Sewing machine, does it make sense to buy used?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would buy a new or used one from the last 4 years or so.

Think of it like a car. A 25 year old car does not have the features of a new car so therefore harder and not as fun to use.

The key to sewing is practice. If it's hard to use they won't use it as much and then it will collect dust. Plus they will likely use youtube a lot to learn and not many tutorials are on old machines.

I sew with a 25+ year old machine because I learned how on that machine. I bet a newer one would be easier to thread! lol

It is not at all like buying a car.

The old ones, even used, are quite superior to the new ones, mechanically and structurally. They are sturdier, simpler and more reliable. Very few sewers need the majority of stitches on the newer machines, and they don't need the computer stuff unless they are doing digital embroidery.

The new ones are poorly constructed, have cheap plastic parts in stress points, and require more maintenance. The threading mechanism is completely inaccessible unless you take the machine apart. The auto tension feature is NOT helpful (manually adjusting tension is far superior The drop in bobbins are plastic, and the mechanism to fix tangles or adjust bobbin tension is completely inaccessible. With the old models, the bobbin casing is metal and very simple to take apart to clean, adjust, fix tangles, or replace parts.

A better analogy would be washing machines.

The old sewing machines are like your grandma's 50 year old baby poo colored Maytag that is no frills but has never needed maintenance except maybe opening the back and DIYing a belt replacement every decade or so for $20.00, works like a dream, and cleans everything,

VS

The new sewing machines are like your expensive front loading energy efficient washer that looks and sounds pretty, but stinks if you don't take it apart and clean the seals regularly, doesn't a actually clean, leaves behind stains and smells on the clothing, requires an expensive repairman to deal with any issues, and when the mother board breaks, the repair costs twice as much as the cost of the machine so it's better to throw it out and get a new one.

[Anonymous]

My thoughts exactly! I am using the sewing machine that was my mother's sweet 16 present (my mom is in her 80s). It works great. The new machines are garbage

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let your teen do what they want with this. This is so weird and controlling. If it doesn't work out, it's for a hobby. Just set a limit on when you are available to drive them and how far you're willing to drive. They pay for it any any repairs themselves.

I am ok paying for it. What I don’t want to waste is time. But I guess it’s inevitable.
I told him he should find one he likes and I’ll drive him. I guess it’s like one more practice or outing with friends. I’ll have to resign to it.

[Anonymous]

Ok thank you everyone, I have two ppl I know who are giving away sewing machines so I’ll take them up on it first.
If it doesn’t work out I’ll ask DS to show me which one he wants to buy and I’ll drive and pay but he’ll have to test out the machine. I hope we don’t get scammed lol.
-OP

[Anonymous]

I hope it works out well for you and your son. Honestly the vintage sewing machine people are one of the most wholesome communities on Facebook. They help people restore their machines all of the time.

There are lots of youtube videos available about servicing too. If your son wants to sew heavier fabrics like denim then you might really need an older machine as they tend to be a bit more heavy duty.

I also have my grandmothers 1940s Singer and it still works like a dream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok thank you everyone, I have two ppl I know who are giving away sewing machines so I’ll take them up on it first.
If it doesn’t work out I’ll ask DS to show me which one he wants to buy and I’ll drive and pay but he’ll have to test out the machine. I hope we don’t get scammed lol.
-OP

Since you won't be paying much, you aren't likely to be scammed. You can get an older Kenmore in decent shape for so little that you'll think you stole it and a lot of them are really good machines. Or if you /your son are handy, the old straight stitch machines are super easy to maintain, so you could go that way and get an attachment for zig zag and a buttonhole attachment which would allow you to do most basic sewing tasks. Just stick with the more common models, Singer 15, 66, 99,.201 and the like so that you'll nerve have trouble finding accessories and instructional videos. Also, don't pay too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just say, "you make some good points. I'm willing to pay $200 and will drive you within a ten mile radius to get it. Show me the used ones you're interested in."

Make him do most of the work.

This

It's likely a new $200 sewing machine will be crap that will break in 6 months.

[Anonymous]

What kind of sewing is he interested in?

Fashion?

Cosplay costumes?

Sewing upholstery for his truck or boat?

Quilting?

Leather goods?


All of these can be done well with a basic older sewing machine.

If it is for cosplay, he will likely be working with spandex and knit based fabrics, plus metallic and plastic coated fabrics. If he is working with knits or metallic fabrics, he needs to make sure he gets the correct needles, or it wont matter how nice or junky his machine is. The wrong needle for the fabric is often the main reason why people think their sewing machine is junk or broken. Ballpoint for anything knit or stretchy, and a tiny drop of silicone sewers aide oil on the needle for metallic fabrics.

[Anonymous]

Take the used machine in to get it serviced and cleaned up. That will help ensure success.

[Anonymous]

I did some research and Janome Arctic Crystsl easy sew anf Singer M1500 are under $150 and good enough with a warranty.

[Anonymous]

I was given an early computerized Bernina and then gave away a metal Kenmore. I miss that machine so much.

Rarely use those fake embroidery stitches.

Note for budgeting: I paid around $130 the last several times I had various machines serviced.

It hard to be lucky with timing, but people give away goodsewing machines regularly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did some research and Janome Arctic Crystsl easy sew anf Singer M1500 are under $150 and good enough with a warranty.

You will be throwing away money if you buy ine of those new.

[Anonymous]

I’m glad this thread came up.
I have a Janome I bought many years ago probably late 90s. Used infrequently but was nice to have when the kids wanted a special Halloween costume or small project.
I got it out to stitch the hem of some pants and realized it wasn’t working well and needs service. The closest place I found that serviced sewing machines is more than 30 minutes away so for a hot minute I thought about buying a new machine, but realized that while there might be cheap machines on Amazon, they are garbage. My Janome is a solid build with metal parts. This thread confirmed it is best that I suck it up and bring it in for service and not buy a new one.

[Anonymous]

My mother has 9 machines, mostly pre-1980s. The workhorses were the singers circa 1960s and older. Solidly made of metal and easy to get in there for maintenance.
Her first machine was a plastic Bernina. It was OK but quickly supplanted by the Singers.
The next are the Jukis with a motor the size of a small domestic farm animal. Could see thru several layers denim.
The baby locks had to be plastic made because they were a late 80s machine concept. Constantly maintenance problems with those.

[Anonymous]

Craigslist has decent machines locally. There are also abandoned machines at sew and vac repair shops too. You will find older rock solid models via these venues.