Originally Posted by k9dancer
(Post 5602748)
Piece of advice: don't take someone's word that the machine works.
I once came across a machine covered in dirt, missing its bobbin case, and all the wiring had been chewed by varmints, and the seller tried to force the wheel to move and tell me it worked! It hadn't worked in years, and I took it home for about five bucks, in the cabinet. The right price for a project. |
I make sure that all moving parts work. Make sure the handwheel will turn and the needle goes up and down. I actually prefer the treadles if the cabinet is in decent shape. I think about whether I have that model and what is it that makes it unique. Sometimes I just see one that screams at me and off we go--home! I just think I know when I see one if I love it and it wants to come home with me.
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Originally Posted by MimiBug123
(Post 5602774)
I make sure that all moving parts work. Make sure the handwheel will turn and the needle goes up and down. I actually prefer the treadles if the cabinet is in decent shape. I think about whether I have that model and what is it that makes it unique. Sometimes I just see one that screams at me and off we go--home! I just think I know when I see one if I love it and it wants to come home with me.
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Originally Posted by pinkCastleDH
(Post 5602364)
I'd like to add hand crank versions of the 66, 99, 201 and 221 (probably aftermarket for the featherweight). No wiring to worry about, fully self-contained, treadleable if the base is available. Yeah!
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Originally Posted by purplefiend
(Post 5616241)
The 221 isn't a good candidate to be hand cranked. The others are great as they can be fitted with a hand crank and a spoked handwheel. I have the 201k and 99k-13 hand cranks and they are lovely for that. I have taught kids to sew with them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FEATHERWEIGH...item2574d9564e |
Cathy busted the guy with the FW HCs - try a window opener and a drilled out stop motion knob
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What does that mean- "busted" the guy?
Do the hand cranks not function as advertised, or what? Thanks! :) |
Posting in another thread, I realized that there's something I now look for in a vintage machine- the paint job!
You can clean, fix and refurbish just about anything on an old machine, but if the paint is chipped or flaking, you've probably got trouble. For a rare or collectible machine, maybe you won't mind. Or maybe you find a great old 15 in a beautiful cabinet - stripping and repainting it would be fun for you. It's hard to see in auctions and the first time I bought a machine on eBay, the seller nailed me on paint condition. She hid the damage to the paint by careful photography and strategic placement of the items she was sewing and the items that came with the machine. The areas to look at carefully are the edges of the bed and the handwheel. Most sellers are up front about this damage because it's so common. |
Originally Posted by miriam
(Post 5616839)
Cathy busted the guy with the FW HCs - try a window opener and a drilled out stop motion knob
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Originally Posted by thepolyparrot
(Post 5618394)
What does that mean- "busted" the guy?
Do the hand cranks not function as advertised, or what? Thanks! :) |
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