New arrivals
08-31-2021, 12:54 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 823
New arrivals
I usually do not post about new machines until they're cleaned up and ready to go, but I found these (3hr round trip and $35 total) and was pretty excited.
The Kenmore is a 117-813, aluminum bodied full size machine, in a carry case. It will need a thorough cleaning, including the motor (with grease cups). I had a 117-812 which looked just like it, I wish I had it still to compare side by side with this 813. This came with a box of attachments and extra bobbins as well.
The Free Westinghouse is a 3/4 size VS machine in a carry case with a direct drive motor and a an "extra" pulley to run a belt to the bobbin winder. It is very similar to Leon's machine over here (except the name)
Should I buy this machine?
And the threading including leaf tension and thread control on the face plate is the same as the National Type 5 I had
National VB-TT Type 5
which makes me wonder if National made these machines. The shuttle was included, I wouldn't have purchased it otherwise. The carry case is in decent shape also.
The Kenmore is a 117-813, aluminum bodied full size machine, in a carry case. It will need a thorough cleaning, including the motor (with grease cups). I had a 117-812 which looked just like it, I wish I had it still to compare side by side with this 813. This came with a box of attachments and extra bobbins as well.
The Free Westinghouse is a 3/4 size VS machine in a carry case with a direct drive motor and a an "extra" pulley to run a belt to the bobbin winder. It is very similar to Leon's machine over here (except the name)
Should I buy this machine?
And the threading including leaf tension and thread control on the face plate is the same as the National Type 5 I had
National VB-TT Type 5
which makes me wonder if National made these machines. The shuttle was included, I wouldn't have purchased it otherwise. The carry case is in decent shape also.
09-01-2021, 05:43 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: near Topeka kansas
Posts: 4,524
both pics were dirty... oh well. have fun with them
https://www.quiltingboard.com/member...653-561476.jpg
https://www.quiltingboard.com/member...653-561476.jpg
10-03-2021, 12:17 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: South of St Louis
Posts: 823
I finished cleaning up these machines, actually a couple of weeks ago.
I am deeming the Kenmore to be this poor man's Featherweight, with the aluminum body it is very light and easy to handle (once I have it out of the case and untangled from the power cord and foot control).
The Free Westinghouse is a 3/4 vibrating shuttle, as a Singer 128. The leaf tension was very sensitive, much more so than the two other leaf tension machines I've had.
Both machines sewed well, but both were much noisier than I expected, and the Free Westinghouse was no where near as quiet and smooth as the couple of 128s I've had. I guess in part the noise is from these being direct drive, and the boxes seemed to amplify the noise as well.
I am deeming the Kenmore to be this poor man's Featherweight, with the aluminum body it is very light and easy to handle (once I have it out of the case and untangled from the power cord and foot control).
The Free Westinghouse is a 3/4 vibrating shuttle, as a Singer 128. The leaf tension was very sensitive, much more so than the two other leaf tension machines I've had.
Both machines sewed well, but both were much noisier than I expected, and the Free Westinghouse was no where near as quiet and smooth as the couple of 128s I've had. I guess in part the noise is from these being direct drive, and the boxes seemed to amplify the noise as well.
