Thank you spottysocks
Well, DH (and I as technical adviser) spent this morning doing a 'service' on my old Singer. I had paid for a service quite a while ago and not used it much since, but it was full of fluff and DH said very dry - didn't look as if it had been oiled for years.
I have tried it out since and made something very simple and it was much quieter unless I used the zig-zag thread.
Good old DH - as an engineer he won't be defeated especially if it means saving a few hundred pounds!
However, I have the promise of a new one at Christmas .
I will go into JL and try out the machines, no I don't need one that does a lot of technical stuff and I no longer make clothes for myself, probably would just make little dresses for the DGD or for charity.
Thanks again!
Can You Name 5 More Songs? (number 2)