JudyTheSewer

I just bought some White parlor cabinet metal pieces. I have the treadle pedal that is attached to the hardware that screws into a wood base on the bottom of a parlor cabinet. The pedal has the metal pitman that is attached to the flywheel and dress guard. The flywheel includes the molded hardware for attaching to the wooden side of a parlor cabinet. So, I think I have everything I need.
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I'd like to make a portable treadle base that can be partially disassembled for transport to TOGA's and other sewing events. I'm thinking three pieces. I'm not getting any stronger as I age and I'd like to be able to lift it in and out of the SUV by myself. I'm thinking I would permanently attach the pedal and flywheel to a wood contraption that has one side and bottom to receive the screws. Then, that piece would somehow sit inside a separate base that has a top for putting the treadle heads in. I want to make the top removable and also make it so that different heads can be dropped in to it. I currently have a mint red-eye 66-1 without a base that I can use in it and I have a 128 with the La Vencedora decals that I want to perform a motorectomy on since it has the spoked flywheel. I'm sure I'd be more open to buying other treadle heads if I didn't always have to have the cabinet to go with them. I've brought 10 treadle machines with their cabinets into the house and that is getting near the limit of my house's capacity :-)

I've Googled and just am not finding any designs out there that are starting out with just the parlor cabinet iron pieces. Has anyone done this? If so, will you share pictures with me? Or, if you have any ideas for me I would sure appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Macybaby

I'm making a universal treadle base out of a parlor cabinet, but I'm using the cabinet (had to put the treadle back in as it came missing it).

I don't see any reason you can't do what you want to, just need a sturdy base and have the sides and top fit into each other so it stays stable. Need a cross support on the back, but you can use wing nuts to secure it in place.

hmmm- that reminds me, I took all the hardware out of the small parlor cabinet I left at my son's house, a knockdown mobile treadle base is a really good idea. Now I have to remember where I put those pieces. I'm putting a lot of my treadles into bases that will easily drop into the parlor cabinet, so I could make a mobile unit to accept the same base size, and then I could use both.

Love getting new ideas!

oldsewnsew

I think that's an excellent idea, could join side and back panels with removeable pin hinges.

JudyTheSewer

Thank you Cathy and Jim. I've got some ideas bouncing around in my head and your suggestions helped me. This is a bigger project than I usually tackle so I'm a little bit hesitant since you are right Cathy, it needs to be a sturdy and stable base.

jlhmnj

Here's some information which might be helpful for your project. Good Luck.

http://www.treadleon.net/woodshop/index.html

Jon

Macybaby

One thing DH and I are doing that seems a bit different - we are making bases for each of the treadle machines and the bases are standard on the outside, though we have to make them different to accommodate the actual machine.

We made a different treadle top that will fit the standard outside dimensions of the frame, and put supports so they drop in (like the table that the bentwood case drops into).

We haven't worked on this for several weeks (other projects and Work getting in the way).

This is the cabinet with the start of a base - DH wanted to make sure he had the dimensions right before going any farther.



We needed to make this so the treadle belt would not need to be unstapled to put it on the machine. We are also considering putting some sort of tensioner in the cabinet to take care of the issue of different belt lengths required due to different dimensions of the machines. Since the base raises and lowers, we can lower it a bit to get the belt installed, so that is not a problem, won't need to derail it from the main wheel.

Here is the supports the machine base sits on.



And parts of the base - it will have a bottom and the machine will be installed with barrel hinges so it can tip up for maintenance. We started collecting appropriate barrel hinges - I though they would be more universal than they are!



This is the original lift, set aside so we can put the cabinet back to original if wanted. It had been slightly modified to fit both Pfaff before we got it (and why all the treadle parts had been removed).



We had to take the top off the cabinet to remove the original lift and put in the universal support.



The demonsions are such that we will not be able to close the cabinet if there is a machine installed, and we can't push in the upper doors as the base support come down too low. So we took off the doors and will set them aside with the original lift. That won't matter for a portable frame though, since that won't be inclosed to start with.

So far, the machines that will go into this "universal" treadle are Davis, Singer, Standard 3/4 size, New Home, Free, Household, early Eldredge, National 3/4, Wheeler Wilson D9, White rotary. I also plan on getting an Eldredge Automatic chain stitch, so that will go here too.

I love treadles, and ran out of room. In other cabinets, I have Singers 27, 127, 66, 115, 15-30, the I also have White VS, Domestic, Standard Rotary, and National Two spool. I kept thinking - wait, I have 10 treadle cabinets, what am I missing- but I forgot about the universal one - that makes 10!

Macybaby

I also forgot, we have a Singer 237 and 401G that are also treadle-able, so they could work with this setup too.

oldsewnsew

vedy intavesting...hmmm

JudyTheSewer

Cathy, your cabinet and inserts are great! Thank you so much for sharing. You certainly have "raised the bar" compared what my plans were - LOL. I'll have a setup kind of like yours in that I'll have a treadle base top with supports built in. Then each machine will have a base to fit into the universal top. I don't think I'll have any hinges though. I'll have to put my machines on a table top to oil and service them. Your idea is much better.

I too was thinking about how the treadle belts will need to be different sizes. I think I'll just take the easy route and have a belt for each head. I have lots of oxygen tubes so I may as well use them up. Again, your plan to have an adjuster is an elegant idea.

I haven't started making my base yet. I had a quilt I needed to get in the mail and now another need for a quilt has arisen. Duty before fun! Again, thanks for sharing Cathy. It was fun to see your pictures and hear about your universal treadle and the machines you'll put in it.

Judy