At 08:08 PM 1/28/2011, Jim Felder wrote:
>Anything you want to know about it is on a youtube video. You can get
>into it for less than $50. It isn't rocket science.

I grew up with a portable free-arm Elna machine that had a reduction
gear you could slip over the drive, gave it some serious stick!  My
dad used it to make a sail with, and you could sew leather within reason.

It also had a knee-activated speed control.  Never been able to get
used to those silly foot pedals.

Some years ago I learned two things about professional sewing
machines that might prove useful to someone:

a) the speeds are On and Off.  The motor runs continuously and a dog
clutch starts the machine Right Now.

b) there's a quart or two of oil sitting in the base.  You want to
carry it dead level.  No, really.  The owner will get quite sharpish
when you spill umpty-dollar a quart sewing machine oil on the rug.

:-)
d