Just sharing this for the sake of sharing.
I have a Consew 206RB-1 which I use for my upholstery work. I love my Consew and can't imagine life without it. However, I have a thing for vintage sewing machines. Who knows why. LOL. About a month ago I picked up a vintage Necchi Supernova at the local Goodwill. It was in the original case and had nearly all of the original attachments. I couldn't resist. And it was only $30.
I had a pillow job coming up so I thought I'd give the Necchi a spin. I was making the pillows out of a fairly heavy linen look fabric. I put a size 18 needle in the Necchi and heavy polyester thread. To my surprise the Necchi sewed the fabric beautifully and the pillows turned out great. Pillows with cording you're talking 4 layers. Quite impressed with the little machine. Of course I'm not going to retire the Consew just yet...
I biught. Sincer 111 used 20 years ago. I dont know how old it was bAck them. Ut i love ot it. I have a crel cor it. I vot s new juki 20'years ago its sti running creat but i dont use it i necer like the feel compared fo my singer. Ive cot a used spare singer head also just in case
Another sewing machine junkie here!
I have two really vintage White Rotaries and they are marvelous machines. I have the full compliment of attachments, the original owner's manuals and while they're pokey compared to commercial machinery they perform reliably and are sometimes just exactly what's called for. The elder of the two is over 100 yrs. old. The other is the "anniversary" model of the first one.
I am all about using technology to make my business work more smoothly. But there were many, many very fine machines produced for "home" use. Whenever someone asks me what machine to purchase for their entree into sewing I always suggest a trip to the thrift store or a yard sale. If you find a machine with all the attachments and the owner's manual it's a pretty good bet it'll perform reliably after a good cleaning and oiling. Aside from the invention of the rotary hook and some changes in motors they operate the same way they did 100 yrs. ago.
I refer people to the thrift stores as well. There's nothing like those old all-metal machines. I refuse to sew on one of the new plastic ones.
I have a small vintage machine collection. I thinned it out once and wished I hadn't. I have three Singer slant needles, a Pfaff 130, the Supernova and an old Singer that doesn't even have a model number. Most of them I paid little to nothing for. In the past I've even rescued a couple from the garbage bin.
You're right Bobbin, the can be "pokey" but if I'm making drapes or pillows I don't always want to use my walking foot.
Glad to meet another junkie!