The Rocketeer

This is the only 503 that I have ever come into. Here in BC they are rare and expensive so I was very happy when this one came my y for a reasonable price and a promise that it would go to someone who would use it and love it.

I love the styling of the machine.Much as I like the classic black and gold Singers,they do tend to be a bit stodgy and dull. Singer's 1950's and 60's styling is a lot more exuberant and cheerful. Perhaps they learned something from Japanese designers.

Interestingly, Singer never called the 503 a "Rocketeer". That name was bestowed on it by users, just like they gave names to all the decal patterns that Singer only referred to by number. I think that the styling of the 503 caught the eye and engaged the imagination of the users. It's the jet age sewing machine!
I also wonder if any modern sewing machine will ever have enough to style to make the users give it a name like the 503 did?
                                                                                                                  
                                            

Dance Band on the Titanic

Dance Band on the Titanic:
When I rescued this little 221 from the scrap metal guys truck, it was seized, had about an inch of powdery aluminum rot around the bottom and the back corner was broken off. I was not hopeful that much could be done with it. In fact, the more I contemplated doing something with it, I started humming Harry Chapin's song.

I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Sing, Nearer My God To Thee
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me?

Never the less.....
I brushed off the aluminum rot, got it unstuck, gave it a light sanding and started to figure out what to do with it. Well even though Aleda suggested Elton John's Tiny Dancer as a more cheerful theme, I was still stuck with image of waves....
Things went down hill after that because, since it's too cold to paint out in the garden shed with my regular Rustoleum colors, I decided to try hand brushed acrylic paints. Not a good move, and they don't lay down evenly and don't sand worth a darn, so it's all lumpy.
So, now it's a lumpy old rust rotted feather weight, with a broken corner, but it's a much prettier, lumpy old rust rotted featherweight with the back corner broken off.
I'm in the dance band on the Titanic...sigh

Featerweight Forlorn

 Featherweight Forlorn, What to do?
This is the saddest looking 221 I have ever seen. It found me via a local scrap metal dealer, I plucked it out of the back of his truck for $5. (which is only about 3 times it's scrap metal value.)
It is currently, complete, seized, the back corner is broken off the bed and where the shellac hasn't peeled,off completely the aluminum rot has set in.
I could part it out, as there has to be at least $100 in usable parts on it, but I'm not really inclined to do that. Also I have sneaking suspicion, that if I free it up, make it sew, wire brush the loose shellac and aluminum off it, glue a stack of washers under the back corner and give a new coat of shellac , someone, somewhere would buy it off of me.
Now I just need a theme for it.  Hard to think of one because I have the lyrics of "Dance Band on the Titanic" running through my head. You know the song....
I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Playing Nearer My god To thee. 
The icebergs off the starboard bow.
  Won't you dance with me?
Hmmm, maybe my my subconscious is trying to tell me something....🤔.