Sewing machine traumas/disappointments

I have a very old singer sewing machine, that's really reliable and sturdy but does not allow you to drop the feed dogs, so its very hard to do any kind of embroidery, having said that I have made it do lots overt the last few months, but with lots of stop start and back and forth!
I have been scouring ebay with a very small budget and managed to find a cheap machine that i hoped would give that facility!
It arrived on Monday and I have been fiddling ever since! I does have the drop facility but its not working very well!!!!!!!
I think the timings all out, as its not picking the bobbin thread up and the belt sound like its slipping, machine looks very unused, and only from the the 1990s so it could be saved???
Service booked for next week ( more money I don't have) and Im just hoping it can be used, my head is bursting with embroidery ideas, I just want to get going!!!

pictures of me messing inside machine trying to get timing fixed!!! no joy though, I'll have to leave it to the professionals