If you plan on keeping it, I think $15 for the manual is a good investment - esp. if you paid less for the machine. I paid similar for a manual for a Singer machine I picked up off the curb! But I did shop around 1st: called the local dealer, checked more than a few sites online - to find the best price for a manual. If you're searching the web, try keywords: "vintage singer sewing machine", & "vintage singer sewing machine manual" - I use Dogpile.com search engine. & yes, on true singer machines, there should be a little plate w/ the model # - it's often on the front somewhere, but check carefully all over & you're sure to find it. HTH

There is no bobbin to this little machine. It makes a chain stitch. In order to do this there is a lever underneath the catches the thread. The way it is designed the lever hits the needle and eventually over time the needle form a permanent bend. This will prevent it from catching the thread. What you need to do at this point is to replace the needle. The 24x3 is no longer manufactured. You can order a 24 x1 which is the replacement the size 11 works best. Remember that the flat part of the substitute is on the opposite side from the original 24 x3.

I am by no means an expert on Featherweights, but I have a great book about them written by Nancy Johnson-Srebro. It's called "Featherweight 221: The Perfect Portable And Its Stitches Across History" (expanded third edition). In it she says, "Someone wrote a while back for my opinion on having a machine repainted at the local auto body repair shop. My (Nancy's) advice: don't do it, no matter how badly the machine is worn!...remember you own a classic machine that has significant value now, and is likely to escalate even higher in years to come. But it must be "original" to command such values. Let me also say that a professional (underlined) refurbishing is a bit different. I have mixed feelings in this regard. Here you have someone who knows what they're doing go ahead to repaint and re-decal the machine....But the professional identifies the machine as a rework so a potential customer isn't deceived and history isn't falsified." Sorry for the long quote. It should also be noted that the original finish of the FW is called japaned which is the hard, brilliant black finish used by Singer. There is a FW Yahoo group that you might consider joining (it's free). There are several experts there who can certainly address the issue of refurbishing your machine. One is Graham Forsdyke who created the condition grading scale for FW's that is universally accepted and used. Good luck! Mary Here is a link that might be useful: Graham Forsdyke's FW website

There are lots of nice historic Singer sewing machines. Depending on exact model, condition, and accessories, they can be worth anything from $50 into the low thousands; but the latter is rare. Check Craigslist for plenty of examples. There also are modern Singer machines. Most of them are mass market products with lots of plastic parts that are prone to breaking. These machines are quite cheap to begin with and they are even cheaper used. You frequently see them on Craigslist or at the Salvation Army for $20. In other words, nobody wants a used entry-level sewing machine. If you are serious about sewing, Costco regularly sells quite capable machines for less than $200. And Costco has excellent customer service. So, if things go wrong, you can always get your money back. I hope all of the above gives you a general sense of how much money to expect. Of course, if you just want to keep the sewing machine as a nice memento reminding you of buying your home, then that's a very different question. Go for it.