[QUOTE=billadillo;7338946]I am a complete novice at this so please bear with me. I bought this machine at a thrift shop for $35 including cabinet. It runs, but seems to have several problems. The reverse button doesn't work. I can't get it to pick up the bobbin thread. The belt seems to slip. I have spent the last 3 days looking at pictures of machines [QUOTE]

Welcome to the board. Not sure I can help with all your problems but you've got the needle threaded wrong and probably have it in wrong. It should be inserted flat side to the right and threaded left to right.
A thorough cleaning and oiling inside may free up the reverse. The belt may need adjusting, it looks tight in the pics but a sewing machine belt isn't supposed to be tight like a belt on a car, it's supposed to only be tight enough to not slip. Sometimes those lugged belts are too wide, they don't sit in the pulley far enough to get a good grip.

Cari

Thanks. I have been on that thread.

Thanks. I will check it. I just left it as it was when I bought it.

When you thread it properly it will fix the not picking up thread problem. Clean and oil it and the belt will stop slipping - it's probably slipping because it has to work hard so if you clean the lint and dirt off then oil everything that has an oil hole (look for metal moving against metal) it should free it up. Do not oil the belt or the motor.
Further to what Cari said, the belt should be as loose as possible without slipping. Too tight and the bearings will wear out.

Thanks. Do you know if it is worth messing with?

That's a question only you can answer. Is it gonna be worth a lot of money if you can get it working properly? No. it's a Japanese built badged machine, not much monetary value in it. Working properly it should be a good machine though, they usually are.
Will it give you great satisfaction to get it working? Again, only you know the answer. I love working on a machine almost as much as I do using one. Many of us here feel the same way, that's why we're here!

Cari

I thought it was a Singer (Dressmaker = Singer to me). I am tired of the plastic machines that don't last. I just want one that is going to last "forever". I can't find another like it and didn't know if that meant it wasn't good or what.

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Dressmaker was a "badge", a name that several Japanese companies put on a machine. In fact the name is still being used on cheap little plastic machines. A manufacturer would put whatever name(badge) on a machine that the distributor wanted. Because of this, you're likely to find many different names on an identical or similar Japanese made machine.
Post WW2 the Japanese manufacturers came hard and fast with an abundance of styles, colors and features that Singer just couldn't compete with. I prefer a Japanese machine to a Singer when it comes to more features than just straight stitch. I'm a huge fan of the 50s and 60s Brother machines in particular. I do have an older Dressmaker(70s or early 80s)not as old as yours though, and it's a solid machine that sews a good stitch.

Cari

All I really need is a straight stitch and zig-zag, so I really hope it will work for me.

If it requires 20 drops of oil to fix the problem I'd say definitely :)