Glenn

What I do is to have two machines side by side. I set two treadles next to each other, one is unrestored and a very rough cabinet the other refurbished machine in working order all shined up in a pretty cabinet. When they pull the $25 price on me I have an answer. Do you want a $25 machine unrestored and not working or do you want the $150 machine that you can take home a start sewing immediatly. They always take the $150 machine. If they insist on lowering the price then I let them walk.

QuiltingVagabond

Very clever, Glenn! I am sure I would go for the $150 one if you had restored it! Might even pay more lol!

ArchaicArcane

To a certain degree, it comes down to respect. Expecting someone to keep typing out the same thing over and over because of an unwillingness to read what's already been put out there, often one or two posts or pages back isn't a good usage of time. When the people supplying the info get frustrated and stop helping or find it too time consuming to help, it leaves a lot of ducklings out there who have to learn to swim on their own.

ArchaicArcane

It was a pretty bad one which is why I've been quite distant and probably a little chaotic and bad at following up lately. I'll PM you. We can chat bikes. I'm not anti-bike nor is DH at this point just changing the way we do things.

I dislike electrical and I do put it off when I can as well but typically a machine won't go into service until I've at least looked at it. DH tells me I'm as good or better than most of the people who do electrical in the shops he's worked in but I still get squeamish. I have an alarm and the light kit for my luggage on my bike still to connect to the main harness and I just can't make myself do it. I know where to do it, I know how to do it, I even have the wires routed and everything. I have the same doubt - what if I mess it up. I did the same thing last night with this motor - what if I mess it up!?! With the motor, worst case, I replace the motor and light with a servo motor or a vintage clutch motor. Couple hundred dollar mistake at the worst. That's what got me over it last night.

Once a machine is opened up though, I take care of it pretty much right away. I was out all day visiting with friends and running errands - including picking up the bolt and the wire, so this one will be 3 days beginning to end which is atypical. The electrical is really not hard, it just requires a good procedure. I'd soldered before I started working on sewing machines but even that's a skill you can build.

Cogito

Yes it is the soldering that has me procrastinating. The actual wiring is so straight forward. I used to create stain glass windows and obviously I worked with lead solder for those but that was 20+ years ago and I just don't have the place to practice! Especially in the winter which is the most common time I am willing to spend hours on my machines. I love my lower level walk out but I really miss having a basement!

Cogito

glenn,
this is such an excellent way to illustrate to folks that want a vintage machine and don't think they should have to pay for it. I too would not hesitate to spend the higher $ in that situation. I just get so much fun out of taking an old, frozen, dirty machine and cleaning, oiling, and restoring it to its former glory. That's the REAL reason I buy these old machines...that and the fact I have such a love for the quality way things were made in the past that you will never find today. That is the reason my DH and I bought an old derelict Victorian home that had been empty and on the market for 2 years. I spent 18 years restoring that beautiful (well initially, lol) old home to her former glory. I truly believed that house thanked me every day for restoring her beauty. It is IMPORTANT to me to do this. It is what keeps me happy. I haven't tried to sell any of the many machines I have revived but you can be sure I will expect way more than I paid!

Rodney

No pictures yet, it's too soon. My willpower (what there is of it, there's not much even on a good day) crumbled away to nothing. I stopped in at one of my favorite thrift stores and they were having a 25% off sale on everything in the store. I'm a bottom feeder anyway so I had no choice but to look around. I ended up coming home with a Singer 401A in the mid-century modern cabinet complete with most of the feet, a buttonholer (it might be for a low shank machine) extra cams for the buttonholer and some low shank feet. It also has a nicely printed copy of the owner's manual in a 3 ring binder. No extra cams for the machine, but I have a couple basic sets already. I also bought a tailor's ham and some embroidery floss. I was going to make my own ham but this solves the problem nicely.
The tag on the machine says it runs but needs some adjustments. It also needs a new bobbin tire and the cabinet has some pretty extreme sun fade. Being one of the better mid century designs out there I think the cabinet is worth the trouble to restore the finish at some point. Total price for everything: $35.00. I'm counting on at least a few hours of quality time with the machine. One of the dials seems stuck and at the very least the machine could use a good cleaning.
Not a bad finish to the old year, but I'm getting to the point where I may have to start selling machines if I want more.
Rodney

Cari-in-Oly

Rodney I would have jumped on that too. All of my really good flips have been 401s. The futzyness of them drive me crazy. As for the knob being stuck, remember one pulls out to move it and one pushes in. I've yet to find one that's seized or stuck anywhere, all of mine have just needed a basic service.

Cari

Rodney

It's the one on the outside that doesn't move. Could be operator error, I haven't read the instructions yet. I haven't made up my mind what to do with it yet. To me it's a great upgrade from the Touch & Sew, no plastic gears to go bad, but if I was to sell a machine, I could actually make a few bucks with this one. That's more than I can say for the Touch & Sew. I will at least get it in better shape and play with it a bit before I do anything else with it.
Rodney

Cari-in-Oly

I think it's the outside one that pulls out to move it. I just looked at a manual and remember why I don't like these machines. The instructions in the manual say to do the opposite of what the pictures on the same page say. Yeah. Give me a Brother any day.

Cari