Lessons learned in Ebay purchase, rescuing a featherweight
12-20-2011, 04:11 PM
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cashton WI
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The issue was the needle bar height, from a mark on the bar it was 1/8" off, my husband changed the height and it still bumps. My hubby also found the bar under the machine had pliers marks on it, deep ones, think someone was "timing" it??? My husband will hopefully have time to look at it again tonight.
I would have sent it back but really $100 for a machine that needs work, well, it will have to do.
I would have sent it back but really $100 for a machine that needs work, well, it will have to do.
12-21-2011, 05:54 AM
#15
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Location: Cashton WI
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Update on this rescue: DH found the rotary shaft was bent, someone used a pliers on it. There is one little place when you turn the wheel where it lags. We ordered a "new" Used one last night.
If this machine could talk.
We use TR-3 Resin Glaze, it is a cleaner/ shiner all in one. Although I think I would get some orange cleaner and use that first. Then clean and shine it up with the TR-3. All available at Auto parts stores. Our son painted it on with an old paint brush. Broke off QTips and stuck them in any oil holes to keep them clean. We used cotton batting for the clean up. As a LAQ I have more scraps than I know what to do with!
If this machine could talk.
We use TR-3 Resin Glaze, it is a cleaner/ shiner all in one. Although I think I would get some orange cleaner and use that first. Then clean and shine it up with the TR-3. All available at Auto parts stores. Our son painted it on with an old paint brush. Broke off QTips and stuck them in any oil holes to keep them clean. We used cotton batting for the clean up. As a LAQ I have more scraps than I know what to do with!
12-21-2011, 08:32 AM
#16
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bar Harbor, ME.
Posts: 2,911
Thankfully I was able to purchase 2 featherweights for a decent price off ebay, the one was in pretty good shape, very useable, just needing a cleaning. The other one I paid around $150 for and was told it was in working order. I don't care about the dirty, can fix that, but when the machine arrived it had a broken needle, which always raises my eyebrows. needles break for reasons we all realize that, but we looked into it some and found the bobbin case was broken (this was a $50 parts/ not including labor my husband and son did) and the throat plate had some springs or something broken, included in the price of the bobbin case base.
Well, now that those parts are in we put a needle in and slowly.... .put the needle down and another bump of the bobbin case, me thinks at this point there is something wrong with the needle bar height. That appears to be the best place to start, we found a manual on the web on the timing of the featherweight. And this is where we will begin the timing. Thankfully I have a talented husband and son. The machine is cleaned and greased, now we just need to time it.
Larry the guy I purchased it from on ebay gave me a $30 credit on the machine, which I should have asked for more. $120 for a dirty and broken machine isn't such a good purchase. Now I have seen machines in much worst shape going for $150 and i wonder how long it be before the prices come down again. I'll watch and wait.
Well, now that those parts are in we put a needle in and slowly.... .put the needle down and another bump of the bobbin case, me thinks at this point there is something wrong with the needle bar height. That appears to be the best place to start, we found a manual on the web on the timing of the featherweight. And this is where we will begin the timing. Thankfully I have a talented husband and son. The machine is cleaned and greased, now we just need to time it.
Larry the guy I purchased it from on ebay gave me a $30 credit on the machine, which I should have asked for more. $120 for a dirty and broken machine isn't such a good purchase. Now I have seen machines in much worst shape going for $150 and i wonder how long it be before the prices come down again. I'll watch and wait.
12-21-2011, 09:04 AM
#17
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 442
Hi just reading about your experience with Ebay!!! You should have done a formal complaint to Ebay. People like that should not be selling there. It makes the others look bad too. I would still make the complaint telling Ebay of the 30.00 credit you got from him, which you wouldn't trust him again to even use the 30 dollars. This really makes me upset. He knew what he was selling and he should have listed all things wrong with it. I've sold & bought on Ebay for yrs. and did have 1 complaint which I did go to Ebay with. It was fabrics I bought from this woman that didn't measure up to what she said it was, she wouldn't answer my emails, or any kind of a respond to me. She no longer sells on Ebay, which is what should happen. Can you imagine how many people this guy is receiving hard earned cash from people that don't do anything about these bad sellers. When he goes out & buys these broken sewing machines or something else and only gives back 30.00 dollars CREDIT!!!, sounds like a pretty good living to me. Please go back to Ebay and turn him in, even if it's too late in form them he is selling broken machines & selling them as good, running machines. In my opinion
he does this all the time and gets away with it. Also email him & tell him you are going to Ebay about it and you want the whole amount you paid him returned to you for this junk he sold you. This is why there are sellers like that and no one say's anything to stop it. We all need to stop this from happening on the Internet.
Sorry about me butting in but this makes me very angry when good honest people like yourself gets ripped off and he runs off with your cash and he gives you a $30.00 CREDIT!!!
Jigs1354
Thankfully I was able to purchase 2 featherweights for a decent price off ebay, the one was in pretty good shape, very useable, just needing a cleaning. The other one I paid around $150 for and was told it was in working order. I don't care about the dirty, can fix that, but when the machine arrived it had a broken needle, which always raises my eyebrows. needles break for reasons we all realize that, but we looked into it some and found the bobbin case was broken (this was a $50 parts/ not including labor my husband and son did) and the throat plate had some springs or something broken, included in the price of the bobbin case base.
Well, now that those parts are in we put a needle in and slowly.... .put the needle down and another bump of the bobbin case, me thinks at this point there is something wrong with the needle bar height. That appears to be the best place to start, we found a manual on the web on the timing of the featherweight. And this is where we will begin the timing. Thankfully I have a talented husband and son. The machine is cleaned and greased, now we just need to time it.
Larry the guy I purchased it from on ebay gave me a $30 credit on the machine, which I should have asked for more. $120 for a dirty and broken machine isn't such a good purchase. Now I have seen machines in much worst shape going for $150 and i wonder how long it be before the prices come down again. I'll watch and wait.
Well, now that those parts are in we put a needle in and slowly.... .put the needle down and another bump of the bobbin case, me thinks at this point there is something wrong with the needle bar height. That appears to be the best place to start, we found a manual on the web on the timing of the featherweight. And this is where we will begin the timing. Thankfully I have a talented husband and son. The machine is cleaned and greased, now we just need to time it.
Larry the guy I purchased it from on ebay gave me a $30 credit on the machine, which I should have asked for more. $120 for a dirty and broken machine isn't such a good purchase. Now I have seen machines in much worst shape going for $150 and i wonder how long it be before the prices come down again. I'll watch and wait.
12-21-2011, 11:44 AM
#18
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 10,742
ebay machines
I can't help feeling your anger. I bought an elna machine off ebay recently. Well it was advertised as working well and in good repair. What a mess. It has several broken parts outside. It sounds like it is on its last leg. The bobbin winder is broken and leans into the wheel and runs all the time. An expensive lesson. The machine was 125.00.
There should be some recourse for the people that sell on ebay and are liars.
There should be some recourse for the people that sell on ebay and are liars.
12-21-2011, 11:50 AM
#19
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 10,742
I recently bought an elna machine off ebay. It was advertised as a working machine in good condition. Well it runs but has several broken parts out side. It sounds like it is on its last leg. The bobbin winder is broken, it leans into the wheel and runs all the time. The tension is a mess, I have not been able to get it to sew. I guess I will have to take it to the repair man. An expensive lesson for me. I [paid 125.00 for a machine that was advertised as a good working machine. There should be some recourse to these people that are liars and scamers. Learned a lesson. Will not buy on ebay again.
12-21-2011, 12:11 PM
#20
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cashton WI
Posts: 1,125
We can't send the machine back. My DH and DS took a class and they cleaned and worked on these 2 machines. Then found the broken bobbin case base, and the other part. Which we purchased and installed. Now the next part is broken. The time they have invested in this machine which should have been sold as a parts machine. We'll keep it, I think I may do another formal complaint as this is ridiculous that it was so damaged.
His name is Larry Lodestarexpress and his rating is high.... it is just sad someone would do this to a machine.
His name is Larry Lodestarexpress and his rating is high.... it is just sad someone would do this to a machine.
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