Brother Sewing Machine?

[pturo]

My local Salvatori's (Salvation Army) has a Brother sewing machine for $4.50. I don't sew except to do mending or cuffs.

My 40 year old Sears siezed up.

Is Brother a good machine?

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Modern Brothers are not good machines. I have a very old Brother (made in the 50s I think that is all metal that I love.

That said, for your purposes, it may be just fine. I mean, I wouldn't tell someone who only had a welcome mat to clean to buy a Kirby! It is certainly cheaper than having your old machine fixed... but the old one is sure to have been a better quality machine. Did you oil it regularly?

 

[panthera]

There are outstanding Brothers

and there are ho-hum Brothers.
Personally, I have only had good experiences with them. I suppose it depends on how tied up you are in brand awareness.
For $4.50, you can't go wrong.
In case the manual isn't included with it, be sure to download a copy. Like any machine, they need cleaning and lubing.

 

[aquarius1984]

Not used a brother(note the lower case b lol) since high school in 1997 nor any other sewing machine for that matter,

To say im rusty when using one is a tad untruthful, im postively seized up.

When I got my Hoover Senior 652 I set about making a bag from pink fabric to give it a better restoration than a regular generic brown bag one,

I have the fabric all ready, tailor chalked out, and pressed in the right places but its been like that for 6 months or more now due to my inability to sew with the eyesight I have. Even wearing my glasses (something that gets on my tits at that too. not used to wearing them after 18 years) its impossible to get a good neat stitch,

Well a friend of ours had a Frister and Rossmann sewing machine that he gave to me last month, I think I have it set up but it wont sew! Obviously something I have not done right so Im in a dilemma.... Do I do a college course if there is one to learn properly or does anyone here have any ideas how to set it up and get it working?

Im stumped in diagnoses and terms - all I can say is the thread and needle are in the right places yet its not accepting the fabric readily as I remember them doing at school.

Rob, the sewing machine virgin awaiting in desperation....

Can somebody please save the Hoover????? lol

 

[pturo]

Oil the Machine?

My old Kenmore has sat in a bedroom for 20 years, was I supposed to oil it and clean it?

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

The lady who sold me my antique machine told me to oil it every half hour of use. I think that's also what I told customers back when I sold vacs and sewing machines at Sears, but that was 6 years ago so I don't quite remember!

If the Brother looks like this, it's probably wonderful. If it's plastic, it may not be very good, but for that price and for what you want to use it for, you might as well get it.

You might see if some sewing machine oil will free up the old machine... it sometimes does when they stop moving.

 

[pturo]

I think I will get it. I thank you for your advice.

 

[tolivac]

Older all metal Brother--YES-the other Appliancedville members are right newer "plastic" Brothers not so good.Yes since sewing machines have so many precise moving parts they have to be cleaned and lubed all of the time.the two I have are due.Its amazing how much lint and fuzz collects in them while sewing for a short time.The lint has to be cleaned out-absorbs the lube and the machine has to be lubed with the sewing machine oil.since the sewing oil is so fine-it can also evaporate-you will need to lube the machine if it hasn't been used in a while.Commercial sewing machines actually have an oil pan under them like a car motor-you fill the pan with a few quarts of sewing machine oil and a pump in the machine head pumps the oil to the parts that need it.A sight glass on the top shows the oil being pumped-then looks like a perc type coffee machine.-if the oil isn't pumpted-BAD.the machine was a large straight stitch "Consew"And WOW-is it so FAST!!Was fun to set it up and try it.The
Greenville Vacuum and Sewing had the machine--It was sold to a person that makes drapes.

 

[whirlcool]

Men who sew....

Back in the mid 80's my sister bought us a sewing machine for Christmas one year. Karen was delighted with it! She already knew how to sew. My sister included sewing lessons at the Singer store. So I got to go!
It was a lot of fun! I find sewing very relaxing. Karen will on occasion work on a quilt or drapes and repair clothes with it. I use in only on occasion to repair shirt seams. I once made a set of canvas skip covers for our sofa and my chair in the den. Much easier to clean when the dogs get up on it. I have also made dog beds, and some covers for our appliances with the left over fabric from the furniture covers. After a hundred washings or so those canvas covers are as soft as silk, and I made them over 10 years ago! I also have used my sewing skills on auto upholstery.
I was shocked to see many guys at the Singer store all learning how to sew. I thought I'd be the only one there! But in reality many men sew too.
My sister inherited our Mothers sewing machine. It is a Vigorelli or something similar from the 50's. It's a large green heavy monster. The only person to ever get it to work properly was our Mother. My sister says that it grabs the material and wads it all up at the feed dogs. I tried it once and got the same response from it. Karen tried it and it chewed up her fabric. Maybe it needs a tune up?

 

[launderess]

Oiling Sewing Machines

Not all machines need to be "lubed" often, nor should some machines that states so, be oiled quite so often.

My vintage Pfaff 1200 series only requires a drop of sewing machine oil in the bobbin area, maybe once in a blue moon, otherwise is "self lubricated".

OTHO, my vintage Elna from the 1950's requires detailed and explict oiling, according to the manual before each use and during long periods of use. However when speaking to my sewing machine repairman, he said one could cut down on all that oiling, long as the machine was in frequent use, and or not used heavily for long periods at once. Many vintage Elna owners thoughts on the matter seem to fall along the lines that Elna gave such directions in an era when women would sit down to sew for long stretches of time, and often, much like a commercial seamstress would today.

Too much oiling creates problems with lint, muck and gunk, all of which must be cleaned out eventually.

On The Matter of The Brother Sewing Machine:

For $4 and change, and for the projects required, it should be fine. All one needs for mending and such is a machine that will sew good strong seams, and a straight line.

Many persons purchase high end machines with all sorts of embroidery and fancy stitches, and use nothing but simple basic straight and a few zig-zag sitches.

L.

 

[peterh770]

Vacfreeke,

Is that a 221?

 

[charbee]

Oil that Kenmore!

Kenmore's from the 60s and earlier are probably some of the most reliable machines ever made. That puppy is probably just fine, and needs to be oiled. Char has a very persnickety old Bernina that is just like an old Jaguar as far as needing "work" and having to coddle the machine...I got her this very cool late 60s Kenmore (almost a carbon copy of the one my Mom had when I was a kid), and it's as solid as a rock. As far as HOW to oil it, you can find just about ANY sewing machine owner's/service manual online, or order a printed copy. We got ours from the link below. You can find out the model number very easily from following links off the main page. THere are several other sites for sewing machine info, just google! Enjoy!

http://www.thetreadlersvillage.com/Kenmore68_manual.html

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Peter... I don't know what model it is! Believe it or not! I looked on the machine itself, but didn't find anything. I bought it from a lady in Tampa who restores sewing machines with her husband for 50 bucks. Even came with an alligator trimmed case with the original cellophane still on the handle. I guess I SHOULD know what model my own sewing machine is! Maybe I'll e-mail the lady and find out what it model it... we still trade recipes and things every few months or so... and I let her know if I see a sewing machine I think she'd want and she does the same for me with vacuums.

 

[danemodsandy]

Another Good Machine:

If you're looking for a very good machine at a low cost, keep your eyes peeled for a Singer Athena 2000. This was the first electronic sewing machine, introduced in 1975. They were unbelievably expensive new, $1200 (equal to more than $4500 today). But now they're very cheap; I just picked one up at Goodwill for $20, complete with the attachments, foot pedal control and manual (they do go for more on eBay, but then doesn't everything?). They don't require owner lubrication, though they do need periodic servicing by a tech, at which time the tech does any needed lube work. They are free-arm machines; a free arm makes working on cuffs much easier than it is on a standard flat-bed machine. The straight stitch on an Athena 2000 is one of the most beautifully even I've ever seen. I prize them for upholstery work, where some topstitching is often required; the topstitching turns out looking absolutely professional. Also, the other stitches on the machine are very useful for repairing garments; there's even a pine-leaf stitch that can replace unravelled serging. The Athena 2000 was later renamed the Touch-Tronic 2000; the machines are identical except for the name. Highly recommended.

And yes, folks - guys do sew!