Well There Goes The Neighborhood - 1967 Elna 62D

 Here's the deal.  Once I treadled the 221 I started looking around at other machines that "can't be treadled".  There are two machine in particular I've been looking to show that anything can be treadled.  The Singer 500A and the other was The Elna Supermatic (the green one).  I've had the repainted 500A sitting on the side for a bit.  I haven't done it yet because I'm planning on that machine being my zigzagger at Philmont over the summer.  So a Supermatic would be first. I wiffed on the green, but came up with this off goodwill instead.

I saw a green one local, in pretty rough shape that the owner has been asking $125 for since before the plague.  I offered $75 and received an offended response that it's worth way more than their asking price.  It's not, it's beat down and missing all the accessories.  I only offered $75 because I wanted instant gratification.  If I didn't have an experiment in mind I wouldn't have even made an offer on it.  Oh well, in another year when they drop the price I'll offer $20.

Anyway, I went with the 62D off Shopgoodwill.  It arrived a few days before I was set to leave for Philmont.  Another really well packed box as well.  I didn't photograph it, but they could have tossed this off the truck doing 80 and it wouldn't have gotten a scratch.

So the drawbacks listed on this machine were that it was a European plug, which from reading posts online is why it's a 62D and not a 62C which is the US plugged model.  Other than that it's supposed the same.  I don't know Elna's so I'll trust that not one ever lies on the internet.

Drawback two was that it was 'broken'.  The post said it would not turn.  The culprit was easy to spot after a bit of looking.  The bobbin winder was bent and jamming the balance wheel.

Both issues were easy fixes.  The 62x machines are dual voltage so I simply flipped to switch in to bottom of the machine to make it 110. 

And then swapped the euro plug for an US spec plug.  The bobbin winder was just removed.  I have my Side Winder for bobbins.

I was planning on replacing the bobbin winder and then after the conversion to have a super cool free arm treadle.  I even had the plans for another compound drive system like I used for the 221, but this time mounting it under the tabletop.  That is until I found out that the Supermatic just isn't that good of a machine.

You see I went out to Philmont Scout Ranch to help prepare the interpretative history staff again.  Well I was so excited about having the Supermatic that I took it with me to kind of show off.  MISTAKE!  Sure the thing works on modern lightweight fabrics well enough.  But sewing heavy canvas and wool clothes.  The Elna puked, and puked hard.  Those super fancy pyramid feed dogs pretty much suck feeding anything with serious weight to them.  It was so bad that I shoved the Elna aside and pulled out the 1935 221. The difference in feeding was stunning.  The little featherweight chomped through four layers of heavy canvas pants that the Elna refused to feed.  The Elna ended the spring stuffed under the 331K4's table.

It's home with me now, but I'm really not sure what I'll do with it.  I really was underwhelmed by the usefulness of the free arm and the feeding issues just left a bad taste in my mouth.  I'm sure I'll eventually find something it's good at, but for now it's going to go on the shelf, back with all the 66s.

Oh well.  Maybe the Necchi BUs I just picked up won't disappoint as much.