SlantZone

I found this bare machine & case on Ebay, without cams or foot controller, but it looked good to me for not much money. In excellent order cosmetically & the only problem I found mechanically was the solid hand-wheel/clutch. Normal/not unexpected for these machines that don't have a lot of use, or stored unused for a period. Stitched OK on ZZ & straight stitch out of the box, & so I freed the hand-wheel with some difficulty. Trouble was I moved the timing in the process. Applying too much rotational force to free it! Lesson learned, but I'm sure it'll be fine when I investigate & fix the timing. Looking inside it is clear that it has had minimal use. It runs at a surprisingly fast speed with its replacement foot controller & I also found a set of cams/accessories for it that appear to be correct. I will find out more when I sort the timing: ) The Supernova Ultra has some interesting spec for a 1958 machine. Like a drop down magnifier to see the built...

Setting up my winter projects here & found this Necchi 535, with its cams & manual, for what I thought was a very reasonable price, & it arrived this morning. Ebay pic here, so don't blame me for the poor quality/low res pic: ) It shows all you need before you 'take a chance'? Did for me. But the machine arrived as the best packed VSM I ever received by Courier, & it is in fine order all round. It does have some sticky/stuck controls, but that is normal on a Necchi of the period that has not been used regularly. The hand-wheel/clutch is free & that is a bonus. (Both my other two Necchis had frozen handwheel/clutch) It is a one owner machine, bought by a lady new around 1965 in Nairobi, Kenya! She has looked after it very, very well over the years & here we are; ) This 525 model appears to be few & far between in UK & searching online for a Manual or a machine brought up nothing much. One example. I do have the Manual with the machine luckily,...

A new arrival at the weekend & Necchi is also new to me. I considered buying one for a while, to see what they are all about! Having a couple of Berninas & Elnas & being impressed by both, a Necchi seemed a logical next step. Necchi made many different models so how to choose? I chose this one because it was local, no chancy shipping: ) It is single stitch & ZZ only since I heard tales of problems with certain machines using cams & I have other machines with cams. Keeps the machine simpler too. Looks to be late 50s early 60s which is my preferred period. Before 'electronics' & with minimal plastic. The Lycia looked good to me in the Ebay pics so I took a chance on it. Hoping it didn't have too many hidden/undisclosed/unknown problems. After a closer look at it yesterday I think I made a good choice. My First Day Look follows. From opening the box. I intend to keep a progress diary of this machine from the beginning till the day it's usable & ...

  Came across this classic 201K4 recently. In very nice order for 1953, mechanically near perfect & just a few small paint chips to show for its long life. Hand cranks are never stressed as much in use as electric machines can be, so it is an ideal candidate for converting to motor drive. I happen to like the hand cranks so it's likely to stay as is. These 201s have a rotary hook with a class 66 drop in bobbin & sturdy metal geared drive. No belts or any plastic to be seen. A recipe for a long & reliable life!  The steel bevel gears are hiding under the 2 round covers. Straight stitch & reverse only, but there are many attachments available for zig zag, buttonholers, blind stitch, monogrammers even. It also has a drop feed for free hand work. They are renowned for their stitch quality & this one is super quiet in use. This machine has had a good service already & is now ready for clean & polish to the paintwork & wax polish on the case. It'll lo...

New arrival from Ebay today. 5th April 2024. Listed as for Parts because it isn't working: ) I suspect it is the plastic Hook Gear Drive that needs replacing & I need access to it to replace it. Looks in fine order generally & will first get a checkover to see what the problems actually are. I open it up & the top end looks OK. The swing needle is stiff but moving. Needle position knob is not doing anything. The Buttonhole function is stiff also & not been used for a good while. Definitely needs a good service: ) Checking the bobbin/hook area I notice a screw missing on the feed dogs. Not aligned correctly with just one screw of two present. Not a good sign perhaps? Feed dogs are moving correctly though, so the feed dog drive is working. Looking closer I notice another screw missing...On the cover plate over the hook drive gears. The cover plate needs to be removed to get at the gears underneath... Two screws missing up to now. Looks like somebody has been in here w...

  This is the Italian made version of the 411G. Not often seen here in UK but I believe it was made in much smaller quantities than the German machine, & that was not made in huge quantities by any means. It is identical mechanically & takes the Top Hat cams & can do an excellent chain stitch.  This one came in a neat desk style cabinet but it was also available as a conventional portable version with a slightly different case.  There may also be a treadle version, as a factory option, but I have not seen one. I found this on Ebay a few years ago, 2016, assuming it was a 411G & it was a surprise to discover it was the Italian version, which I was not aware of then!  Serial number is MA 038602 & the Italian made cabinet has a factory label dated January 1964. The seller told me: 'it was her mothers, was expensive new, & needed some adjustments'. It just needed a service actually! I do think this a proper 'Collectors Item', if you collect 400 se...