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From: mesew
Date: 04-05-2006, 10:26 PM (1 of 11)
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Hello, There is a local Salivation Army that has about 20 second hand machines. I`ve tried a few and they all worked. I need some advice on picking one. They are all about $30 and range from a beautiful green/chrome vintage Brother (which I wanted to buy just to look at), Kenmore 1581720, Singer, White, to a Necchi Supernova Ultra. I`ve read that the Supernova is a good machine for thick fabrics, which is what I would be using it for primarily. From hemming jeans, to re-apolstering chairs and fixing sports gear (cordura, thin leather and neoprene). Most machines are from the 60s and older, so if there are some classic models to look for, I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you, |
User: mesew
Member since: 04-05-2006 Total posts: 2 |
From: soverysewey
Date: 04-06-2006, 01:22 AM (2 of 11)
I love old Pfaffs and old Necchis. I'd go for the Necchi if it were me.  But it's not me..you have to buy what you like the most! The old Brother is probably just about as good,if not as good, as the old Necchi..although a super nova..I don't know!!LOL...most of those old metal machines were good for heavier stuff.For $30 you can hardly go wrong if it works. Do any of them have attachments and manuals?
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User: soverysewey
Member since: 12-19-2003 Total posts: 56 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-06-2006, 07:53 AM (3 of 11)
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I had this Kenmore (made by White). It was a wonderful machine. (Sears broke it.) Anyway, I've seen it listed with a lot of model numbers. If this happens to be the machine that is for sale, it is a great machine. It takes cams to do fancy stitches and is mechanical. http://cgi.ebay.com/Kenmore-1803-Sewing-Machine-attachments-and-cabinet_W0QQitemZ8274203063QQcategoryZ41250QQrdZ1Q QcmdZViewItem A few years after my husband bought mine (1974), Sears changed the company that was making their machines to Janome and at the time I don't think they were nearly as good but they had a lot of built in features. Those old Whites were very good machines. The Janome machines were rounded and modern looking. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: mesew
Date: 04-06-2006, 11:23 AM (4 of 11)
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The Kenmore look like that one, but I didn't know to look for cams. The Necchi is a Supernova Ultra. I didn't see any accessories for any of the machines, although the brother had an extra foot and rubber belt. I can't remember if the Necchi did a zigzag stitch. This would be important for repairing neoprene. I'm going to have another look today and get names and model numbers. Thank you for you help. |
User: mesew
Member since: 04-05-2006 Total posts: 2 |
From: soverysewey
Date: 04-07-2006, 09:23 PM (5 of 11)
| Well..what did you find out? I love old machines and can't wait to see what you get!! |
User: soverysewey
Member since: 12-19-2003 Total posts: 56 |
From: wghmch
Date: 04-07-2006, 09:56 PM (6 of 11)
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"I had this Kenmore (made by White). It was a wonderful machine. (Sears broke it.) Anyway, I've seen it listed with a lot of model numbers. If this happens to be the machine that is for sale, it is a great machine. It takes cams to do fancy stitches and is mechanical. http://cgi.ebay.com/Kenmore-1803-Se... QcmdZViewItem" Hi Pam, This wasn't a White. White never made a ZZ machine. In their last years of mfgring they purchased two models from Gritzner-Kaiser in Germany to sell to Sears in order to try to keep their contract, but it did not work. Sears dropped White and started using Japanese mfgrs, which is what yours was/is. In this particular case, it would have been a 158.1803, which tells us that it was made by Maruzen, which has evolved into Jaguar today. If it had been built by or distributed by White, the source # would have been 117. Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-08-2006, 12:32 AM (7 of 11)
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Oh, really, I had been told it was a White. At any rate, it was one of the best machines that I've ever used. I would have started sewing professionally on that machine if it had not been broken...I don't think I would have ever given it up. As a matter of fact, I still have all the attachments and still prowl for one. At the time it still had about 14 years left on its 30 year warranty but they broke the take up lever on the inside of the machine. I had it cold welded by an independant machine dealer but it had effected the tension disks and they wouldn't hold anymore. At the time I searched all over for a replacement machine but they just weren't out there. Now, with E-bay you can find them pretty regularly. Also, since they are so old, many people are dying and they are showing up in estate sales and the like. Does Jaguar still make machines of that caliber and are they for home use or are they commercial? My machine was bought in March, 1974 as a gift from my husband. I don't know if they continued to carry a model similar or not, but the TOL that replaced mine was not made by the same company. They looked like the Janome machines. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: woodywoodpecker
Date: 04-08-2006, 12:39 AM (8 of 11)
| I have a kenmore as well and the s/n starts with 158. It came with a box of cams that fit in the top of the machine, a momgrammer(in a box) and another box with the buttonhole attatchments and extra feet ect. I'm pretty sure that you can still order these from Sears (or ay least we can in canada) as I have done so. Also had an adapter made for my machine so I can use snap-on feet which might be another thing to think about on these old machines. |
User: woodywoodpecker
Member since: 11-07-2003 Total posts: 242 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-08-2006, 12:44 AM (9 of 11)
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There were/are 4 boxes that came with the machine. I don't know if my dh bought any optional boxes or not. There was a pack of cams in one, a monogrammer in another, a buttonholer in another, and I don't remember the last, I think it was more feet and accessories. I can't get to them right now so I can't check to see what is in it. This particular machine's cams and monogram parts were all an odd pale (almost army) green color. At least one of the cases had a pack of cards or something in an envelope that fit in the lid (not the manual). Some of the cams were one tier deep, some were more complicated and they had two tiers.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: CodyGramma
Date: 04-08-2006, 07:02 AM (10 of 11)
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I have a Sears Kenmore 158.17200 that has the design cams...I have owned it since 1975 and bought it brand new....I still use it. I love it and wouldn't part with it for the world....DH bought me a brand new Sears Kenmore machine about 10 years ago and at first I was hesitant to use it but I do now...and just recently I purchased another older model (1304) Sears Kenmore off from Ebay. I can only assume this one is older than my other one because it weighs alot more. I made my kids alot of clothes with that older Kenmore but now I seldom sew garments but when I do I use the newer one as it has the open arm. Nowadays, I mostly sew quilts and I use the newer machine for all my piecing and use the older model machine for machine quilting. I have yet to use the one from Ebay but I am hoping to set things up so I have one for piecing, one for straight machine quilting and one for free motion quilting. |
User: CodyGramma
Member since: 04-22-2005 Total posts: 133 
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From: wghmch
Date: 04-08-2006, 10:28 AM (11 of 11)
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Sears has used many SM suppliers over the years. Off hand, the source #s (preceding the model #) that I know are 117=White; 120=New Process Gear; 158=Maruzen (later Jaguar); & 385=Janome. Jaguar makes decent machines today as well as some garbage, but none of them intend for their machines to last as in the "old days." Almost all of the early White labeled Sergers were Jaguars. On those (Maruzen) Kenmore front loaders that used a clamp to turn/oscillate the shaft that drove the shuttle, (like the one you pictured) they had a bad habit of the clamp turning on the shaft and going out of time. On the early versions, it was a simple procedure to just loosen the clamp and turn the shuttle back into time in ten seconds, but on the later versions, Sears had Maruzen redesign the clamp with the head of the bolt recessed in a hole, and used a special bolt with a five sided head. These are virtually impossible to re-time without the special nut-driver that only Sears has, and will not sell to you unless you "know someone" within. Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
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