Love the Packard sewing machine. Beautiful condition on both of them.

I bought one of these that is black on GW yesterday. Needs new wiring. I am loving the more original clones! So sweet. Now if my motor rebuilding parts would just get here...

This machine turned out to be my favorite. My hub and I were looking at some building in a very small town near us. He was scouting for office space and the Realtor took us into this old time building..the upstairs had been a boarding house in the old days. It gave me the creeps walking around up there. Holes everywhere and the plaster walls and ceilings crumbling. But in its defense it has good bones and I hope someone comes along and saves it. BUT..on our way out I happened to look over and noticed a sewing cabinet. Nosy that I am..I raised the lid. I gasped.....after some time trying to find the person that owned the building my hub bought the machine and brought it home. I oiled it and cleaned it and we sew merrily along. =)

This one is not a clone

Nope but it's a great rescue story.

It is a National. I have one just like it. Glad you love yours! Don't love mine. Noisy and not very powerful. Perhaps it's the love you have for it that makes it hum happily along. <3

Looks a lot like the a couple of Whites that I have.

"Rodney" struck me as a particularly unusual brand for a clone, so I thought I'd post this. I'm not interested in buying another machine right now, and certainly not a non-working one in this price range, so it's here just for amusement, and since it's a Craigslist item, it may be gone by the time you see this: http://houston.craigslist.org/hsh/4179878251.html. If you missed it, it's a basic black similar to many others, but instead of "Mercury" or "Wizard" or some such it says "Rodney". Don't you wonder how these ideas get started?! I can just hear some prim 1950's woman telling her family she's off to play with Rodney, maybe while her husband is out at a bar called "The Library".

What a lovely group of machines

Maybe if someone asked her where she got her dress she could say 'Rodney made it' or 'it was custom sewn by Rodney.'

Lost the thread for a while but now I'm caught up again. I love the Packard machine! We have a Packard piano from 1895. I would have bought the machine just for the piano connection.

A beautiful two tone clone by Riccar:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]448011[/ATTACH]

"Simplex" clone
[ATTACH=CONFIG]448012[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]448013[/ATTACH]

Arrow Vintage Sewing Machine
 

I purchased this machine on ebay from a person in Canada. I did not realize it was broken until I took it to my service technician and he discovered the tension unit is the wrong unit for this machine as well as the check spring. This is when he discovered the arm (where the thread goes under after going through the tension unit) was broken. My husband (who bought the machine for me) contacted the person he bought it from who said that he sends them out to get refurbished and makes sure they are running. (I believe he sent samples but they weren't sewn on this machine.)

Rather than going through the hassles of filing a complaint with BBB in Canada and taking longer to start using my machine, I would rather just get it fixed. Therefore, if there is anyone out there who can help me find parts for this machine, it would be greatly appreciated.

Gunkdesigns.blog has the exact same machine. They said it was made in Czechoslovakia and that it is a clone Singer 15. However, when I bring up images of the Singer 15 (other than they have several 15's) it does not look like mine.

Attaching pictures of the machine.

Some more pictures

[ATTACH=CONFIG]448632[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]448633[/ATTACH]

That is not really a clone I don't think. I'm not sure what it is though. Maybe Mizkaki knows.

Can you shoot a picture of the bobbin area? Maybe shoot a picture of the dark under side, too.
Then can you shoot a picture of the front of the machine - thread it up. We need to see the tension, too.
Does the bobbin shuttle go around and around or does it go back and forth? In other words is it osculating or rotary? It is a clone of something. Let's try to figure out what!

Look what I found. I think it is a 3/4 15 clone, correct me if I am wrong. Is it not beautiful. [ATTACH=CONFIG]448946[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]448947[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]448948[/ATTACH]

Welcome. That General sure is a neat machine. Looks well kept or not used much. It looks like it has the shorter bobbin cover plate like a 3/4 size. Those are beasts and should sew about anything.

Welcome Mary&me. Love the faceplate on the General, and the finish looks almost new. I think you have a real treasure.

Darren

Lovely collection. A friend has a bright blue small clone made in Mexico, which sews like a dream.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t185449.html more 3/4 size machines!

Mary&Me, I have a little one very similar to yours. Mine is labeled Ambassador and I LOVE it! Check out the close quarters on the feed dogs. Perfect to piece with, the mini one in the middle even grabs the outer edge of the cloth when I am doing scant 1/4" allowances.

What is your foot pedal like? Mine has the hot stuff on the side and the pedal perpendicular to it. I'd love to know how folks feel about the set up. I can stitch for ages without a hot foot!!!

Mary&Me-- nice looking machine! :)

Thank you all for the compliments, it was a lot rougher when we found it at good will. I was pleasently surprised to find the belt readily available at our local sewing shop, they claimed they had sold 3 that day. After rewiring with a cord from an old vacume cleaner, a little oil and widow cleaner made it look and run great. I agree it has been well loved, the ware to the reostat and other parts attest to its years of service. Also the henge's were falling apart, ordered a close set from e bay and machined out the differences.
Found all of you when I wanted to know more about the machine, I have read this string and the string on the little old laidies, decided to post here as I felt our machine had more in common with the machines posted here. By the way loved seeing and reading about each one.
I don't think our foot pedal is made as yours, ours has the reostat out front with the henge point near the middle. The effect is the same, cooler for your foot, however given the condition of the reostat, I am thinking about using a replacement.
I am curious about atachments, any suggestions?

"Johnson Ruffler" 15 clone at Value Village, photo
 

looks like it was made in Taiwan in 1992. missing the actual feed attachment, but it ran fine, and was very clean, even had instruction sheet.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]454697[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]454698[/ATTACH]

I love looking at all the different nose plates! Well, the machines, too.

Jim, does that extra on the machine make it a ruffler? I'd like to see a sample of what it does.
Janis

Yes,...me too,... however, It is missing the ruffler's feed foot, and since it's not something I'd do, I didn't pursue it. Whoever "Johnson? was, they went to a lot of trouble.

If you had a little business making curtains that ruffler machine would be wonderful...

I really enjoyed all these clones and now that I have my first clone a Domestic. I didn't realize there was so many different ones and so many colored ones they are beautiful machines. I might have to collect a few clones now.

Grant's collage would make a great print to hang in a sewing studio! What a wonderful image!

If you would like a original size (better quality) version of the collage, message me with your email address and I will send it to you.
~G~

This was my grammy's machine. I have had it for years. Never opened the case :( wish I would have while she was alive. It sure is beautiful. Sounds really nice. Having some threading issues. Says it's a Bradford made in China. Lady on another thread says it was made by Brother and a store put their name on the machine. I've read WT Grant used this name. I would love to find a model number for it so I can get it threaded properly.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]470320[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]470321[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]470322[/ATTACH]

It is a 15 clone - read up - there is a lot of info on this thread. I think there are manuals you can down load - Muv has a video how to thread the Singer 15 and the clones. Lots of good info - read and enjoy. Here is another link you might like:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...r-t169127.html

[ATTACH=CONFIG]470746[/ATTACH]I recently traded a New Home in a cabinet for a Singer treadle. Her decals are almost worn completely off, but she sews fast and quiet...if I can get my feet going right! I am so happy with her...I like to treadle when it rains...don't ask me why..I never question what brings me joy!

This one is not a clone. It is a Singer 66. We have a thread for pics of vintage machines: http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...s-t130994.html feel free to post a picture there!

I guess the lady I traded with didn't know anymore then I did. She said it was a 15 clone...I didn't know it wasn't, but I really like this machine, so I will post it on the other thread. Thank you miriam..could you please explain exactly what a "clone" is?

From Page 1:

These mostly can be identified by the tension on the face plate of the machine. The machines can vary WILDLY or be similar but with a different name.

A bit of info...
Although not really collectable, the "clones" can be very serviceable simple to use machines.
They beat the bargain machines sold at discount stores. Here's why...
inexpensive
Full reverse capabilities
Adjustable presser foot pressure
Feed dogs drop
Class 15 bobbin, side loading, oscillating hook
Uses standard home sewing machine needles
they have more powerful motors so can sew faster and have better piercing ability
(amperage rated motors (1 to 1.5 amps)
all metal parts
common, easy to find, low shank accessories fit them
parts are available for repairs
great for free motion
hems your jeans
easy to see the needle - the tension is around the corner
if it wears out you can easily find another one like it but most likely you'll be dead first
The clones can be easily rewired

Here are a couple good articles on the Clones if you would like more information.
http://blog.sew-classic.com/2008/12/...-15-clone.aspx
http://sewing-machines.blogspot.com/...s-and-60s.html

The articles should explain it better than I can and there is a lot of info scattere throughout this whole thread.

Got to watch out for some of those old rotary machines with the tension assembly on the face plate, as those are not 15 clones.

I'd say some of the clones are collectable. I saw a really cool cream/blue machine on shopgoodwill that I would have loved to have had. Singers are great, but sometimes black is a little boring.