Good used sewing machine suggestions?

[sdkevin]

.. not very gun related, I know, but I figured this would get the best coverage here.

First time bachelor machine sewer here - I considered this a couple of years back but now it really irritates me that I can't do just simple work. Mom and Grandma spent plenty of time behind a machine so I have a fair idea of what to expect.

It would be nice to stay in the $100 range, I suspect I'll spend a quick $50 replacing busted needles..

Bernina is too nice for my range, so it comes down to Singer and Brother.

I expect to have to tackle everyday clothing, some medium field clothing repairs and a few camping repairs.

Thanks for any help!

[movie zombie]

find a good local sewing machine shop.
yes, they still exist.
go in and talk to them, see what they've got, and what they have to say.
I never liked my Singer.
Costco was carrying a Brother machine at one point...just looked and they've got several at their website.
not sure where you'e located but i'd look at craigslist as well....SFBay Area has a lot listed.
also, i'm guessing you don't need anything more than the basics for now.
don't be afraid of an older machine.
you might also call a fabric store as someone there may be upgrading their machine and be glad to have someone buy their old one.
good luck! and good for you!

[M1NM]

find a good local sewing machine shop.
yes, they still exist.
go in and talk to them, see what they've got, and what they have to say.
I never liked my Singer.
Costco was carrying a Brother machine at one point...just looked and they've got several at their website.
not sure where you'e located but i'd look at craigslist as well....SFBay Area has a lot listed.
also, i'm guessing you don't need anything more than the basics for now.
don't be afraid of an older machine.
you might also call a fabric store as someone there may be upgrading their machine and be glad to have someone buy their old one.
good luck! and good for you!

Older is probably better quality. Most people don't sew enough to wear out a good machine.

[sdkevin]

Thanks MZ, I've spent the past several hours looking at these and I feel like I just stepped onto some alien planet...

I'm just south of San Diego and found a Brother LS-2125i complete with manual, box and all parts - used a few times in four years. Problem is I found that same rig, new on Amazon for just $9 more, about what it would cost me in gas to go pickup the local.

I will call some of the shops to see what they have and pick their brains, excellent advice!

I'm guessing I won't be needing any computerized stitch patterns and I'm concerned about buying a machine that will be underpowered. Foot attachments, basically clueless... much learning to do.

[fredridge]

As has been said a local sewing machine shop.

I wanted an older one also and just picked up an older Singer heavy duty model from my local shop for $100. It was a gift for my wife.

I went older and heavy duty to get metal gears.

[movie zombie]

no, you do not need the fancy-dancy stitch patterns.
you do want one with a good foot mechanism that will do thick seams should you decide to work with thicker fabric like denim.
button holer might be nice........you want to be able to do zippers.
you might even consider signing up for a class or two or three at sewing center and/or community center.
stay simple until you learn what it is you're really going to be doing and what you really want a machine for.
and as always it would be good to have a report re your progress and what you end up with!

[Zorba]

This is the advice I received when I was asking similar questions:

As others say, go to a local Sewing Machine store, and buy an older, ALL METAL machine that can Zig-Zag. A Singer, a Kenmore, a Montgomery Ward, a Penncrest, a White, even an older Brother.

Do not buy a $100 plastic "Singer" from Mall-Wart, and I've heard modern Brothers are even worse.

I bought a 1976 White 690, and it has served me very well.

Beware though: Sewing machines can be addicting, I now collect old ones, and do repairs for other people - a dance brother brought his old Kenmore over to me just last nite. He's owned it since new, and I suspect nothing's ever been done to it so I'll disassemble and clean, then oil everything in sight and there's a 99% chance that it will sew like a champ after all that.

[pottymouth310]

Perfect timing! I'm looking for one for my wife too, hers broke & she always wanted a new one. Bernina are nice but way out of my price range & I heard to stay away from singer & brother. any recommendation in the Los Angeles area?

[Dubious_Beans]

Heh. Old machines.
My mom has 1930's "New Home" machine that looks just like the one in this photo. Her dad bought it for her when she was in high school (1950's) It was a used machine when she got it.
Mom loves to sew and she's probably put a million hours on that machine. There's a good chance she's using it right now while I'm typing this.

I put a few drops of oil in it every couple of years. (it's overdue.. I should go do that for her next week)
About 10 years ago the rubber drive roller on the motor finally got worn down so bad it wouldn't work anymore. I was able to remove the old rubber from the metal body and press a short piece of 1" rubber hydraulic hose on as a replacement. Works great.

Anyway... 80 year old machine that's been heavily used and it still works great. Mom refuses to trade it for anything fancier. I don't blame her. All metal, no plastics, no frills, made to last a lifetime.

[Dubious_Beans]

Ooohhh... sorry about the huge photo. I didn't look that big until I posted it here. :/

[movie zombie]

......Beware though: Sewing machines can be addicting, I now collect old ones, and do repairs for other people - a dance brother brought his old Kenmore over to me just last nite. He's owned it since new, and I suspect nothing's ever been done to it so I'll disassemble and clean, then oil everything in sight and there's a 99% chance that it will sew like a champ after all that.

dang, I wish i'd known this! my mother got rid of my grandmother's treadle machine last year......

[Off the Roster]

Ooohhh... sorry about the huge photo. I didn't look that big until I posted it here. :/

You know its good when the furniture is build AROUND the machine. CL usually has older machines as well - if ye old sewing machine repair shop does not have anything that suits you then ask them for a quick tutorial on what you should look for/avoid when making a novice purchase of an older machine. Sewing machine shops are often tied to vacuum shops - both offer small motors for those with the tinkering gene.

[sdkevin]

Considering a Brother was a poor choice, back to Singer and whoda thunk.. Kenmore.

Talked with Brother and Singer repair shops this morning, the Brother shop was useless and the Singer ol' timer knew his stuff!

My hunt is on for a Singer 600 series with 600E being the multi-stitch, or a Kenmore #158.xxxxx in a 10 thru 16 stitch. All with metal cams and close to my price range!!

Knowing what I know now, my price range is a little more flexible.

Thanks everyone!

[glockman19]

My great grandfather was a tailor.

I learned on my grandmothers 1900's Singer pedle sewing machine.



Now have mom's older 1960's era Singer.




IMHO, an older machine is better made, and they still make all the replacement parts.

Joanne Fabrics has everything you will need. friendly, knowledgeable, employees, and all the material and thread you could imagine. including patterns.
Sewing isn't just for women. Men should know how to sew too.
It's been years since I've sewn an outfit, shirt, pant, jacket...most of my sewing today is hemming and repair that is more quickly done by hand.
It is a good skill to know.
It gets technical too, You need to know your stiches:

Machine stitches:
Chain stitch
Lock stitch
Straight stitch
Zigzag stitch
Stretch stitch
Overlock
Cover stitch
Running stitch
Back stitch
Satin stitch
Outline stitch

Hand stitches:
backstitch - a sturdy hand stitch for seams and decoration
basting stitch (or tacking) - for reinforcement
blanket stitch - used to finish an unhemmed blanket
blind stitch (or hemstitch) - a type of slip stitch used for inconspicuous hems
buttonhole stitch - for reinforcing buttonholes and preventing cut fabric from raveling
chain stitch - hand or machine stitch for seams or decoration
cross-stitch - usually used for decoration, but may also be used for seams
catch stitch (also 'flat' & 'blind' -catch stitch)
cross-stitch tack
darning stitch - for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting
embroidery stitch - one or more stitches forming a figure of recognizable look
hemming stitch
overcast stitch
pad stitch - secures two or more layers of fabric together and provide firmness
pick stitch - a hand stitch that catches only a few threads on the wrong side of the fabric, difficult to produce nicely so typically used for hemming high quality garments
running stitch - a hand stitch for seams and gathering
sailmakers stitch[zoo stitching]
slip stitch - a hand stitch for fastening two pieces of fabric together from the right side without the thread showing
tent stitch - diagonal embroidery stitch at a 45-degree angle
topstitch - used on garment edges such as necklines and hems, helps facings stay in place and gives a crisp edge
whipstitch - for protecting edges

Oh...and in High School it was a great way to meet girls, (Home Ec.).

[sdkevin]

Thank you much Glock! You have made a very good point why at least a 10 stitch machine is in order.

I've pasted those stitches to my learning curve.

Good info, thanks.