Caroline S

My DD called me this morning and told me a friend of a friend had an old treadle given to her and she had no use for it. DD asked should we get it? Well we ALL know what the answer was. This sewing machine was found in an old falling down shed and has suffered some major water damage. The cabinet is a goner. But I do think the machine head can be restored. There is a lot of dust and accumulated mildew covering the decals but they are not bad underneath. Nothing is turning and the shuttle is rusted along with the slide plates. But there are no missing parts. This one may be in for a long kerosene soak ala Billy.

An Internet search produced an article on the ISMACS site regarding the Brunswick. It was manufactured by National Sewing Machine Company for Montgomery Wards circa 1913 and cost $12.95 to $17.85.

By the way, that is my great grandson, Jaydon, in the first picture who is keenly interested in all things mechanical.

Ccorazone

Boy, would I love to work on that one..

Caroline S

Ah, another "Glutton for Punishment" as my mother would say. Actually what still exists of the cabinet could be used for patterns. I guess it would be a project for learning cabinet making skills.

J Miller

Oh that poor thing. Can we all say "awwwwwwww".

Seriously, I think I'd drop the whole machine in a 5 gal bucket of kerosene and walk away for a month.
Actually I couldn't leave it alone that long.

I'm wishing you good luck and smooth sailing in your efforts to bring Brunhilda back to life.

Joe

Caroline S

Actually I could not leave her alone this evening. I sort of took everything off that would come off. The hand wheel would not turn at all. Hmmm. So I turned her on her her back and sprayed liquid wrench inside of the pillar then did the same on the faceplate side. I let her sit for awhile and then tapped the pressure foot bar with my leather mallet. Things started loosening up and after a few more taps the hand wheel is turning smoothly. Don't know what I did but figured she could not be hurt anymore than when I started. So much better than doing a complete tear down.

Brunhilda is a neat name. I think I will use your suggestion. Thanks Joe.

The slide plates are now off and the rusted bullet shuttle along with a shuttle bobbin are out. After a wipe down with a soft rag using Dawn detergent I then wiped her kerosene. Wow, what a transformation. I will post some pics tomorrow. You will be amazed.

Caroline S

I thought you would like to see Brunhilda (thanks for the name Joe) after the first cleaning. The last two pictures are close ups of the center medallion and back decals. Note the rainbow irridescence in the decals. So cool!

J Miller

Wow! I never thought you'd get it anywhere near that clean. And I figured the decals were totaled too. How did you do that?

(( I tried cleaning my #2 Singer 66 treadle machine with SM oil and a cotton ball and the decals were going silver in spots. ))

Joe

ThayerRags

Thanks for posting photos of your Brunswick machine. I’m in the process of cleaning up an old National for a lady in Massachusetts that found the treadle machine in a shed at her family’s rural Oklahoma home. We haven’t been able to read the letters on the arm yet, but it appears to have the same decals as your Brunswick. The head is basking in a sewing machine oil soak right now, and she’ll begin work on the treadle cabinet this August some time. Her cabinet is still in fair shape, and it must be a different cabinet than yours, as I see a bolt-on bed extension on yours, and hers doesn’t have that. I didn’t get any photos of her cabinet.

CD in Oklahoma

jljack

Oh Caroline!! What a neat machine, and I am just so happy you decided to save her!!! Brunhilda, indeed!! Any girl who could go through what she has deserves a good strong, German name!! Love it!

Caroline S

I gave her an initial wipe down with a solution of Dawn dish detergent and a piece of soft terry towel. Then followed with a kerosene wipe and then sewing machine oil. Most of the yellow stuff covering the machine head was a combination of years of dust and fir tree pollen. The fir pollen is very sticky and water repellent when it lands on surfaces. I am betting that pollen preserved the surface and decals. For the most part I avoided being being to aggressive on the decals. There is some silvering on the front decals from use.