MYLOGO

If you've ever picked up an old sewing machine, you probably immediately noticed a big difference between that old machine and one made in the last couple of decades--it's heavy! Old sewing machines were packed from head to toe with metal parts , giving them some significant heft. Thank goodness we have modern technology to make our new machines so much lighter, right? Well, not so much. As you might imagine, plastic parts may be lighter, but they're also much more susceptible to warping or breaking. That means the more plastic a machine has, the less likely it is to survive years of use. But that doesn't mean plastic is all bad either--when used in the right places, it can reduce the weight of the machine, or keep metal parts from rubbing on each other and causing wear. Some parts work very well when made from plastic, like bobbins or cams. While many machines sold these days are more plastic than not, the parts chosen and the reasoning behind them has changed as the years have gone by. With a little bit of history on why certain parts are made from plastic, and knowledge about which parts take well to plastic and which ones don't, you can make informed choices about the type of sewing machine you invest in. 1960s: The Dawn of Plastic Sewing machines in the 1960s had come a long way from their foot-propelled origins. Electronic and automated, the modern sewing machine was fast, reliable, and could be mass produced to meet the incredible demand of the public. But these machines had one downside when compared to their non-motorized predecessors: they made a racket. In order to try and cut down on the noise of grinding metal, manufacturers started putting nylon gears in some of their higher end machines. Initially seen as a huge step forward, the plastic gears weren't as loud, made the machine lighter and required less lubrication. While this seemed great when demonstrated in the store, the big downfall of the plastic parts wouldn't be seen until they had been put through hours of use. Lightweight, but Low Durability Despite the high price point of many of the plastic-geared machines, they didn't last anywhere near as long as their predecessors. While you could buy a metal-geared machine and expect it to last decades with a bit of maintenance, the plastic gears would lose teeth or wear down with use, meaning standard, everyday use would lead to major repairs. Gaps between worn teeth could turn even the most simple sewing tasks into an ordeal. You might even need to replace the machine entirely. Sewing machines made like this were far less likely to last long enough to be handed down from parent to child, and fewer of them survive in working condition today that the post-war machines that were built to last a lifetime. But despite the long-term problems these machines had, they had a huge benefit for the manufacturers: the plastic parts became cheaper to produce than the sturdier metal ones. The Rise of the "Cheap" Sewing Machine The 1980s saw a big boom in the now ubiquitous discount store. There was a huge demand for home products produced as quickly and cheaply as possible, all under the roof of the same store. More overseas manufacturing meant much stiffer competition with companies that could produce a machine at a fraction of the former cost--whether or not it would last. Consumers started to expect to buy their appliances for less than ever before, and sewing machines were no exception. In order to produce machines at a low enough cost be competitively priced, manufacturers began to cut costs wherever they could. Plastic frames, hooks, and more started to make their way into machines as more and more of the metal was pushed out. This had the added effect of making these machines lighter, which looked good to potential buyers comparing two machines in the store. Computerized Machines: Complex and Short-Lived With an onslaught of new brands and the changing face of the market, the long-term reputation some companies had for reliability started to mean less, and more than ever, machines were sold based solely on what they could do on the show floor. They average consumer had no way of knowing which machine would be easier to repair or which one would survive more years of use, so gimmicks became king. Any new feature you could demonstrate that other machines didn't have make it look that much better in the eyes of the end user. Computerized machines touted hundreds of stitches, automatic embroidery programs, and more, and the public embraced them wholeheartedly. The expectation of a sewing machine lasting a generation all but evaporated, so it didn't matter that these machines were difficult and expensive to repair, or that the technology that made them work would be quickly made obsolete. While these computerized features saw heavy use from a select few, many people who purchased these machines were left frustrated with a machine that could barely hem a pair of pants when technology moved on and the computerized features were no longer viable. Can I Still Buy a Metal Machine? Fortunately, well-built machines haven't completely disappeared from the market. Most manufacturers still make a model or two with metal gears designed for long-term use--even if you might have to jump through some hoops to get them. And many of those old, sturdy machines are still in circulation and will keep sewing beautifully for years to come, if they're taken care of. Many of them even cost much less than some of the more expensive computerized machines. A reliable sewing machine is still in reach if you shop carefully. We've been in the sewing machine repair business for more than thirty years, and we know what will last and what won't. If you're looking for a machine that will perform well and won't need to be replaced in a few years, we'll be more than happy to find one that perfectly fits your needs. Give us a call at (402) 438-3163, or stop on by our store at 2712 Randolph Street in Lincoln, NE. You deserve a machine that isn't going to be more of a headache than it's worth. If you're interested in seeing some vintage machines we have for sale, or just want to see some examples of how sewing machines have changed through the ages, take a look at our Etsy page !