I agree with Steve. You can almost always find a good older machine with all the inside bits made of metal and not metal grained plastic I use a singer 15-91 that is older than I am and it works like a champ. If I can put it under the foot, it will sew it. My big machine is to heavy for kilts. It's a Juki 562 with a class 4 moter and tranmtter timed to run a size 22 or 24 needle with a max thread size of 207 or size F 3-cord kevlar. Shiner, PM me I may have a machine you can have, I'll have to dig. One last thing, walking foot is a incorrect, if the neddle moves with the feed dogs it's a needle feed, if the presser foot moves (walks) with the feed dogs it's called a unisen feed. Just to avoid shopping confusion. And I think I left may spelling and grammer in my other sporan. Theres my .02, good luck.