Wednesday 7 November 2012

Frister Rossman - PZ Series: Vintage Sewing machine


My new toy !! 
Bought this other week (bit of a risk as couldn't get it to work in the store) - took me all day to get it working - talk about squealing and racket .....thought wasted my money on this one! 
So after some serious oiling - adjusting so the motor worked and general tweaking - the machine looks very little sued once took it apart as no oil lines etc 
The dials are still very stiff (so don't plan to turn them much!) 

It does NOT like light fabrics at all - it gathers them up (so have to adjust the bobbin tension I think) - otherwise shall just sue it for curtains, cushions & upholstery work ......and I hope leather sewing .............. 
It looks little used just a few chips in the enamel - dusted n washed out the drawer, and now she is ready to gooooooooooo !! 

Frister Rossmann PZ Zig-zag sewing machine 

The underside - really clean and nice heavy duty props, bars and gears! 

Discovered in the drawer: sewing box of attachments - some never used and one I am not sure quite what its used for - just has an open rectangle ....any ideas anyone??? 
Has the usual - zig-zag /ziper/cord/quilting/rolled hem feet - but other accessories are missing e.g. screw drivers, twin needl, no bobbins  etc 
Sewing Manual 

All in a 60's retro sewing table sewing table with drawer at the side and tapered screw in legs (which if you put in wrong place you end up with a most weird lopsided affair ..... not funny trying to balance a really heavy machine in table top & screw in legs and then get it wrong as the whole things wobbles - discovered the legs are shorter in the front and the 2 back legs are longer .... got it wrong first time ...oops) 
The only annoying thing is that you can not access the drawer unless the machine head is swung up onto the table - as the machine catches the drawer then you cant push it back in! 

I suspect it dates from 1960-70's ?? Anyone know?? Cant find a date anywhere on the web ........... not much info at all really which is rather frustrating 

8 comments:

  1. Hi, I have this machine, and I absolutely love it. My mother bought it new in 1963, and passed it onto me a few years ago. Mine is in as new condition and works a treat, no problems with light fabrics. The accessory box disappeared when we were having work done on the house a while ago, so I've had to research to replace the feet. You've made a great buy, enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes lovely to inherit a great vintage sewing machine that works! Sadly my Mother got rid of a lovely old Singer with vibrating shuttle - I remember it well black and gold with the most fiddly of shuttles to thread - it was given to her when I was born and told it will sew her clothes and yup it would sew nothing but my baby clothes from finest silk to cottons - so wish I had that machine!

      Delete
  2. Good buy congratulations, wife got someone they work with selling off parents property as they had to move into a care home and she managed to get one just like this (March 2015).Well kept... All works perfectly serviced it and only today (26-08-15) replaced the motor as it was becoming noisy. It came with this manual, small one (approx 4in x 3in), now with very faded paper, have to handle with care when opening but not showing much, guess the one you have in your picture is the main one and been looking around for one.

    ReplyDelete
  3. oh yes about the year its around 1963-64

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good buy congratulations, wife got someone they work with selling off parents property as they had to move into a care home and she managed to get one just like this (March 2015).Well kept... All works perfectly serviced it and only today (26-08-15) replaced the motor as it was becoming noisy. It came with this manual, small one (approx 4in x 3in), now with very faded paper, have to handle with care when opening but not showing much, guess the one you have in your picture is the main one and been looking around for one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes mine works a treat and in regular use - suggest photocopying the manual so you can use the copy rather than the original

      Delete
  5. I have one of these, my grandmother bought it in 1967. Is it possible to replace the motor if it can't be fixed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anna, you will have to ask a sewing machine engineer if they can repair/or replace parts - you may have to cannibalise another machine - good luck!

      Delete