Have done shirts on my Ironrite 890 Portable
So must say providing one knows what one is doing (again, not Jon's example above, *LOL*) doing up shirts on an Ironrite is rather simple and gives good results.
The thing truly is or was designed to iron many things including shirts very well. In fact for my small 890 the shoe is just about the width of back man's shirt. So doing up to the yoke is rather simple. If things are done correctly any pleats are correctly aligned and done as well.
@Louis; No, Pfaff does not make ironers anymore, at least don't think so. Cannot figure out if the Singer/Pfaff 560 is or is not still in production. Again Pfaff has been sold and bought so many times over the years between German, Asian then back to German and then Asian who knows...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pfaff
Do know those who love Pfaff sewing machines could have sat down and cried when Pfaff Germany was sold to Asia. From what one understands large refuse bins were brought on site to factories/plants/offices in Europe where parts, manuals, etc... everything was simply thrown away to go to crusher. Some Pfaff workers did what they could to save things but so much was simply destroyed.
This is one of the mains reasons why parts for many older Pfaff sewing machines (such as the 1200, 1400, 1300 etc....) machines are very difficult to find. Other than what some repair servicemen or others had in their own supply that pretty much was that. Many who love their early model electronic Pfaff machines such as the 1400 series find they are out of luck should a main part such as the motherboard go; there just aren't NOS replacements to be found.
Ironers, now that is a different story. All over Europe you only have to plug into eBay, CL or similar places and find scores if not hundreds of ironers from all vintages. Not so much perhaps in the UK, but Germany, France, Sweden, etc... are happy hunting grounds. In fact am almost certain the company linked above (Mangelwaren) travels around Germany/Europe and purchases ironers to clean up, mark up and sell on.
Thing to remember about ironers sold in the USA today and probably elsewhere for domestic use is that like hand irons their soleplate temperatures are lower than in past.
According to the service manual for my vintage Frigidaire the maximum setting (Linen) should cause the ironer shoe to reach >500F. In contrast reading through the service/technical guide for Miele 890 they only reach around lower to middle 400F.
Now depending upon how much or what one irons this difference in maximum temperatures may not mean anything. However linen fabric in particular heavy weights requires and can take high heat. It can be difficult to do up linen properly otherwise.
Thing about Germany and some other parts of Europe is the ability to get 400v electrical service in one's home with no bother. That opens up a world of laundry equipment possibilities. From Miele professional washing machines to this ironer:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/ELECTROLUX-W...-gasbeheizt-/321833094829?hash=item4aeebf4ead
