monopas

Irony: the day I ordered a #0 cam for my 403A for 22.00 with shipping, I found a T&S at Goodwill with the #0 cam and a universal case for 30.00.

Serendipity: Just when I'd given up on finding an amazing sewing machine steal around here (because any sewing machine in any condition must be worth at least $50 in Olympia), I was at an antiques mall in Seattle and found a Featherweight that had been there long enough to be marked down to $99. And the next day I didn't buy the only three sewing machines in antiques malls in Olympia (a Willcox & gibbs chain stitcher, an overpriced featherweight, and a badged machine in a very nice treadle table).

ArizonaKAT

Add one for stupidity:

Years ago I threw my mom's 500A away because the cord was messed up and I figured I'd buy a newer one.

I just bought a 500A from Craigslist last month.

manicmike

For serendipity I think Happy Days. If you think I watch too much TV you may be right

Rodney

Welcome aboard monopas. There are a few deals to be found but you have to look. Yes, almost everything on Craig's List is $50 or more but occasionally a good deal pops up. My wife bought my Rodney machine for only $20 off Craig's List and the ad had been up for a while at $25 before she called the seller. That one was up on the east side of Seattle. My machines mostly come from thrift stores, I think I paid $12.50 for my Montgomery Wards machine at the Goodwill by Capitol Mall. I don't think I've paid over $25 for any of them and mostly they just need a little oil and attention to start sewing again.
Rodney

monopas

Thanks, Rodney! I've only looked at Craigslinst for fun, the machines I have I've gotten at thrift stores, but they're always at least $25, usually closer to $50, and I hadn't seen any for months until that T&S (and a Kenmore in a table that I also bought that day).

Funny, with a side of serendipity: I promised a friend of mine that I would give her a sewing machine, since I still had a few from several years ago when I first thought I'd like to fix them but never actually got started. However the one I intended for her was the very first one I found at Goodwill up in Tukwila, a lovely blue Singer 348, and I just couldn't let it go. Later that week, I found a Kenmore 1311 in great condition and will be giving her that. The best part is that two weeks later I was at another thrift store in Tacoma and came across the same exact model of Kenmore, so now I'll have one for me too! (Sears only sold that model in 1975, it is all metal and has built in stitches.)

Rodney

Got pics?
Rodney

monopas

Finally got the overdramatic pic resized!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]469866[/ATTACH]

Rodney

Cool pic! It's neat how you found two the same so close together. Only 1 year of production is pretty neat too.
Rodney

monopas

It was certainly an education in what a well taken care of machine looks like, inside and out, versus a hard used one.

purplefiend

I find it ironic that I have a fancy Viking Sapphire 875 with all the bells and whistles. I would rather use a treadle machine that only does straight stitch and doesn't even have reverse.
Sharon