Good luck

So, things went very well with the ebay lady yesterday.  She actually explained how I could retract my bid from my end and then I re-bid based on what I thought the machine was worth, including all the extra work to remove the superficial rust. 

We exchanged emails and the machine isn’t frozen up, but the bobbin case has a good bit of superficial rust on the outside.  Unfortunately, the bobbin case is the hardest part on this particular machine to replace.  So, it will have to be steel wooled (can you use that as a verb?) to remove the rust and then smoothed to keep thread from snagging on it.  Do-able, but with a lot of extra work.  The hook will also have to have rust removed. 

Combine that with what I already knew about the machine’s surface decals and the bid I made yesterday was half the bid I made the day before.

But, this is a really rare machine.  In a year and a half of searching, I’ve only seen 4 come on the market and I’ll be bidding against professionals who want to collect, restore, and resell the machine.

They still may outbid me, but that’s okay.  They measure the value of their time spent repairing it differently than I do, and their skill set and tools make them more efficient at the repairs. 

We shall see.

But, I wish I hadn’t blogged about the seller as though she was doing something against me.  That was just my emotions.  In our communication yesterday, she was very nice and helpful and understanding.  I don’t think she understands what she has or how difficult it will be to repair as she has placed a “buy it now” price on the machine that’s about four times it’s actual value, based on condition.

Of course, you have to add to that how excited I am to find a machine I’ve been looking for so long, in ANY condition, and how excited I am because this is really the last vintage machine I’d like to collect.  I’ve gotten really good at not picking up random machines from here and there and focusing on collecting just the ones that interest me most.  I have run out of space for machines. 

So, what’s the best tip I’ve learned from collecting machines?

Who has one that looks like this?

This is Ken Moore.  His hand wheel and motor connect through a rubber grommet like thing that is secured to an arm that extends out of the motor housing and rests against the handwheel.  In this machine, unlike many others, there is a spring that keeps that rubber pushed against the handwheel.  It causes the rubber to develop a flat spot.  That makes a roar and can be serious enough to make even heavy Ken Moore, made of all steel, to shake.  First, I replaced the grommet and that took care of it.  But, the spring caused another flat spot to develop during a time I wasn’t sewing.  So, I used a sanding block and sanded the flat spot out, and now I keep a bobbin between the motor and the machine body when it’s not in use to keep the rubber from coming into contact with the wheel.

Be well and have a good one.  I’m late.  I’m late.  For a very important… ‘nother day at the drudge. 

Who’d rather be quilting?

Lane