PURCHASING SERIES #3: Should I Buy This Sewing Machine? Inspection Tips Before Buying Late Vintage !

[@amyboring7793]

You used may least favorite production concept in the world! Planned obsolescence! That concept has fueled my transition to these older machines!

[@robbiesperry5492]

Ha! I have to chuckle! I love watching your videos & have learned so much. Also, I have become very familiar with your voice & hands, & started to wonder what you look like! Well . . . at 17:10 you gave us a glimpse as leaned into your camera's line of sight. Nice to 'meet you!'

[@eyeonart6865]

Found a Janome 802 for $20.00. cleaned and oiled and works great.

[@charger19691]

You are a like the grand master of Sewing Machines! Great video!

[@melanie_luv2_sew]

Valuable info. Been thinking about acquiring a second machine.

[@tinamcnalley2575]

I would have probably walked away from this one simply because the owner didn't take the trouble to care for the missing bed. I might have paid $5-$10 if I wanted it for backup parts for my own existing machine, if I were making something like doll clothes to earn a few extra bucks. Otherwise, it would need to be a freebie. Amazing how many machines get sold as "free arms" simply because they are missing parts. Hope all goes well! Interesting video.

[@susanmazzanti5643]

I have a Singer that I bought new in the mid 1950s. What do I need to do take care of it besides the cleaning and oiling that I have been doing for years. It is stored in its original case. I did have it serviced by a shop several years ago when I decided I wanted to use it again. It still makes the nicest stitch I have ever sewn.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello Susan. May I ask you what Singer model you are referring to? Let me know and I can better guide you on tips for keeping your machine in optimum condition.

[@susanmazzanti5643]

It has 15- on it. I can't move it by myself and can't read the serial number because of the way it is laying in the case. That cast-iron case is heavy. The cords are not dry rotting which is a good thing.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

If your machine is a Singer 15 straight stitch model, then maintenance is mostly not all that involved. Oiling the machine before each use is very helpful. Machines like to run and if they sit and are dormant, they can require more effort to get back to prime operation condition. Keeping feed dogs cleaned is a given. One of the best things you can do for a machine is to keep it indoors in climate controlled setting.

[@susanmazzanti5643]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage I will get someone to help me move it so I can sew with it. It is a streight stitch and still sews through thicker fabrics and with a better stitch than any machine I've ever used. I have always oiled it before I used it. Thank you for your help. I will pass it on to a grandchild or great-grandchild in a few years when I can no longer sew.

[@eyeonart6865]

Can you restore the plastic to get rid of yellowing?

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

I've heard of folks doing just that with limited success. However, since the yellowing is caused by exposure to heat/oils, it's not easy to remove. Whitening it could (in theory) weaken it further. I understand the interest for aesthetic reasons, but I just make sure mine is clean and leave any yellowing (due to age; not dirt) alone as is.

[@shopwornbear1171]

I know this video is ancient by KZbin standards, but I am going to give you a counter argument to "Heirloom" vs "Plastic". 1. Steel is always better. Agreed. Here though, is a counter argument. Steel is also incredibly noisy. Steel requires more oiling and attention. Steel, when it fails, it fails catastrophically. Plastic (the sixties to early eighties) failed largely because manufacturers used petroleum grease which broke down that type of plastic, causing it to fail. Nylon, which was used from the early eighties onwards is not susceptible to petroleum grease breaking it down. Plastic is also a sound deadener, ensuring a machine is significantly quieter in operation. When plastics fail (gears mainly), they can usually be extracted and replaced, unlike a piece of steel that has deformed from overheating (which can happen if someone is not maintaining their machine and drives it hard...I've done it, I speak from first hand experience). Now, while changing gears in a "malaise era" sewing machine is not a feat for the faint of heart, once it's done, that machine, with proper maintenance and cleaning will run as long, easily, as any fully metal heirloom machine. I don't agree with your assessment of that Janome only lasting maybe another ten years. I saw the gears on this video, and while I have not had the opportunity to inspect them myself, from my birds eye view, they are nylon. If they are nylon, that machine, maintained properly should run for many trouble free years. I have two such types of machines in my collection, one was rebuilt two decades ago after the gears failed (the old style plastics), and it has run with zero issues on the new nylon gears without so much as a skipped stitch, and it is not a high end Singer machine by any stretch of the imagination. Even the belt on it is still in pristine shape all these decades later. Any machine can literally run indefinitely if you treat it with the respect it needs by keeping up proper maintenance on it. I am restoring a rebranded Janome 80's era machine right now as I type this, and the gears on this machine (two, actually, one for parts) are in flawless condition. The one that is being used for parts was definitely run hard and put away wet, yet not one gear failed on this machine, not one joint seized. On the machine I'm restoring, the parts that failed on it, and needed to be taken out of the donor...all steel parts. The entire needle bar assembly and it's mechanisms failed catastrophically due to thread being jammed up inside one of the moving parts, and it literally jammed the machine so violently that one of the steel pins that connect with the needle take up cam deformed enough to seize up the entire machine. That pin is actually a highly polished and hardened part, so that took some doing to sustain that sort of damage. I'm just illustrating that steel, while great and strong and long lasting isn't impervious to failure, and that the correct sorts of plastics, correctly engineered to work in certain areas of the machine (I'm not talking about the junk they're selling from most manufacturers these days that are made of far too much plastic, or the Singer "heavy duty" that really are anything but, I'm speaking of companies like Janome, Pfaff, Husqvarna Viking, Bernina, Happy Japan, etc. They make machines that have plastic parts in them, but they tend to ensure these machines are properly engineered. This rebranded Janome is but one example. They still build this machine with these same parts...the HD3000, just slightly different in cosmetics. So, if this old machine is still going (the donor one was still fully operational and the parts inside are still very healthy parts, it just needed too many cosmetics to bother with, and the soon to be rebuilt was less work mechanically despite the transplanting, thus my decision to use it) and was very very poorly maintained, yet is still completely operational decades later, well, that does say that plastic isn't as evil as it's made out to be. If I had a choice, I'm with you, steel is best, but it has its own shortcomings. I know if this old Kenmore/Janome had been an all steel machine and hadn't been maintained like this donor machine was, it would likely have seized up from dried grease, and the gears would have been a nightmare to clean up.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello Shopworn Bear. I really appreciate you taking time (considerable it appears) to write your thoughts on this machine video and this era of machines particularly. There is quite a bit of your commentary that I totally agree with and is spot on. I have a few thoughts that might vary from yours but as a wise person once said, "If everyone is agreeing, then no one is thinking". Here are a few thoughts I have on your well written analysis. I'm numbering them mostly to prevent me from confusing myself (its a natural gift I have :/ ). 1. Your comment actually reminds me why I originally made these "Hybrid Series" videos. I was not going to even cover them originally but felt I should because I was concerned that there might be viewers of my channel who would toss out a perfectly running machine like the Janome or not try to adopt one purely out of my obvious preference for steel over plastic. I agree that the construction of many of these models/brands from this time period from both Japan and Taiwan are quite well made and engineered and will likely last longer than many of the new $150 specials you see advertised all over the net. 2. Yes, all materials (including steel) can and will fail if pushed beyond their engineered limits. But then again, the quality of steel can vary. In the years I've been opening up these old machines, I have never seen one with a broken drive shaft when the machine was used as intended. (NOTE: There are KZbin videos showing people doing things with vintage sewing machines (domestic/home models) that they were never created for and those machines often end up having short life spans. Another variable here is the power that the motors have. The quality of a 1930 Singer for example reveals the steel was of such high quality; none of the electric motors engineered for them would drive them hard enough to break the steel gears or driveshafts. Either the motor would stop/seize or the needle more likely would snap. So I guess you could say that the quality of the machine parts far exceeded the normal user's ability to push them to their limits (crazy YT videos not withstanding). So yes, you are totally accurate when you state machines should be treated with maintenance and respect. ANYTHING can break if pushed beyond its intended limits. This is why I try to reiterate in videos such as those on a Singer 15-91 where I mention that if this machine will not sew your project, you need an industrial sewing machine. 3. Yes, its true that Nylon is stronger than most other plastics used in the past. Unfortunately, it is not obvious when glancing at a machine if Nylon was used or not. One example of a machine that had plastic gears (I don't know the composition of the plastic) is the later versions of the Singer Slant-O-Matic. Because it was a Singer (LOTS of these made), you can get new reproduction plastic gears for these. However, the earlier versions of this model had steel gears and rarely if ever require replacing. 4. You made good mention of some of plastics advantages; namely less noise and need for lubrication. I feel this is a largely irrelevant for 2 reasons. Gears are most often lubricated with grease which is an infrequent maintenance need. Even when they require oil, gears require lubrication less often than do other areas of moving parts based on vintage user manual instructions. As for noise, the only true noise I've ever noted from vintage machines for the most part actually comes from the whirring of their electric motors. There is some slap noise that comes from Oscillating Hook design models (ie: Singer's 15 class), but that is not terribly intrusive though sound is always subjective of course. There are exceptions to everything and even Singer had a few noisy models such as their early ZigZag machines (206, 319 and 306 models come to mind) But most vintage machines are not especially noise makers as far as drive train gear goes. Models such as Singer's 201, 221, and others that used a rotary style hook are even quieter and I can hardly hear any sound from them at all other than the motor running. (The Singer 201 got its nickname "The Rolls Royce of Sewing Machines" for a reason!! 5. Can new plastic parts be recreated with newer processes such as 3D printing? Likely yes. But then, how many owners will go to this extent? What plastic resins could be used and under what stresses? What is the likelihood of this ever being a norm in people's minds when getting a machine repaired? I don't know the answer to this but I'm somewhat skeptical that most owners would go to this length, although you or I might!! You know, I can visualize a sewing machine maker back in the late 50's/early 60's that were under great pressure to preserve profits while keeping prices down due to the brutal competition they were getting from Japanese machine producers. (Japan was the "Asian cheap labor outsource' country back then.) You can also imagine companies like Dow or Dupont showcasing their plastics as a great solution to the considerable cost of fabricating steel parts by offering plastics as easier to produce, less lubrication maintenance, and yes quieter. It would have been hard to resist when faced with such market forces. Companies like Pfaff and Bernina (back then) were not tempted to "cheapen" their products like today's consumer items, but they faced relentless pricing pressure from all of the Japanese imports. As for those European brands today, they are not European. With the exception of Bernina, they are all owned by conglomerates who are not interested in brand history and integrity. They sell off of the historic reputations of those brands. So no, Pfaff is no longer German, Necchi is no longer Italian, Singer is no longer American. Even most Japanese brands of consumer sewing machines are not made their either. And yes, dare I say it, Bernina, which I believe is still Swiss owned, makes all (or the vast majority) of their machines in Asia. Does that impact quality? I'm not certain though I suspect quality is still most influenced by price. Isn't it interesting that the last of the all steel sewing machines sold in the US were made in Japan? I suspect this is because their labor (1970s) was still cheap enough they could swallow the cost of steel fabrication while meeting price points by such powerful retailers as Sears. I hope that, in making these Hybrid Machine videos, I have shown some love for them and encouraged folks to care for them and keep them as long as possible. However, given the millions of un-restored, all-steel vintage machines out there, I favor them over Hybrids and have no use for modern machines at all which I feel are intentionally designed to be ultimately disposable. If this were not true, then companies would not discontinue software fixes for them when they die an electronic death. Perhaps in the future, there will be a way to "wake up" or restore them too. Until then, I will keep in mind the immense time/sweat/tears I invested in replacing a cracked plastic gear in a Bernina Record. I succeeded but the hassle and time of that adventure taught me that few if any people are willing to pay for the hours (or tackle it themselves) to bring machines like that back to running condition. (I took a huge loss on that machine which is not easy to do on a Bernina but leave it to me..) While there are many reasons not to like plastic for other things/uses, I don't deplore plastic on sewing machines when it is used for items that are not under great stress. Thank you for writing and sharing your considerable experience with plastics and steel in machines. The quality of both materials can vary widely and may explain why we have both had both some common and different experiences. And thank you for watching the channel!

[@shopwornbear1171]

@@VintageSewingMachineGarage I'm going to share something with you, and I hope I don't write what my meaning is incorrectly. I once had the opportunity to go to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario (I'm a Canuck), and got to see one of two flying examples of a Lancaster bomber. This was one of my bucket list items I REALLY wanted to do. Now, I also LUCKED into meeting a tour guide volunteer...a British Lancaster pilot that survived WW2 and emigrated to Canada after the war. Some people dream of meeting an idol, whether it be a politician, royalty, musician, what have you. I had the opportunity of a lifetime that day. I got to sit at the feet (not literally) of a real live bomber pilot. I got to hear about his missions first hand, have him explain the workings of the plane that got him home after each mission was complete, good and bad...etc. Now, I won't turn this into something stupid and gushing, but after reading your retort, I kind of feel like I met a person that had the same type of knowledge on the subject he is passionate about. NO, I'm not equating you to that pilot...LOL. But I am telling you I'm in awe of your knowledge, expertise and just a wee bit smarter because you took the time to share a bit about your own experiences and acquired know-how. This is precisely why I'm a self-described "KZbin Junkie". As a person that's had to struggle with learning disabilities his whole life, I've embraced the idea that I can learn visually. KZbin has given me that opportunity. People with channels like your own provide your viewers with a forum to learn and put into practice what they've taken from that learning. Have I ever watched anyone turn a sewing machine into a soon to be pile of junk here? No, because I never knew such individuals existed Knowing that they do kind of sucks, to be honest. Granted, I've seen people do some pretty horrendous things to cars, so I get what you're saying there. Your channel (which I've subscribed to today) is a great place for me to learn. And I plan on soaking up whatever it is you're teaching (even if that isn't your intent when making a video). Thank you so much for taking the time to respond with your views on my post. I agree pretty much with most of what you wrote. The parts I'm still on the fence with I'm sure I'll change my mind with when I delve more deeply into your library here on your channel. OH...and just an FYI...you can destroy a drive shaft on a fully metal sewing machine. I had a fifties vintage White flatbed that, while I maintained it, I didn't maintain it well enough. I had a very heavy waxed canvas tarp I was sewing for a friends boat. I perhaps should not have tried to use a home sewing machine for the task, but I get stupid when I get stubborn, and I was a young punk back in the eighties. Well...I gunned that machine, and I mean GUNNED. I had a sewing machine pedal that was getting a little warm under my foot. That should have been a warning, but as I said...stupid. Have you ever seen a sewing machine shudder and jump? Now, you know how heavy those old flatbeds are. I did....and then that was all she wrote. All I had to do was play "TAPS" whist she was lowered into the ground. Yup...that bad. I took off the cover, the cam was frozen solid. So I took a look underneath. The drive shaft literally warped, and it bent the gear teeth, thus killing my trusty old White. So, it is absolutely possible to break them. Granted, it took a Herculean effort to get it there. I know I wrote a lot, and I do apologize for that. As a professional writer, I tend to use my keyboard like an artist uses a paintbrush. Problem is...sometimes it ends up reading more like paintball than a painting, ROFL! Thank you for the video, and for making your content available to this, and the rest of your viewers. I know how much work goes into producing these videos, and I just wanted to say thanks for your hard work. I'm positive I'm not the only one that appreciates it. Dave.

[@jodiseager]

What are. Your thoughts on the singer 306w or 306k? Would the aluminum machines be a hybrid or heirloom?...I'm trying to learn more..

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hello Jodi. Aluminum in any of the machines is ok and machines that have aluminum can still quality as "Heirloom" models as long as they do not have plastic parts that are mechanical. (Knobs are ok in plastic). As for the 306 models, they were Singer's first attempt at a ZigZag capable machine. They were not especially successful although like all vintage models, they do have a following. I have never purchased one for restoring, but I have serviced one that belonged to one of my clients. I feel that the Singer 400 and 500 series were better designs mechanically and were a lot more successful for Singer. Some people find the 306's to be louder than most machines although I did not find that to be the case on the one I overhauled. It would not be my first choice in a ZigZag model, but viewers of this channel may feel differently. If any of my viewers have had good experienced with the 306's, please share your thoughts.

[@debbiesmith3822]

Need help please, I purchased several months ago a 1926 Singer straight stitch, model 128 AA650693. It was supposed to have been restored and it does look like it on the outside and the inside but I have not been able to sew on it. I keep finding things on it not working properly. I just had the bobbin winder fixed and put back on the machine. Now I can't seem to get the bobbin and the vibrating shuttle to work. How do I know if I have the correct shuttle for this machine and do you have any tips you could give me as to why it wouldn't work if I do have the right shuttle?? Where I live we have no one that services machines 😭

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Hi Debbie. Without being able to see your machine in person, its difficult to say what the specific issues are with you machine. I know its sometimes challenging to find a source of repair for those models, but I would suggest you join Yahoo and/or Google groups where there are groups of folks dedicated to sharing repair info. for various vintage machine brands. There are several groups just for Singers alone. You can also search those groups for people local ore more local to you. I'm sure its possible to get your machine up and running well again, though it may require more DIY than those who live in large urban areas are used to.

[@debbiesmith3822]

Thank u

[@amandarossouw493]

Took my machine into a repair shop a while ago and they put grease on the plastic cams how can I get rid of the grease on the cams? It still sews well with the exception of one of the zigzag stitches it sometimes skips one stitch. I suspect it might be the grease on the cams. I opened my machine up myself and when I saw the white grease I tried to wipe it off and added a drop of sewing machine oil hoping it would help. Thanks

[@alibabafurball]

As i don't discount what these " hybrid" machines do i also don't discount the new computerized 10k machines. They all have a purpose and use. I know a guy that only buys this very model and sews cars seats with it. They are not made for that, but he makes it last for 2 years and gets another because they are cheap and easy to find here. All of mine are what you call "heirloom" with one exception, a Pfaff 1222 E with the plastic top cam. It has many cracks and runs great. They cracks have been there for over 20 years also. Every machine that is like that i have seen same thing going on, but they work. Don't know how much longer those post 1973-1979ish Pfaffs of that type will last like that, but i make an exception for some models. I really don't know why it doesn't fly apart to be quite honest. I also think of what you call "heirloom" quality to be hybrid with the bakelite plugs and connectors. They shatter easily. I think that is why many are making the singer 99 and 66 into hand crank machines. Many quilters i know are setting aside their featherweight and getting an aluminum 99 and converting it, just for piecing. One thing i do look for with treadle machines is the goodies that come with it. Sometimes there are rare attachments with basic machines. A treadle might have the embroidery attachment, but the fork that drives the bottom feeddogs is broken, i'll get it just for the rare attachment or a manual that is not online, like my Style 12 attachments set manual and booklet.

[@VintageSewingMachineGarage]

Actually, I think modern machines are quite remarkable for what they can do. Its the fact that they are engineered with "Planned Obsolescence" which I believe makes them an extravagantly poor value over time. History shows we know how to make things that last. But manufacturers won't make them for longer term durability anymore. And many people have been conditioned to expect this as a social norm of behavior. I'm very pleased to hear about your Pfaffs that continue to perform for you. Many machines with plastic parts that fail do so catastrophically such as the Bernina Record line from the 1960's where the machine must have its gear sets in tack in order to sew properly. With those Bakelite plugs, yes, the early plastics such as Bakelite were brittle by nature and they don't flex. But a broken plug or a dry rotted cord can be replaced at very little cost and they don't make the machine obsolete forever. Good luck with your machines and I hope they give you many more years of service.

[@sharondavidson7072]

That machine doesn't look like it's worth much and I'm no expert