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What are some tips for buying a sewing machine and what is a good price for an old Kenmore 43 sewing machine?
I have decided to take up sewing and found a good price on an older Kenmore Model 43 sewing machine. It includes a carry case with handle, a manual, a foot pedal and cord, bobbins with thread, needles, and zipper foot. I do not really know much about sewing machines and have been unable to find a copy of the manual online. The seller says that it is in "Excellent working condition" but what are some tips on purchasing a machine? What should I look for? What should I ask about? Is this machine "Too specialized" for a beginner? Here are some photos of the machine below:
http://images.craigslist.org/1191f21g43nf3k53mb8ck67cd33fe2d41120f.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/1f512c1g93ne3kb3p48ck165eb64216ea187e.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/1f71281483n73o03ld8ckb0b713e6621d1faa.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/1f31421ga3n83md3p68ck5cef342723051216.jpg
I have a basic machine that I bought in the early 90's. It's a Brother. It has been doing very well for me. The only issue I have had with this cheap machine is that when I sew metallic knit dance costume material, it skips stitches. Now some ladies I was chatting with at the fabric store kinda bragged that their expensive Pfaff or Bernina machines wouldn't do that & I don't know if that is true or not. But all the other fabrics I have done very well with this basic machine. I sew doll clothes to sell & do use some exotic fabrics sometimes. So if you get some yahoo answers pushing an expensive machine, you don't NEED that. Those machines are hobbyist splurges in my opinion or for professionals.
The machine you are looking at looks very different to me - but sewing machines all basically work the same, so I would think this one would be fine. You want the machine to be able to do zigzag, for sure (and almost all machines do - this one is old enough that you may want to email the person and ask, though). The thread on the bobbins may be old - what you do is pull on it, and if it breaks easily, throw it away. It doesn't look specialized to me - I think this is probably a basic machine. But as I said, it is a little strange looking to me. All I've used is a late 1940's machine, then skipped to the mid 70's.
If you get it, make sure you oil it with light sewing machine oil, since it may have been sitting around a long time with the oil getting gummy. I was cheap and used 3 in 1 oil for a long time & my machine was noisy. So I tried sewing machine oil & it is much better.
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