leonf

SusieQOH I am not the one to ask. I like to work on the machines. Don't use them all that much. You might start a thread with that question.

Mickey2

I have drop-in bobbin case on my 99, 201 and an Elna supermatic. Elna bobbins are a bit taller and take a bit more thread than class 66. They all run nice and smooth, easy to insert bobbin and you don't have to take out the bobbin case (noise on the Supermatic is mostly the motor and gears on the cam function running). Neither of these machines are exactly the same, model 99 is occilating hook, the two others are rotary race and hook (aka gripper). They are for the most part easy to clean, the Supermatic needs a few screws to clean under the bobbin case. The 99 is the easiest. The 201 is probably the most stable and smooth running machine I have, but the 99 is't really that far from during low to medium speeds. Threading is easy, but I have to think twice going from one machine to the other, because some are threaded in the oposite direction. I can adjust for most type threads light weight, sew-all to top stitch.

I have CB hook on my Bernina 730 Record, I can't say taking out the bobbin case is much of a disadvantage, but it's quicker on my 99 and 201. Tension is very forgiving on the Bernina, neatest zigzag of my machines. It's an occilating hook model.

It's hard to generalise, horizontal bobbin models aren't all the same, neither are vertically set bobbin models.