ThayerRags

The belts for the three machines that I’ve gotten ready for the MUTT so far all have a different length belt requirement. Right now, I’m leaning towards using a leather belt on all of them. My thought is to cut a “too-short” main belt, and then cut an additional section of leather belt for each machine that can accompany that machine. The belt runs just fine without completely crimping the metal clip, so I can use them sort of as a chain link to hook and unhook as needed. The leather belt will have two splices in it rather than one. I’m going to try it and see how it works.

CD in Oklahoma

jljack

This project is moving right along. I'm excited to see what you all come up with.

vintagemotif

CD, Please post a photo of this. I think I can picture this.

quilt addict

CD, Great idea and I have been wondering about this prospect also. Just have not taken any action. Our guild does a presentation at the local library for National quilt day. I was thinking about taking a treadle this year. But may just have to get a hand crank to take and wait until I have figured out something like yours.

J Miller

CD,

Just a thought: in another thread somewhere about treadle belts someone mentioned using a spring belt. If you set one of those up for the smallest belt, it might have enough stretch for the longer machines too.

Again, just a thought.

Joe

ThayerRags

Since repainting my MUTT, I’ve put the serger top back on it to finish the trial and error of getting the problems worked out.

1. I cut the leather treadle belt that fits the 306W machine nicely, and placed the short piece in a baggie marked “306W” for now. I cut the belt so that both ends reach about 1/2 way between the top of the flywheel and the bottom of the wood surface, and cut a piece from another leather belt to make the new serger belt extension. I have some extra belt clips, but they’re all down at the shop, so I made one out of a heavy duty paper clip.

2. Having two clips in the drive belt doesn’t seem to be a problem at all. The serger treadles just fine, but I’m going to have to come up with something to keep the belt from riding off of the end of the handwheel. Another treadle serger enthusiast cut slots in the serger base and runs the belt on the existing belt groove. That’s a nice application, but I’d have to take the end plate off of the machine to thread it up each time, and I’d like to keep it where I can just throw the belt off and back on when time to change machines and tops.

3. I’m still thinking on what to use to assure that the machine stays in one spot on the top. I’m thinking that a Z-shaped piece of metal under the machine with one lip up behind the serger and the other lip down to catch the front of the top will work. I will probably use a coat hanger to test this theory before I go to the trouble to fabricate something nicer.

Wheat harvest is about over in our area, so I’ll not be working long hours soon. Maybe I can spend more time on the MUTT. I’d like to get each top and machine functional before moving on to the next. It’s probably best, otherwise, I’ll get wrapped up in starting tops and not get back to finish previous ones. My wife took my Singer Featherweight Handcrank to a Quilt Show this weekend, and it reminded me to put a Featherweight treadle top on my list of tops to do....

CD in Oklahoma

mudsprite

Truly excellent thinking - when we have a nice and cool somewhat sunny day, I wind up dragging everything outside to sew to at least get some fresh air. A group of gals used to get together and go to the beach and drag our machines so we could camp out for a week and still sew. Now everyone has gone electric and take hotel rooms or drive motorhomes when we go consequently, I love your idea. The offshoot of "treadling on the beach", was that so many people were facinated at the camp grounds.

ThayerRags

Hi mudsprite,

Those are a couple of good reasons to sew outside, or at least without electricity. I have a whole herd of handcrank machines, because they’re just so portable, plus, I guess I just like handcranks. The problem (for me) is that I can’t rig up a handcrank for every machine that I’d like to use in a non-electric setting, so I’ll have to learn how to treadle some.

I was staying in a “workers & drivers” motel in Texas one year when working highlines, and nearly ripped a back pocket completely off of my coveralls when something caught the handle of a tool in the pocket. Luckily, I had taken along my Singer 66 handcrank machine, and that evening in the motel parking lot on the tailgate of my pickup, I sewed my hip pocket back on. It didn’t take long, but there were 2 or 3 drivers that stopped by to watch and comment about how they should get a machine to carry with them for their emergency repairs.

We get a similar reaction whenever we set up a handcrank machine at our vendor booths. I suspect that the MUTT will entice similar reactions.

CD in Oklahoma