You may want to try soaking the whole head (with the motor removed!) in a bucket (or plastic garbage bag in a bucket) of kerosene. I have read that that is what vsm manufacturers recommended. My understanding is that the Italian and German manufacturers of vintage machines used such tight tolerances that those machines gum up quicker and are more difficult to get unstuck.

John Thomas in NC

I use 91% rubbing alcohol to unstick frozen or gummed up machines. It works almost instantly, evaporates almost as fast and doesn't smell near as bad as kerosene.

Cari

thanks to all of you. This machine is nearly all de-gunked now. I got the last control in-frozen last night. Ready to try some thread in it.

What I think is amazing is how a piece of fuzz or a tiny piece of thread looks just huge in these close-ups. Good job to both of you.

It stitches. Yay . It does take class 15 bobbin bits. One piece is missing to engage the cams, but I can set it without the missing broken piece. Thanks all.

My Necchi has a VN on the bed which means it is a relative of this machine. They are definitely worth reclaiming.

The VN logo just means that it's an earlier model BU. Necchi went to the 'N' logo on the bed with the second issue BU, the Nova.

Cari

It becomes a boat anchor when its rusted all up ! Or in my case a piece of yard art !

Nah, rust isn't a deal breaker. Rust can be removed. I've seen people take total rust buckets and bring them back to working condition. Sometimes even broken integral parts can be made.

Cari

I have yet to find a machine that was too rusty to make work again. My Wheeler & Wilson #10 came to me through two other collectors who had given up on freeing it. It had been left upside down in a container of water. Silly humans.... She is not pretty, but sews fantastic now.