A Little Frister & Rossmann Cub 4

Well here it is! A lovely little vintage sewing machine, a Frister & Rossmann Cub 4. It seems a bit like a toy one standing beside the Singer but it isn't. They were made in Japan in the 'seventies.

It's a 3/4 size machine which despite being an all metal machine only weighs about 15 pounds compared to my lovely old Singer which weighs in at 27 pounds. 

I love the case it came in, you can just see it behind the sewing machine. It's is very lightweight compared to my wooden Singer box. The whole thing looks quite modern despite being made in the 'seventies, looks a bit retro with those cream & brown colours & the little band of orange logos around the case.

It didn't come with any attachments other than it's foot control & the zig zag foot. That's not a problem as all my Singer attachments fit it. 

There was a little box missing from the front (you can use it to hold accessories) as you can see from the photo below.

However that wasn't a problem as I got one really cheap on eBay so it's complete now. The box lid unfolds to extend the sewing area & there's a dinky little shelf that lifts up on the left side. 

It's all really sweet & a clever design.

The only thing I really don't like is the bobbin loading. It doesn't load as easily as the Singers do with their top loading drop in bobbins. With this you have to take the little box out from the front and poke about to remove the metal casing which holds the bobbin. 

I find I have to tilt the machine backwards & lie it down to see what I'm doing. Another problem is that you have no idea how much thread is on the bobbin when you're sewing as it's completely hidden inside the casing & under the machine. What a pain! Never mind I'll get used to it, quite a lot of the more modern machines have this too.

It sews a lovely straight stitch but it doesn't do any zig zag stitches. No idea why as it's been oiled and all the bits move except the needle bar. Maybe something is jammed in which case it may unjam as I use it. However it's very clean inside so it's more likely something has broken off somewhere inside. I've taken the base off & all that dropped out was a pin. I suspect that's why I got the machine cheap.

I've looked inside but compared to the Singer the gubbins are packed in there tight & you can't see much, unlike my Singer where you can see all the parts. Also with Singer because they cornered the market with sales many people collect & repair these vintage machines & kindly share their knowledge by making videos & posting on blogs which help you to sort any problems out. 

Not so with the little Frister but I don't mind as I really only need a lightweight machine to take to the quilting group & to do a decent straight stitch. Any of the fancy stuff like zig zag & a few embroidery stitches can be done on my old Singer at home. I also really don't need the bells & whistles that come with a new plastic machine so will see how things go.

There was a bit of a feelgood factor about this purchase. I bought the machine on eBay from a hospice so apart from being environmentally friendly & giving a lovely old machine a new home, the money was going to a good cause.


UPDATE

This post was updated as I managed to fix the zig zag problem! Take a look Here

Another Sewing Machine!

Well I've given in and bought another sewing machine, not a new one, another vintage one.  I needed one I could carry more easily to the quilting group as my Singer 338 is a tad heavy. I can carry it OK but lifting it into the car & then onto the table is getting problematic. 

I thought about getting a new lighter one and looked at lots with all the frills bells & whistles, but lots of reports I read about them indicates they are not built to last. The computers go wrong & they are difficult & expensive to repair, if they can be repaired.  You have to go to the really expensive ones to get a decent build & I just don't feel the need to spend that sort of cash. 

I took some advice from an experienced quilter & she advised to avoid the "throwaway plastic rubbish" & go for a vintage Frister & Rossman Cub or an Elna Lotus. Neither of which I had ever heard of so what followed was hours of looking up information about these machines. 

I made an interesting discovery that none of these machines had the online information providing support, parts available & maintenance to help you look after your machine like you can with Singer. I suppose that's because Singer captured the market, their machines were the undoubtedly the best in those days and people still love them. There are so many resources to help you maintain your Singer that for most people it's their choice of machine. However the only lightweight vintage Singers are the Featherweights (mind you they're not that light) but the prices are now extortionate so I counted that model out.

I couldn't find much out about these machines, how to maintain or repair them, nothing on Youtube other than a woman sewing rows of various stitches on the Frister & Rossmann Cub 4 & a few people on various fora saying they loved theirs. 

I took a bit of a risk tonight & bought the Cub 4 on ebay. It was very cheap as the accessories box that fits into the front of the machine is missing. Well it doesn't bother me as I won't have any accessories to put into it, they don't come with the machine. Must be still in the accessories box somewhere in somebodies loft probably. It does have the manual, the foot pedal & a decent looking case. 

I only want it to take to the classes so it doesn't have to look the business. I'll be happy enough if it sews OK & I can lift it. It's supposed to in good working condition & I only paid £24 for it. If it's rubbish I'll just think of it as a donation to the hospice selling it. Just hope my husband is out when it's delivered, not sure how I can explain buying another "old" machine.

Just before I bid for the machine I saw a lovely Singer 99K available locally so I can go & look at it if I want to. I don't really want to be a collector of Vintage machines but I think I'm getting addicted.

Watch this space!