diajo

this is going to be interesting, I won't be able to try it before I buy. I bid on it and it's being sent by post. I have only bid a small amount but it's good to know when not to invest time and money going ahead with it
thank you!

oldtnquiltinglady

That is a beautiful machine, I don't have one, so I would jump right in there and buy it for $20 or $30; plastic or no plastic parts (I see J Miller doing a "what is she thinking face" here), but nevertheless, for that price, it would join my collection......

diajo

this made me smile.. there is a 401 ( I think) up for grabs too but the price is much higher and the seller has bad feedback so I went for this one instead, ​I think I am going to have fun

ArchaicArcane

A lot of things look like the 431G, I agree. I think it looks like it might have the chaining guide (below and to the left of the take-up lever. If I had to guess, it's a stripped down version of the 431G. They did that around that time frame. There were machines like the 500, the 401, and the 411/431G machines, then all of the sudden a bunch of machines that only did a couple of stitches came out again. I wonder if it was budget related or if there was another reason. (like I should talk, the newest machine in the house only straight stitches. )

Same case came with the 431G too as an option. It's nice to see it's not a wind in place bobbin.

Sheluma

Oh, YES! I see the thread guide! Woo hoo! I was wondering if it might be able to chain stitch, but I didn't think to look for that little thread guide. The machine somehow looks "better" than a t&s, but I couldn't say why so I didn't want to speculate. The case is the nice older style, for one, but that's just the case. The bed is all metal, but it's impossible to tell what the gears are made of. I couldn't find any info at all for this machine. I also checked German sites and still couldn't find it.

Interesting to know that Singer back-tracked after the t&s and made stripped down versions of the 401/431/411. That's what this looked like to me but it didn't make sense! Now it makes sense.

ArchaicArcane

I'd be really curious to know the bobbin case part number on that machine. While also not common, it's nice to have yet another model to source parts from for a chain stitcher...

That guide is the only way I know of to visually identify one of these particular types of chain stitchers (assuming it is basically the 431G on a diet). The T&S chainers had that guide, but it was removable, and usually in the accessory box, or the heat register on the floor behind the machine or something

I would have thought Stylist, instead of touch and sew, myself, but I mix the two up. I usually like the build quality of the Stylists marginally better than the T&S. The case is weird, it's not sturdy at all. It's let go of my 431G a couple of times. There's no base to it, it just has 2 fingers to hold the machine. I use it only as a dust cover.

I'm not sure the exact time frame when they back tracked. I've had simple stylists, simple T&S and other machines here. A 7174 comes to mind, plus the 514, 457, all of them are incredibly basic compared to the 401 / 500 style machines.

Sheluma

Oh, right, Stylist. I've never had either machine so I have no idea. T&S has those sideways spool pins,but that's pretty superficial. "431 on a diet" -- good one. It's all I would really need -- I never use any of the fancy stitches. The only one I might use would be the stretch stitch (cam # 22?) with the overedge foot, but I've not used it yet, even though I did buy the cam and the foot.

Sheluma

Interesting about the case, too. I've never had one -- I just thought it looked nicer than the newer cases. I just read something interesting on another board -- a person bought a 301 and it was shipped in the case with no box. Just the trapezoid case with an address label on it! Somehow the machine and case arrived undamaged. Miraculous.

ArchaicArcane

I can't honestly say it really feels any different to sew with the slant, but a lot of people feel it's easier to thread, and easier to see what's going on with the needle forward a smidge.

You could very well be right. I don't have either in my sewing room right now, so it's not like I can go check either. I get them mixed up, because I spend no time bonding with them. There are a couple of good T&S machines, but not a huge number. I think Miriam said that the 600 was good? The 22 cam is one I'm still hoping to luck onto. I think I'm still missing something like 4 of them, and that's one of them. I have the foot though. Most people really don't use all of those stitches. It could have something to do with their decision to make simpler machines.

It is a nice looking case, I think it's a wood frame with some sort of lightweight covering on a thin board of some sort (like a fiberboard?) Wow, that person got lucky. The post people must have taken pity on them. I would have expected it to be destroyed.

Daylesewblessed

Concerning slant needle machines: that angle makes all the difference in the world to me. I don't know if it is my height or what, but having that needle pointing forward means I am not ducking to see the needle area.