Mousie

A few years ago my oldest dd gave me a Featherweight and since the cord needed
replacing and I had a good machine, I put off having it fixed.
Yesterday I took it to a place I have used before for another machine. They are
good people.
The two ladies in the front were documenting info about it and turned it to see
the bottom and said it appeared to have been wet before or "in the elements".
I said I thought my dsil might have found it in the shed and showed to my dd
and the landlord said it was his deceased wife's and she could have it.
Fast forward, they moved and she gave it to me.
I have the case, the manual, a lot of feet etc.
What i am worried about is when the repair guy gets inside to get the rust
out.
He walked in and gave it a quick glance over and said he would remove
the rust etc. and he was leaving out the door.
The ladies were optimistic but cautious.
I know I have to wait a few weeks till he gets to it and get the call
about the prognosis, but I've never owned anything like this before.
I am so excited and can't believe I waited so long to take it somewhere,
but like I said, I have another sewing machine and repair money doesn't
grow on trees around here.
I made arrangements to have this fixed and I know right now, that we
are looking at 150.00. I'm still excited, bc I know that ppl buy these
machines on ebay for 200.00 just for the parts.
I don't want to be heartbroken.
I was looking forward to sewing in the living room while my grandkids
play. I have them every weekend and can't go to my sewing room.
I need some encouraging information please.
I can hardly stand the wait. Please mr. repairman don't give me bad
news!

Mousie

I went to a website that had serial numbers and it appears that my machine
was manufactured in 1949.
The bottom of a 1948 machine that i saw in the archives section, certainly
looks good compared to mine. Oh dear!
Well, maybe the silver lining will be that we don't sew with the bottom!

J Miller

Featherweights are simple machines. You could have saved yourself lots of cash by doing most of the cleaning yourself.
But, if the repairman is as good as you think he is, he shouldn't have any trouble cleaning it up.

It just takes time, and effort plus some oil and grease.

Joe

jlhmnj

The news is good, you should be enjoying your Featherweight with the Grandkids shortly. Parts are readily available if needed and it's not like repairing an automatic transmission. Link to owners manual:

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...ng-machine.pdf

Jon

Mousie

the bottom of my machine was all white and chalky looking.
This made me think the machine was "cast" and heated? dried?
After seeing a picture of the bottom of one, I think there was some kind
of foreign material on it, maybe.
This wait is going to be agonizing as I've already fallen in machine-love.
Perhaps I'm just so ignorant of antiques and such I am worrying too
much.
Thank you for replying. I feel like such a newbie.

Mousie

thank you Jon.
The ladies did say they don't have many parts and that is a very good thing.
Maybe bc they work in the front and don't do repairs, they were reacting
to the "look" of it.
Somebody really just shoved this poor machine into the case and the
needle was piercing right through the cord!
I said I thought it had been tossed around like a ball and cast off
like a piece of coal..."diamond in the rough".
It's a jewel to me

Rodney

The body is cast aluminum. If it was stored under damp conditions then you're most likely looking at aluminum oxide-aluminum's form of rust. Your machine should clean up well.
Rodney

Mousie

oh my goodness, you have given me such relief!
Nothing doing, but I can feel myself becoming
"over the moon" excited about my new "Jewel".
Jewel, I'm so sorry I left you sitting in your case
so long. I promise to be very good to you when
you get home

oldtnquiltinglady

Please keep us up to date on the progress of this little Jewel. I do hope that the repair person's
"eyes didn't light up and lotsa dollar bills here moment" didn't hit him when he looked at it. I hope he is a person who appreciates a person who appreciates a Featherweight. Best of luck.

Mousie

well, they've done repair work for me before on something else.
a very small fix and it was only 17.00. It's been about 8-9 years.
I'm thinking he won't take advantage and if the bill climbs any higher
at this point, it would be a part that needed replacing.
I just hope she isn't too rusted inside.
She still looks pretty good on the outside.
I can't wait to see what all those feet do!