Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell
09-19-2012, 05:17 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 2,609
Originally Posted by chris_quilts
Crud, I have one White and it has a cabinet. Could it be modified to fit a Davis?
What makes you say White? Just curious.
What makes you say White? Just curious.
09-19-2012, 05:31 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 9,319
OMG. I finally got my Bernina 830's cracked cam gear replaced and I retimed it. What a job. I probably sunk 8 hours into it. But, what a fantastic machine. I see why folks love them so. So smoooooooth and nice. I whipped up a rag quilt on it today for charity and it went through it like butter. It's a keeper, for sure.
09-19-2012, 05:39 PM
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Location: leavenworth, ks
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Originally Posted by Glenn
The hole in front is shaped to take the T-shirt bobbin face plate I think.....
09-19-2012, 05:49 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Jersey Shore
Posts: 528
The 301 is nice, but my ultimate straight stitch machine is still my wonderful 201-1.
09-19-2012, 07:15 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San francisco Bay Area
Posts: 249
Originally Posted by Mizkaki
Nancy,
I'm looking forward to next month's Girl's Night Out.
Now I need to find a machine to bring <VBG>
Cathy
I'm looking forward to next month's Girl's Night Out.
Now I need to find a machine to bring <VBG>
Cathy
09-19-2012, 07:22 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San francisco Bay Area
Posts: 249
OMG, I can just picture the extreme cuteness in the shop! Thanks for telling all about it! I know what you mean about the pristine machine. OTOH, a lot of people felt that all young brides needed a sewing machine and not all young brides agreed! My Auntie has one that she has never even plugged in- her MIL gave it to her, and although she now likes her MIL, she says that on the way home from MILs future funeral, she will drop that machine off at the goodwill! (and no, it's nothing special)
I had a tube of Singer brand lube, bought in the last year, that turned gunky black, Ray White said he'd never seen anything like it. I know it didn't look like that when I bought it, so maybe that's what happened to the 401.
I'm pretty jealous of the girls night out- wish I lived closer to Miz Kaki et al. Anyone down in the SF Bay area want to get together to sew?
Laura in Alameda, CA
I had a tube of Singer brand lube, bought in the last year, that turned gunky black, Ray White said he'd never seen anything like it. I know it didn't look like that when I bought it, so maybe that's what happened to the 401.
I'm pretty jealous of the girls night out- wish I lived closer to Miz Kaki et al. Anyone down in the SF Bay area want to get together to sew?
Laura in Alameda, CA
Originally Posted by miriam
You all remember Glenn came to Indianapolis? Well, we went antiquing and sewing machine shopping. I found a PINK sewing machine that he tried to wrestle away from me.... 
It is a very pretty machine barely used. I thought I would look it over before the GDs showed up yesterday. It always scares me to see a nearly perfect machine. Why did it not get used??? This ones' tension spring was in the wrong place - would not move. I took it apart and adjusted it - the machine works fine now. It is a dandy. I took pics but left the camera at the shop. Oh and I found a 35 cent can of unused oil and a new pair of scissors under the machine but no lint.
When the GKs came they caught me working on a Singer 401 so they grabbed a box of Qtips and 'cleaned' the machine. Every time Miss L got a tiny smudge she threw out the Qtip - whole box used up... I shot pics of them standing on my bench cleaning the machine - did I mention the camera is still at my shop??? Oh, back to the 401. I have never seen a mess like that one. First it looked like someone greased it with a black crayon. The oil was very waxy like and EVERYWHERE. Then the place where the motor comes up through to the balance wheel looked sort of like it had an oil bath - it was full of waxy oil. I got most of it off the machine - Qtips are in the can... Wilbur figured out where all the screw drivers go and put them away - all of them... Then he discovered a box of hinges - he loves my shop. He says only one word when he comes - kind of scary - I think he is just absorbing - his one word is 'AMAZING!' Miss L comes in and talks my ear off and just digs in with the Qtips. She loves lint and old waxy oil and Qtips. I need to keep them in a smaller box from now on. I tried to switch her off to a brush to no avail. Wilbur was happy with a brush for a while. I let him go at it on a parts machine. Oh and he was not impressed with the pink sewing machine for some reason.
It is a very pretty machine barely used. I thought I would look it over before the GDs showed up yesterday. It always scares me to see a nearly perfect machine. Why did it not get used??? This ones' tension spring was in the wrong place - would not move. I took it apart and adjusted it - the machine works fine now. It is a dandy. I took pics but left the camera at the shop. Oh and I found a 35 cent can of unused oil and a new pair of scissors under the machine but no lint.When the GKs came they caught me working on a Singer 401 so they grabbed a box of Qtips and 'cleaned' the machine. Every time Miss L got a tiny smudge she threw out the Qtip - whole box used up... I shot pics of them standing on my bench cleaning the machine - did I mention the camera is still at my shop??? Oh, back to the 401. I have never seen a mess like that one. First it looked like someone greased it with a black crayon. The oil was very waxy like and EVERYWHERE. Then the place where the motor comes up through to the balance wheel looked sort of like it had an oil bath - it was full of waxy oil. I got most of it off the machine - Qtips are in the can... Wilbur figured out where all the screw drivers go and put them away - all of them... Then he discovered a box of hinges - he loves my shop. He says only one word when he comes - kind of scary - I think he is just absorbing - his one word is 'AMAZING!' Miss L comes in and talks my ear off and just digs in with the Qtips. She loves lint and old waxy oil and Qtips. I need to keep them in a smaller box from now on. I tried to switch her off to a brush to no avail. Wilbur was happy with a brush for a while. I let him go at it on a parts machine. Oh and he was not impressed with the pink sewing machine for some reason.
09-20-2012, 04:15 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Victorian Sweatshop
Posts: 863
Yesterday I got my hands on a 1952 206k. It belongs to a friends neighbor who got it back from family members. It belonged to her mother. I cleaned and oiled it, then found a 221 cord so we could try it out. Either she has the wrong bobbin case or I just couldn't get it in right, it kept spitting it out.
I'd love to hear from anyone who could give me an insight into the bobbin area. The screw that holds a lever in place is very worn, my DH's big truck screwdriver might help me get it loose as its is a very substantial screw and worn to boot.
Can't tell you how thrilled I was. Back home, I looked up the serial # and found it was authorized October 1st, 1952, in the Scotland factory. It has a red sticker when you lift it up that says Repossessed Machine. It would take a manual to figure out how to work the zigzag, an arm goes across the back.
I'm encouraging her to get the cord rewired(her DH is an electrician) and compare the bobbin case to those available online. Then we'll have another go at making it her favorite sewing machine.
I'd love to hear from anyone who could give me an insight into the bobbin area. The screw that holds a lever in place is very worn, my DH's big truck screwdriver might help me get it loose as its is a very substantial screw and worn to boot.
Can't tell you how thrilled I was. Back home, I looked up the serial # and found it was authorized October 1st, 1952, in the Scotland factory. It has a red sticker when you lift it up that says Repossessed Machine. It would take a manual to figure out how to work the zigzag, an arm goes across the back.
I'm encouraging her to get the cord rewired(her DH is an electrician) and compare the bobbin case to those available online. Then we'll have another go at making it her favorite sewing machine.
09-20-2012, 05:24 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
Originally Posted by miriam
There are MANY MANY good quality vintage machines other than the FW and 301 - those seem to be a status symbol of some sort. Plenty of other machines will be good sturdy last forever machines with out the expense. Some might weight a ton but they won't dance off the table either. You want something cheap and sews very nice try a Spartan or how about a Singer 404 - neither have that much status but good machines. SS only though. How about some of the Kenmore machines - well designed and sew about anything... I think I've posted time and again how to evaluate a used machine... if you can't find those posts here, there should be stuff if you google search how to buy a vintage sewing machine...
Nancy
Last edited by BoJangles; 09-20-2012 at 05:26 AM.
09-20-2012, 06:18 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,972
Originally Posted by nurseknitsLaura
I'm pretty jealous of the girls night out- wish I lived closer to Miz Kaki et al. Anyone down in the SF Bay area want to get together to sew?
Laura in Alameda, CA
09-20-2012, 08:00 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 9,319
Originally Posted by BoJangles
Hehehehehehehehe, the only reason I mentioned the FW and the 301 is because those machines are the ones that are doable to take to class! Of course, the Rocketeers (I do take mine when I want decorative stitches) the 401's, etc., are also not too heavy. BUT the 201's, 15's, even 99's, Spartans, weigh a ton - you need a caddy to take those machines to classes! I didn't mention those because, even though, I am pretty tough, - those machines are just too heavy to be carting around! No status symbol involved. In fact, most of my friends know that I have a Pfaff embroidery machine (very expensive), a long arm machine (also very expensive), a modern Janome (nice machine), but the people who do not know me must think I must be poor when I show up with my 301's or a Rocketeer! I have, as most of you know, about 50 vintage machines, but most of them stay at home when I go out to sew, although, I want to take one of my Wilcox and Gibbs one of these days just to see what everyone says about that! That would be a hoot!
Nancy
Nancy
I think the best thing to do, is find a quilter that does what you want or dream of doing and find out what tools they use. If you only tie tops, well, you don't need a great FMQing machine. If you do or want to do more FMQing, then you need to talk to those who do and find out what they suggest. Similarly, if you piece tops and don't quilt, then a simple, straight stitch machine is all you need. Or do what I do and collect a bunch of them and weed out which ones don't suit you:>
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