Finally a good purchase...I think!

[stitchgearhead]

Hello all,

I answered an add for a leather garment factory that was closing activity. They had leathers, threads and sewing machines for sale at close-out prices. I knew, from the photos on the ad, that the machines were PFAFF 145s, and I was hopping to find an H3 or H4 in serviceable condition, for not too much money, as all others that I found so far.

I ended up buying more that I intended, but it seemed too good to let it slip away. Here's what I ended up with:

11 full hides (blacks and whites, one dark brown), plus 6 half hides (blacks and whites), plus 10 smaller full hides (lamb skins, maybe?) - all chrome tanned, for garment, mainly black jackets

3 large card board boxes full of thread spools (T20, T30 and T40 - most are T20, which is similar to 138, I think)

3 PFAFF 145s: 2 very early ones (5-spoked flywheel, old numbering style on the brass plate) and an H3 BLN, in full working order. One of the early ones is also fully working.

 

The third 145 was VERY stiff (I thought it was jammed), but it released slightly after being warmed and profusely oiled. Still stiff, but rotated enough to show that everything was synced properly, and there were no particular stiff spots. I assumed it was just dirt, very old oil, and being stopped for a few years like that. 

All 3 machines  are well used, but not badly worn, as far as I can tell. It seems they were subjected to 2 problems:

1 - Often oiled, but with bad oil - the kind that leaves a solid, wax-like residue when dried, and

2 - Use of lint-producing thread for a long time.

There was lint everywhere! That, and pieces of thread stuck in various parts of the mechanism, combined with the dried up oil, were the reason for the stickiness. After several hours cleaning/removing dirt, lint and pieces of thread/oiling/dismantling and cleaning parts, it is *almost* normal now. Almost, because there is still an initial stiffness, after being stationary for a few minutes, that disappears after the first 2 rotations. After that, it is practically normal, and as loose as the other identical machine: a good hand pull on the flywheel will make it spin about a full turn or so after being released. My guess is that there is still a piece of thread stuck somewhere that I haven't found...

All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase! I'll try to sell one of the 145s, but, even if I don't, I'm still happy. I got an H3, lots of leather, and more thread than I can use!

I already used the H3 to do some small things, and it behaved beautifully. I'm toying with the idea of repainting it...we'll see.

I think I did good. Let me know what you think.

DF

 

 

 

[stitchgearhead]

Forgot to mention...payed 800 € for the lot!