mlmack

I sold a Dressmaker S-3000 on Craigslist a while ago. Didn't seem to be tinny, though if I recall correctly, it was made in Taiwan, and not Japan.

Regardless, it worked, and the buyer was happy to have it.

miriam

I have seen other Dressmaker's that were just fine - it isn't the Dressmaker that is the problem. There is just something about that model... We lined 3 of them up and could find plenty wrong with all of them. Mine are for parts I wouldn't wish them on anybody.

Ellietow

Miriam, I had to look up what p.o.j. means...really... The machine is not a good one?? My friend's dad had sewn curtains or drapes on them... It weighs about 37 pounds...so it is heavy...

J Miller

Ellietow,

The Dressmaker name plate was used on many many different machines. Some were very good, some where ... P.O.J.'s.
This specific version is not as good as others. It has some design idiosyncrasies that make it less ... um desirable than others.

Here is the one I had:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]470670[/ATTACH]
It's a Dressmaker 7000.

Although externally the same as your Dressmaker 2402 there might be internal differences making yours a better machine.
The biggest problems with the one I had and those Miriam have, ( they're the same model ) is:
>needle bar alignment,
>cams that do not fit the cam drive shaft well, Some of the cams would actually pop off the shaft when you tried to use them.
>the tendency for the machine speed to oscillate up and down as you used the cams. Something in the cam mechanism created a variable load that caused the motor to bog down then speed up. Very annoying.
>hard to use controls, they were difficult to adjust where you wanted them, then tended to slip as you used the machine
>noise, rattly metallic noise

The internal parts of those Miriam has, and I had, look like this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]470671[/ATTACH]
The stamped metal parts were / are easy to bend, and tended to get out of alignment as you used them. This version of the machine is very cheaply made.

As I said, your earlier version might be better made. I just don't know.

Joe

oldtnquiltinglady

Miriam, and J Miller. I love you two. I laughed out loud at the POJ remark, and took me a minute or two to figure it out. I am so sorry the young lady has such a bad (probably) machine--it does look great.

I would advise her to go to Walmart or Jo Ann's and buy their cheapest Singer to learn to sew on. I recently taught 4 young people (age 30 range) and all their machines were cheap Singers. After I impressed on their minds to be mindful of the "needle up" position, they learned very quickly all the other rules for piecing quilt squares and strips.

J Miller

EWWWWW YUCKAPOOIE, cheap Walmart stuff ...... barf.

For a beginner, I wouldn't start them on those noisy, plastic things. Ugh!

Granted they are cheap, but you do want them to learn and not get discouraged so I'd go for a Singer 15, or a clone, or a 99 or 66 or a 70s Kenmore, or ....... sigh, just about anything but a cheap plastic wannabee from Walmart.


JMHO

Joe

SteveH

IMO there is no way you can find a "walmart" machine, "Singer" or otherwise that would be cheaper and easier to use than an old machine from Craigslist... And the Craigslist machine will be way cheaper, and more reliable.

Just a little research here before you buy, and you should be good to go.

ThayerRags

I’m going have to agree with oldquiltinglady on this. I give the same advice to beginners. Especially if they’re having to teach themselves, and have nobody around to help them along. After learning the basics of using a sewing machine, they’ll know more about what kind of vintage machine (or machines) will do the kind of sewing that they will be doing should they continue to enjoy sewing. It will teach them what a sewing machine won’t do, too. Sewing is not for everyone, and if not, they don’t throw a good sewing machine away when they find that out.

I give the same advice to seasoned sewing machine users that want to begin doing social sewing. Usually it’s quilting classes, and the light-weight new machines are easier to pack to the sewing venue than an old heavy one. Plus, sooner or later, they’re going to be doing some zigzag on an appliqué of some kind, and they already have the zz in their “on-the-road” machine. They don’t have to subject their good home machine to possible damage while transporting to class.

I think that the new cheaper sewing machines are excellent for those two uses, and maybe not much of anything else....

CD in Oklahoma

miriam

People all the time are buying a vintage machine because the POJ from Walmart gave out in 3 months. I offer to show them how the thing works before they leave. I have a couple plastic wonders here from somebody who tried them and gave up - they got vintage machines. Yup the plastic wonders are cheap and light weight but they are in reality heavy on the pocket if they don't hold up.

Ellietow

Thanks for your comments...I'm passing them along to my friend, and she will have to decide whether or not she's going to bring the machine to an OSMG.