Gents,
I am looking for a new to me sewing machine. Many of you have posted your advice, which I have tried to consolidate to a shorter note . . . In the end, I have concluded that a Singer 15-91 is an excellent choice for my needs, but several other Singer models may be nearly as good. I have found some 15-91s on-line but asking prices are higher than many of you have scored. I am also finding some other Singer models in similar price ranges, $100-300. Unfortunately, many of these machines are more than 150 miles from my home, so the cost of traveling to the seller and back is high, and all of this is lost if you don't buy the machine. One can easily imagine that traveling 100+ miles for a $100 sewing machine that turns out to be a rusty POS and having to do it more than once is not a road that any of us really want to travel.
All of this leads me to conclude that I am best limiting my shopping to closer to home, but a smaller shopping radius means fewer machines. All of the 15-91s are out of range, and only one Singer remains on my list. There is one "clone" close to home too. Neither of these latter sewing machines are identified by model number. Fortunately, I did find the link to "A Visual Guide to Identifying Singers from Crappy Craigslist Photos." So, I will attempt to figure this out about the local models.
This brings me to my questions:
1) What models of Singer sewing machines or clones are worth the investment for sewing saddles and other webbing projects?
2) How do you identify the above models and differentiate one from another?
3) What features are associated with these machines that make one worth more than another?
Maybe a 15-91 is not the gold standard, but it is an excellent choice. However, if a 201, 211, 66, or 99 are all very good for this task, should I expect to pay just as much for these machines as a 15-91. Heck, other Singer models have been hailed as even better than a 15-91, such as the 11W155, and guys have scored these for "a couple hundred bucks." If I can find any old Singer or good clone for $50, am I really just as well off as if I wait for a model machine that someone else has praised?
For the record, I inherited a Singer 301A when my mom passed away and have found that it is fine on fabric but fails on thick webbing. I have heard that this is in part because its needle is slanted rather than upright. So, I assume that I need to be sure to find a machine with a needle perpendicular to the bed. I know that the bobbin mechanism in a 301 is the same as in a Featherweight, so I am guessing that it too is off my list.
I appreciate any help. Thanks.
Hugh
I am looking for a new to me sewing machine. Many of you have posted your advice, which I have tried to consolidate to a shorter note . . . In the end, I have concluded that a Singer 15-91 is an excellent choice for my needs, but several other Singer models may be nearly as good. I have found some 15-91s on-line but asking prices are higher than many of you have scored. I am also finding some other Singer models in similar price ranges, $100-300. Unfortunately, many of these machines are more than 150 miles from my home, so the cost of traveling to the seller and back is high, and all of this is lost if you don't buy the machine. One can easily imagine that traveling 100+ miles for a $100 sewing machine that turns out to be a rusty POS and having to do it more than once is not a road that any of us really want to travel.
All of this leads me to conclude that I am best limiting my shopping to closer to home, but a smaller shopping radius means fewer machines. All of the 15-91s are out of range, and only one Singer remains on my list. There is one "clone" close to home too. Neither of these latter sewing machines are identified by model number. Fortunately, I did find the link to "A Visual Guide to Identifying Singers from Crappy Craigslist Photos." So, I will attempt to figure this out about the local models.
This brings me to my questions:
1) What models of Singer sewing machines or clones are worth the investment for sewing saddles and other webbing projects?
2) How do you identify the above models and differentiate one from another?
3) What features are associated with these machines that make one worth more than another?
Maybe a 15-91 is not the gold standard, but it is an excellent choice. However, if a 201, 211, 66, or 99 are all very good for this task, should I expect to pay just as much for these machines as a 15-91. Heck, other Singer models have been hailed as even better than a 15-91, such as the 11W155, and guys have scored these for "a couple hundred bucks." If I can find any old Singer or good clone for $50, am I really just as well off as if I wait for a model machine that someone else has praised?
For the record, I inherited a Singer 301A when my mom passed away and have found that it is fine on fabric but fails on thick webbing. I have heard that this is in part because its needle is slanted rather than upright. So, I assume that I need to be sure to find a machine with a needle perpendicular to the bed. I know that the bobbin mechanism in a 301 is the same as in a Featherweight, so I am guessing that it too is off my list.
I appreciate any help. Thanks.
Hugh