fix. Just study the instructions all over this forum about it. Joe |
If you pay by pay-pal and the person you bought them from won't work with you, e-bay will issue you a refund. You have a limited time to contact both of them.
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Originally Posted by oldtnquiltinglady
(Post 6904533)
Yes, smart, tessagin......especially in Texas. There simply are no old machines to be found for sale in Texas. I am always on the prowl for 99k's and FWs while I visit with my grandkids in Austin.
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Originally Posted by royllsister
(Post 6904658)
I can't speak for Austin but in Houston I finally did find a 221 FW at my local goodwill store. In the case with two boxes of attachments, one metal Singer box and the original Green cardboard box; both crammed full. I found it for $39.95 too. A miracle of a find? Yes, I will admit it. I smiled all the way home and she purrs like a kitten !
Rodney |
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