Sewing Machine: Repair or replace
Chloe
needs a repair that will probably run $125 or so. ($50 minimum just to have
the repair shop look at it.) For now and in the foreseeable future, the
machine is/will be only used for simple mending, but it does come in handy.
And at our age, DH and I only need something that'll last another 20 years
or so <g>.
Can someone tell me what a decent quality, very basic machine will cost if
we want to replace this one?
The Real Bev
I bought a 30-year-old Husqvarna machine (the one with the stump-pulling low
gear) for $3 at a yard sale and found the package of accessories at a
rummage sale for $1. I have only one stitch-disk and haven't seen any
others, but I can live with that!
What kind of repair does a sewing machine need? The old Singers I've seen
look pretty bulletproof.
Check ebay or craigslist for a used Singer Featherweight; Those In The Know
worship those things. The cheapest one I've ever seen at a yard sale was
$250. Also read some of the usenet sewing groups -- there are a lot of
experts reading one or more of them.
--
Cheers, Bev
==================================================
STRESS MANAGEMENT
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Birds are singing in the crisp, cool mountain air.
Nothing can bother you here.
No one knows this secret place.
You are in total seclusion from
that place called the world.
The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall
fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
The water is crystal clear.
You can easily make out the face of the person
whose head you're holding under the water.
-- KevinT
dale randall
under 100.00.
The Real Bev
The denizens of the sewing newsgroups say that the new Singers are trash.
Real shame.
--
Cheers,
Bev
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PaPaPeng
My Goodwill Store regularly has working machines for $30.
Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply
I can't tell you if it's worth repairing without knowing the model
number and what the repair is. If you think you wanted to try to handle
it youself, you could try the Wefixit Yahoo group for people who repair
their own sewing machines.
If you only need a simple machine for mending, check thrift stores,
classifieds, Craigslist, ask all your friends and neighbors, etc., for a
good machine from the 50s, 60s, or 70s in good condition. There are
many still out there, you can usually get them for cheap, and with
regular care they will still being sewing for your grandchildren or
great-grandchildren long after the electronic and computerized models
sold today have hit the scrap heap because they don't make the
electronic parts to repair it with any more.
I own or have owned Singer 15, 66, 99, 187 (a modified 99), 198 (another
modified 99), 301, 400, and 500 machines, none of which cost me over
$150 and most of which cost me about $20, along with a nice 70s era
reconditioned 30-stitch New Home machine that I got from the local
sewing machine store for $120, several Kenmores of 60s and 70s vintage
that were workhorses, and a New Home and an Eldredge treadle. I hope
never to touch a computerized machine (partly for reasons stated above
and partly becuase I am in an older house and don't trust the electrical
system not to ruin the sewing machine's electronics like it has an
auto-shut-off iron and a few other things in my stay here).
To replace an older basic sewing machine with a new one *of comparable
quality* (and you don't want the cheapest quality machines out there
these days -- they don't hold their tension and have other problems),
you will probably need to spend about $250-300 for a basic machine. But
the older used machines are wonderful and inexpensive.
--
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your
work with excellence.
Pat in NJ
up on eBay. I recently purchased the same model Singer that I've had
for 35 years for a beginner teen to use. The machine had hardly been
used but did need to be oiled. She lives 50 miles from me so if she
calls with problems with the machine, I can usually solve them. Buying
the same model eliminates the learning curve. I also bought a low end
Kenmore machine 2 years ago. I alternate between the 2 machines. Both
machines have different features that I really like. The old one has
the bobbin rewinder built in which is really nice. The new one has a
buttonholer that makes the buttonholes to the exact size of the button.
If you buy a new one, try it out first on fabric that you bring to the
store. Keep in mind that to sew over heavier fabric you will need the
proper size needle for the task. A size 11 needle is not meant to sew
denim.
Pat in NJ