refurbished or electrified sewing machines from 1930s and 1940s
11-08-2016, 04:47 AM
#12
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Nice post, Miriam. Thanks. I've run into quite a few of these myself and also like them for their uniqueness and character, especially if the refurb was done carefully.
On a related topic, do you find that you have less control with a motorized machine (as opposed to a treadle) or more?
James
On a related topic, do you find that you have less control with a motorized machine (as opposed to a treadle) or more?
James
11-08-2016, 05:02 AM
#13
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James, everybody sorely misses you at VSS except maybe 2 people...
I get much better control of stopping and starting with a hand crank but it is much easier to control the fabric with both hands. I'm not terribly proficient with a treadle though so I'd say I'm not over using a motorized machine. I think a lot of it depends on the machine and what you are making at the time. I have machines I like better for one thing than another. I keep a crappy looking Singer 99 hand crank set up to do button holes. When my DGD is around she wants it to sew... I think she likes the control.
I get much better control of stopping and starting with a hand crank but it is much easier to control the fabric with both hands. I'm not terribly proficient with a treadle though so I'd say I'm not over using a motorized machine. I think a lot of it depends on the machine and what you are making at the time. I have machines I like better for one thing than another. I keep a crappy looking Singer 99 hand crank set up to do button holes. When my DGD is around she wants it to sew... I think she likes the control.
11-08-2016, 10:09 AM
#14
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
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My mother told me about having a machine in Iowa after the war that was a refurb. She gave it to someone there when we moved and got a brand new 301A which I now have. I grew up knowing that there were refurbished machines after WWII but never thought much about it until I joined here. So much knowledge here! Thanks for the post.
11-13-2016, 04:38 AM
#15
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The refurbs I found puzzled me awhile until I found one that I could look up the company. Then CD posted information in bits and pieces here. I tracked down as much info as I could and wrote up as clearly as I could on these threads. I posted a lot more pics on the VSS link. Plus, Kenmoregal2 posted information about one of the old refurb sewing machine guys we tracked. A few years back I bought out two different old sewing machine collections that included some that must have been refurbished but never sold. Those caused me to think about what I was seeing. The latest find was what triggered this thread. This last one was the most modified I have ever seen. Usually they have been just painted and motorized. Some were painted better than others. Most should have been made to sew like new again. Maybe they were but years of sitting around made the task have to happen all over again. I'm thinking most of the machines I have were speculation and maybe a few someone tried to just improve an old machine but didn't use much.
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