New Machine: Singer 29k71 (aka "Shoe Patcher")

I know to a lot of folks this just looks like a vintage sewing machine, but it is really nothing like your grandmother's old Singer in a cabinet. For starters it's considerably larger. I can't even lift it. This is commonly called a "shoe patcher" because it's used by cobblers, and there are still some companies making machines like this to this day. 

But it does SO much more than shoes. That narrow base lets you get into all kinds of tiny or narrow places (gloves! wallets! down a pants leg, etc). And that presser foot rotates 360 degrees to stitch in any direction without having to turn your work. 

Unlike most machines that have feed dogs on the bottom to move the fabric along, the presser foot (much like a walking foot) does all the work here. It has grooves on the bottom like feed dogs do. It's designed to go easily through light leathers (shoes, jackets, etc) but not so much thick belting or heavy upholstery. It's also designed to work with larger needles and thicker thread than your average home machine. 

This machine will need a thorough cleaning inside and out before I start stitching with it - but I'm really looking forward to the challenge. I know I will learn a lot more about this machine as I go. There's no shortage of videos on YouTube (as this is a VERY common machine), and I've also joined some relevant groups on Facebook. Manuals and replacement parts are relatively easy to obtain.