new sewing machine

could any one recommend a good beginner machine

Reply to
Maria Ferreira
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A Singer 300, 400, or 500 series machine -- yes they are old, but they are work horses and inexpensive -- there's a nice guy at

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who sells reconditioned ones with a warranty.

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - take out TRAS

Do the 300s do zigzag? I'm keeping my eye open for an old Singer and trying to remember what numbers have been recommended.

jane

Reply to
Jane VR

No. A 400 or 500 will do zigzag (but might need a cam for it), but a

300 is a straight-stitch machine. The 400s and 500s are easy to find in thrift shops around here in cabinets.
Reply to
Melinda Meahan - take out TRAS

The 400s don't need cams for as many stiches as you are likely to use. I have a full set of cams for mine that I have never used.

Reply to
CW

Some of the 400s don't do zigzag without a cam, though.

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - take out TRAS

It depends on the model. The 301 is a straight stitch machine, but the 306, 319 and some others are zigzags. The 401 is a zigzag, but the 404 is not. The 403 is. So you need to see the machine, or have a list.

Reply to
Me

Which ones?

Reply to
CW

Thanks. I have seen just one here, at a dealer's for $500AUD. Still looking, though.

Jane

Reply to
Jane VR

For Australia that could possibly be a reasonable price. There's a guy here in California who sells reconditioned 400 and 500 series models for about $200 USD with a six-month warranty, and what is that, something like $350 AUD? And they might not be so common over there because of the shipping all the way there.

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - take out TRAS

I don't kow if "the shipping all the way there" would be that big of a deal. My 401G was made in Germany. It seems to have gotten to the US.

And they might not be so common over there because of

Reply to
CW

I suspect that there were far more people who emigrated from Germany to the US than who emigrated from the US to Australia.

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - take out TRAS

All the old Singers I've seen (99s) have been made in Scotland. I heard there used to be a factory here (in Penrith) but I don't know much about it. I don't think US models would end up here often because of the voltage difference.

$500 is probably a reasonable price. It's how much my new low end Janome cost. It's just more than I want to pay! :).

Jane

Reply to
Jane VR

Yes, I also have a 99K that was made in Scotland.

"Jane VR" wrote in > >

Reply to
CW

I have a lovely 99K handcrank that Singer says was made in Clydesbank in

1917. Kate Dicey (a wealth of knowledge on so many topics) said the K stands for Kilmarnock, if I recall rightly.

Jean M.

Reply to
Jean D Mahavier

You will do better at yard sales (or do you have boot sales?) Be patient. Now that you know what you're looking for, they will turn up. Don't worry overmuch about servicing. Most of the older machines can be serviced simply by a good cleaning, oiling and lubing -- often better done by the owner than a shop, where they have been known to gloss over the cleaning part.

Some folks report good success from putting a manual or an attachment under their pillow. ;-)

Reply to
Me

The UK factory was at Kilbowie, just outside Glasgow. It was maaaaaasive, but now all gone! :( I think it lasted longer than many of the European factories that were so disrupted by the last 'Great Unpleasantness'. I think it closed in the late 70's. I know they did ship all over the UK and Europe in their last days, but the quality was gone by then, and better, cheaper machines were coming out of new Asian and Far Eastern factories.

My 15-88 was built in St John's in Newfoundland in the late '30's, went to the West Indies, and finally came to rest here in Kent, UK, where I have put it to good use. For most of it's life it had one well travelled but careful user. It was used a lot, to judge by the wear on the decals. After she died, the poor thing was neglected for many years, and used as a side table for holding up plants! Almost all the varnish is gone from the wood. However, a good clean and a bit of oil, and a new belt were all the machine needed to get it going again. Through all its travels and travails, this machine has kept going, and now works a treat. It was given to me as a gift, on the condition that I use it occasionally. It is my pleasure to do so.

The old one that cost me money was the 1923 66K (Kilbowie built). It was £10 in 1976, and again, all it needed was a good clean and an oiling to get it going. It had spent about 20 years in a damp cellar!

The thing about a lot of the old metal Singers was that the same models were produced all over the world, and over quite a long period, and came in several versions: hand crank, treadle, and with an electric motor. All the parts were interchangeable no matter where the machine was built (though some decals or face plates were more common in some areas than others). If you have one with a USA motor, it should in theory be possible to undo the bolt holding it on and replace it with an appropriate motor for your part of the world. The problem lies in getting the motor! It might be easier to convert the machine to a hand crank (the hand crank mechanism bolts onto the same point as the motor), or to a treadle. Converting to a hand crank should be easy if your machine has the spoked wheel. For information on parts to do this, contact the Treadle On group:

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I have an idea that the Kilbowie factory made parts that were shipped to places like Australia for assembly, but I cannot be sure. If the body was cast in Scotland, the machine might well have a K serial number, but have been assembled elsewhere. The 66 series, the 99 series and the 15 series were all machines made all over the place.

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Kilbowie, not Kilmarnock! ;)

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Neither.... we have garage sales, usually held in the yard though.

In my area, any sewing machine is very hard to find at a garage sale. Others may find this to be different

Dee in Oz

Reply to
D&D

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