Found a new to me vintage Singer!
07-17-2019, 09:09 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: South eastern Ohio
Posts: 52
Found a new to me vintage Singer!
To be clear I won't be picking it up until Sunday, But I am so excited!!! If the pictures are to be believed from the CL ad and the e-mails I've exchanged with the seller I believe it to be a Singer Slantomatic -- looks like the 403a. Won't know for certain until I have it home and get to go over it and make sure it's truly clean and running... but oh am I ever excited!!! lol I have been haunting thrift stores and CL trying to find a vintage machine that was affordably(for me) priced, but could do what I want. They're only asking $25 for the machine, original accessories, cabinet, etc.I emailed tonight to see if it was in fact still available and working condition, and was told this was the sellers' moms machine. Basically mom just doesn't sew as much with it as her "new" machine, and thought it took up too much space. Soo, fingers crossed that it will still work, and if it's sticking at all that I can clean her up and get her going again!
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 07-18-2019 at 02:29 AM. Reason: shouting/all caps
07-19-2019, 09:36 AM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lakewood, CO
Posts: 54
I have had a 401A since 1965 and it has only been in the shop for a cleaning and found lint behind the thread adjustment on the face of the machine was the only problem! Just oil and blow out regularly and this machine will do anything you want it to do. Have all the cams and have never changed even once. may try it sometime just to see what they all do! I have gone from custom garments, leather and blue jeans to quilts and must say I have enjoyed them all.
07-19-2019, 12:30 PM
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: South eastern Ohio
Posts: 52
Today, I've been specifically rearranging furniture to fit it and it's cabinet in to a workable area. A definite plus that I work with miniature quilts so far, but have been finding myself picking up older quilting books looking at patterns and contemplating a "real" sized quilt... all I know is I'm so excited about finding this I'm fairly certain my family thinks I'm crazy. lol Ah well, we all have our own joys -- but not all of us find them, so in finding my joy with this it makes me incredibly happy!
07-20-2019, 07:19 AM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,317
Congratulations. The 400 500 series machines seem to be good machines. There are a lot of posts regarding them on QB. (401, 403, 500, 503 are very similar so will sometimes search using a different model, since they are so similar.) One of the best threads, in my opinion, is about a 401, but a lot would also apply to the 403 at She's real fun, my 401...
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
07-22-2019, 10:21 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: South eastern Ohio
Posts: 52
Picked her up yesterday, and it wasn't the 403 like I thought, but it was a nice little 404. Given this means I'm still looking for another machine(already have my eye on a Viking) but I've been taking her apart to clean her up. Turns out someone was a smoker in her previous home and the nicotine that I've been getting off of her has been incredible! I was initially told that the CL poster was listing it for her mom b/c mom had gotten a new machine, apparently that wasn't totally honest. Mom seems to be suffering from Macular Degeneration, and thus she wanted it to go to someone else whom would love and use it. I still think with the cabinet and the needles, bobbins(which are the original 66 type), and all the feet included I got a great deal! I am looking at ordering a couple of replacement parts as the light bulb is burnt out, and saw a few places to order the type that will fit the base -- but I do have a question, which do you all prefer for your machines, the "cool white" of "daylight" leds?
