Reading Material

It seems it's not enough to just work on vintage sewing machines, but now I like to read about them. So where do I go to find any real authority? There are book published but very few so I have found myself reading a few blogs but the so-called mother load of information is on the Yahoo groups sites. It seems there is a group for anything and everything but I have joined and read daily the following:

Bernina Thirty Somethings
Elna Heirloom Sewing Machines
Elna Sergers
Necchi Sewing Machine Club
Old Kenmore Sewing Machines
Old Pfaff Forum
Viking Sewing Machines pre-1980
Vintage Japan Sewing Machines
Vintage Sewing Machine Repair
Vintage Singers
We Fix It

I also belong to Treadle On but do not have their messages sent to me daily because they are too active with up to 30 messages a day! I subscribe to the digest format so once a day I get one email with all of the posts for each group for that day (if any). This gives me an overview of what's going on, if I can contribute, or when I just scan through because I don't have that model or problem. There are a few experts that chime in, always patient with the newbies, giving suggestion of what to try next. I can't help but admire their generous nature.

When it comes to books, they are more difficult to find, and usually deal with machines I'm not as interested in. BUT there are a few I do use (and like):

An online book, How to Refurbish Sewing Machines, A step-by-step guide for Singer models 66, 99, 15K & 201 is a series of pdf's that I have found very useful, especially the explanation of the tension assembly. And it's free. (edit: This is no longer a free item but you can purchase and help their community)

One book I wish I could purchase for myself is Sincere's Sewing Machine Service Book but it's selling for $200 now so I will have to settle for inter-library loan. Never mind that the last edition was in 1974, it covers many of the classics like the Singers listed above plus the Featherweight, White, New Homes, Sears, Wards, Western Auto, Pfaff 130,230,360, Riccar, Adler, Elna, Necchi, and many Japanese models. The diagrams are good and the explanations are fairly clear. But $200? Not at this time! (edit: it is now available to read online, just Google to find its current location)

There is a list of recommended books at ISMAC that you might find interesting. You might find the whole ISMAC site interesting but I think it's poorly designed and laid out yet it still contains a wealth of information.

Sorry there are no pretty pictures of sewing machines or projects in this post but maybe you will take a look at some of these recommendations and learn something new as I have!