Necchi BU Nova for sale at TOGA

 

NC TOGA is coming up in June.  If you don't know what that is I'll be describing it in a future post.  One of the things it is, is a swap meet.  I have some machines for sale, including several Italian-made Necchis.

Vintage Necchis are legendary machines and are treadle-able. I'm not going to outline all its features or why Necchis are so great.  If you know, you know.  I tested this one some time ago and the test samples show that it was working properly.  I'm not going to have time to re-test all the machines I might bring so it will probably need to be oiled.  

 I did write about this machine (and two other Necchis) back in 2020.  If you are seriously interested I recommend that you read the portion titled "Motor Necchi" (which distinguishes it from the Motorless  Necchi and the Bad Wiring Necchi also described in the post).  You will learn what problems I solved and which ones I failed to totally solve in the restoration process and what work-arounds you might need. For instance:

"The clutch knob is never going to release for bobbin winding purposes.  But Linda kindly informed me that where I originally went wrong was in releasing the clutch knob in the first place.  'I never do that' she said."

It comes with an extensive set of high shank feet.  Honestly, I've never seen anything like this before.  I have not tested any of them.  Nor do I know what they all do.  So please don't ask.  Cause I am busy getting ready for TOGA!  I didn't look closely but I don't think any of them are original Necchi feet.

 

And speaking of original Necchi equipment, a couple of original Necchi bobbins are included.  This machine takes standard class 15 bobbins, and one of them is in the bobbin case now.

The motor controller and cords are new replacements.  And the light bulb has been upgraded to LED.  Much brighter and it doesn't get hot.

Here's a Public Service Announcement:  not all high shank feet are created equal.  I recently sold a Necchi BU with a high shank zigzag foot on it.  Problems with the stitching emerged as we tested it before the sale.  We checked all the usual problem-with-stitching possibilities.  Then M*** popped off the needle plate and looked at the way the foot was sitting.  She thought it was sitting too low.  I'd never though to do this before and honestly I was skeptical.  It's definitely a high shank machine and it was definitely a high shank foot.  But we swapped it out for another high shank zigzag foot and hey presto!  Problem solved!

Can you spot the problem?  The opening where it attaches to the presser foot bar is different.  The one on the right was on the machine when I acquired it.  The one on the left, with a deeper "scoop out" is the one that works correctly on the machine.  The deeper scoop means that the presser foot sits a bit higher.  I assume that somewhere out there is a machine that needs high shank presser feet with a shallower scoop.  If you have encountered anything like this before please let us know in the comments below.

Now let me rhapsodize about these Greist hemmers (plus edge stitcher and binder).  Many vintage and antique machines come with a small hemmer.  It's practically useless unless you want to hem a very thin fabric.  Think thinner than quilting cottons.  Seamsters more competent than me may have had a different experience.

But look!  There are FIVE sizes of hemmer there.  And the bigger ones are fantastic.  I made floor length linen curtains for three rooms in my house and hemmed the side seams of all the panels with the largest size Greist hemmer.  That's how much?  A mile of fabric?  Maybe that's a slight exaggeration.  I'm a huge fan of Greist hemmers.

And here's a little tip for you:  All of these Greist attachments work with a post that attaches to the presser foot bar.  That is the first item in the lineup above.  This is a high shank post, but all these hemmers etc. will work with any Greist post.  Meaning that if you can find a short shank Greist post you can use all of these on a short shank machine also.

This machine also comes with an original Necchi case.  It's in decent slightly beat up shape.  And was obviously sitting too close when someone used a can of white spray paint.  Wasn't me BTW.  The lighter area in the photo is NOT just a photo lighting issue! (maybe a little bit is reflection from the table)  

I do not have a manual for it but I can email the buyer a PDF of the Necchi BU manual.  The vast wisdom of the internet informs me:  " The Necchi BU and the Necchi Nova BU are almost identical. The Nova has a few minor refinements and that's it. No real internal or major design change at all."  So the BU manual should be very useful.

If you are interested but are not going to NC TOGA and if you can come to Cary NC to pick it up, you can let me know in the comments below.

But I will not ship.  No, no.  Never, never, never.  If you have ever shipped a sewing machine (and I have shipped two, to some VERY special kids in California) you won't need to ask why.  Never again.  Sorry.  I just don't love you as much as I love Clinton and Nellie.

Love my readers a bunch though!  Just not enough to spend hours packing and many, many dollars shipping 40+ pounds of cast iron.

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Here's how this works:  I  create a blog post for each machine and describe what I know about it in detail, pros and cons.  Once I have all the machines up on this blog I will post a price list at the NC TOGA Facebook page.  If you are attending the TOGA and are seriously interested let me know and I will bring it.  "Seriously interested" means that you plan to buy it IF you like what you see in person.  Absolutely NO obligation in advance and I won't take any money in advance.  

Cash or PayPal.  I don't use any other payment apps.  Hey, I'm an old lady.  Can't be learning new apps all the time.

Once the price list is up you can call dibs on any machine and I will make sure you get to see it and decide if you want it before anyone else can buy it.  And

This approach has worked very well in the past.  Just please don't ask me to haul 40+ pounds of cast iron if all you want to do is ogle it.  Serious interest only please.

Some of these machines will have been serviced and some will not so read the descriptions carefully.  It is not my usual practice to sell machines that I have not serviced first.  But I really need to downsize the herd and TOGA is almost here.  Many TOGAteers are experienced antique sewing machine mechanics themselves.  They will also be glad to provide advice to others about whether a machine is a good choice for a newbie.