Good used sewing machine suggestions?

[Sunflowerz]

Read this whole thread from start to finish and you'll know what to do.

Don't look for a quick fix by taking one guy's opinion. That's like buying a particular handgun because some guy at the range had one that looked cool.

If you want to know if a given machine is strong enough to sew a given material, go to JoAnn's Fabric and ask the nice lady in the sewing machine department. She'll know.

My local Joann Fabrics store sewing machine dept. sells only new machines, It has been my experience that they know nothing about vintage machines and what they can or can't do.

I do agree that doing a lot of research can be helpful and help with decision making.

[BonnieB]

If you want to find out what a particular machine will/won't do, go to JoAnne's. If they can't tell you, go to a sewing machine repair shop, if you can find one, and ask them.

(BTW, "peeps" ? Really?)

[leadstorm]

$100 and "good" don't typically belong in the same sentence when it comes to sewing machines unless you got a rare deal on a used high-end machine. That's not meant to be snobbery, it's just my experience.

Background:
My parents ran a quilting and sewing store for 30 years, and my Dad and I were the service department while I was in high school and college (and Dad continued until retirement). We performed maintenance and repairs to all brands, and had formal training via Bernina.

If I were to offer advice for the used market, I'd point the occasional user who wants a robust machine towards an older mechanical Bernina (models include 830 Record, 1020, etc.). Those would not only be among the least likely machines to break, they also have good accessory selection, power, features, control, and will hold critical adjustments (like hook/needle clearance and tension) much better than older mechanical Singers/Kenmores/whites.

Used older Husky/Vikings and Pfaff are also decent, but they lack the support and accessory market and parts can be hard or impossible to find.

Change them out frequently.

Great advice here. For some reason people (generally speaking) don't treat needles as the consumable item that they are. They not only dull, they also bend. Also, use the correct needle for the application (there are many different types).

Thread tension is something that is adjustable, and it is done for different types of sewing. That is why the thread tension dial goes from 0-9 on most machines and also there is a thread tension adjustment on the bobbin case.

Tension is the single most frequent issue in the repair business, by far. Don't be afraid to adjust top tension according to use, but bottom (bobbin) tension is not meant to be adjusted by the typical user. That's simply because calibrated tools are meant to be used to set bobbin tension - they're not tough to use, they just aren't commonly available. Cheaper machines will simply not hold a tension adjustment as well as higher-end machines.

Thread also plays a significant role with tension. Coats & Clark (which is widely available) has inconsistent diameter, and also has coatings which deposit between tension discs - these two things wreak havoc with tension settings. Threads like Mettler have significantly better consistency and do not leave deposits.