Should I have bought it?

Its undoubtedly gone...but I the other day I saw an old Mongomery Ward
sewing machine. The old heavy metal body. It MAY have been a converted
treadle machine. There was a thigh bar for adjusting the speed, and it
was one of the ones built into a cabinet and I believe the machine
lowered into the case...it was marked $25. Should I have bought it? If
its still there should I buy it? It also had a box of accessories with
it...small box..about 4"x6"x2"...

FtForger wrote:
Its undoubtedly gone...but I the other day I saw an old Mongomery Ward
sewing machine. The old heavy metal body. It MAY have been a converted
treadle machine. There was a thigh bar for adjusting the speed, and it
was one of the ones built into a cabinet and I believe the machine
lowered into the case...it was marked $25. Should I have bought it? If
its still there should I buy it? It also had a box of accessories with
it...small box..about 4"x6"x2"...

Speaking just for myself, I would pass on it. The old Montgomery Ward
(and Sears) machines were badged machines, usually made by White. They
probably still sew well but they are driven by a friction wheel rather
than a belt, and the system develops a "flat spot" that is very
irritating. They take a different attachment type, too.

Others may disagree, and have good reasons.
--

Joanne @ stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us
http://bernardschopen.tripod.com/
Life is about the journey, not about the destination.

"Pogonip" wrote
Speaking just for myself, I would pass on it. The old Montgomery Ward
(and Sears) machines were badged machines, usually made by White.

I don't know anything about old MW or Sears machines but wanted to jump in
to support old White machines. I have one from the early 70's (a model 930)
which is a FABULOUS machine! White used to make top of the line machines
before they were bought out by someone else (I've lost track of who bought
who...) and the brand is now used to make cheap, junky machines. Maybe the
old MW and Sears machines weren't TOL? Or maybe some models are better than
others??? I just know that my vintage White holds it's own with my vintage
Pfaffs!

-:¦:-
·.·´¨ ¨))
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
..·´ Chris
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸
·.·


Washington State, USA

"Chris Underwood" wrote:

"Pogonip" wrote
Speaking just for myself, I would pass on it. The old Montgomery Ward
(and Sears) machines were badged machines, usually made by White.

I don't know anything about old MW or Sears machines but wanted to jump in
to support old White machines. I have one from the early 70's (a model 930)
which is a FABULOUS machine! White used to make top of the line machines
before they were bought out by someone else (I've lost track of who bought
who...) and the brand is now used to make cheap, junky machines.

That depends, I think. The White's you can get at sewing machine
shops are pretty good. Inexpensive starter machines, to be sure, but
not cheap junk. If you buy one from Hancock/Joann/WalMart/Target,
it's probably not going to be as good.

I remember that in the 70's my mom was on the hunt for a new SM. She
tried a White, and it was a piece of junk (bought it at Sears, iirc).
She replaced it a couple of years later with a White from a sewing
machine shop, and used that one for over 20 years. (She's got a
mid-line Viking now, and is happy with it.)

Speaking from personal experience, I have a White that I bought from a
sewing machine shop, and it's quite nice. I don't use it all the
time, but that's because my MIL gave me her old Viking #1. There are
things that the White does better than the Viking, so I keep it
around.
--
Jenn Ridley :

Chris Underwood wrote:
"Pogonip" wrote

Speaking just for myself, I would pass on it. The old Montgomery Ward
(and Sears) machines were badged machines, usually made by White.


I don't know anything about old MW or Sears machines but wanted to jump in
to support old White machines. I have one from the early 70's (a model 930)
which is a FABULOUS machine! White used to make top of the line machines
before they were bought out by someone else (I've lost track of who bought
who...) and the brand is now used to make cheap, junky machines. Maybe the
old MW and Sears machines weren't TOL? Or maybe some models are better than
others??? I just know that my vintage White holds it's own with my vintage
Pfaffs!

The really old Whites - the Family Rotary, for instance - are great
machines. My grandmother bought a new one in a treadle in 1919 and my
cousin has it - it's still going strong. I don't like the way they did
the added on motor with the friction drive. You also need to be aware
that they have bottom-fastening attachments and there are a lot of those
for other machines that don't fit the White. I have three White Family
Rotaries. One is the rough finish, one has the embossed finish, and one
has the colorful decals. I also have a Kenmore badged White that is all
angles - very "modern" when it was sold.

The Montgomery Ward badged Whites that I have seen are huge, heavy
machines with the rough finish ("godzilla") and have solid handwheels
and the friction drive. I much prefer my embossed White or my decaled
one.

It really depends on what you want. If you like it, if the price is
"right" - and if you don't have the notion that you can only have one
machine, then go for it.

--

Joanne @ stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us
http://bernardschopen.tripod.com/
Life is about the journey, not about the destination.