Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell

Closed Thread Subscribe

Page 536 of 4479

536

Thread Tools

09-17-2010, 07:19 AM

#5351

Lostn51

Banned

Thread Starter

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Bikini Bottom

Posts: 5,652

Nancy your machine is amazing!! The before and after photos blow me away and I restore them for a living!!

A well done job indeed!!!

Billy

09-17-2010, 07:25 AM

#5352

BoJangles

Super Member

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Rescue, California

Posts: 4,585

Howard here is my Model 127 1913 Sphinx treadle.

Billy, Miz Johnny, as far as I can tell, the only difference in these two machines is where the bobbin winder is located. Correct?

Nancy

MDL 127

[ATTACH=CONFIG]94177[/ATTACH]

Attached Thumbnails

09-17-2010, 07:25 AM

#5353

Charlee

Super Member

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Idaho

Posts: 6,442

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostn51

Hello All!!!

I havent been in the shop that much for trying to keep up with the customers and their machines here. But I tell you what I think I might have met my match!!

I am restoring a members 66-1 and the irons that were painted at sometime in their lives white. And the paint that they used is some type of household paint that is damn near indestructible! :shock:

I took the treadle irons over to my buddies shop and all he does is sand blast and powder coat parts and things. He called and told me that he didnt know what kind of paint that was on it but it was not coming off. So I picked them up and now I am using Aircraft paint stripper and a wire brush, it is working but oh so slow. I have to go get another gallon of the stuff so I can finish the irons up so I can media blast them and then start painting.

Everyone is laughing because they said what ever paint that was used on that machine would be here after a nuclear blast.

Billy

Did you try a lye bath Billy? Get a pound of pure lye (you can buy it online at soap making supply sites) and mix it in COLD water in a big tub. Put the water in first, then slowly add the lye to avoid splashing. Put your parts and pieces in there and let em soak. As long as you need to....something in the lye keeps the metal from rusting...I use a lye bath often for my cast iron cookware that I buy gunked up, clean and reseason.... works like a charm and I PROMISE it won't hurt the metal. Just make sure you wear goggles to protect your eyes from splashes, and rubber gloves....lye is wicked mean stuff to be sure!!

09-17-2010, 07:28 AM

#5354

BZ quilting

Junior Member

Join Date: Mar 2009

Location: MO

Posts: 255

Nancy I love your machine, the shuttle machines intimidate me, I have 2 and don't understand how to thread the bobbin or just how to make them work.

Could someone tell me how you clean the bottom iron legs to make them look nice and black?

09-17-2010, 07:29 AM

#5355

BoJangles

Super Member

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Rescue, California

Posts: 4,585

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostn51

Nancy your machine is amazing!! The before and after photos blow me away and I restore them for a living!!

A well done job indeed!!!

Billy

Billy coming from you, this just put the biggest smile on my face!!!!!

Thank you -- I worked on that old machine for 3 weeks using your cleaning tutorial!

Nancy

09-17-2010, 07:40 AM

#5356

Lostn51

Banned

Thread Starter

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Bikini Bottom

Posts: 5,652

Quote:

Originally Posted by BZ quilting

There are two ways for this you can take boiled linseed oil and soak them in it or you can just repaint them like I am doing a set right now. The legs were japanned from the factory and it was a real durable finish but if you repaint them use either an automotive finish or an epoxy paint. The epoxy you can get in a can at your local hardware store.

Billy

09-17-2010, 07:43 AM

#5357

Lostn51

Banned

Thread Starter

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Bikini Bottom

Posts: 5,652

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlee

I have about finished the treadle and then machine I have a completely different process of striping them so its all good now but I am going to media blast them to get all of the japan off and start back new.

Billy

09-17-2010, 12:12 PM

#5358

BoJangles

Super Member

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: Rescue, California

Posts: 4,585

Quote:

Originally Posted by BZ quilting

I love my treadles! I now have 5 of them, the oldest is a 1898, hand crank/treadle. They all sew perfectly. If you have the shuttle bobbin, just put the bobbin in, hold it still with your finger, pull the thread through the long grove and back up in the middle. Put your bobbin back in the shuttle and pull the thread up like you would any other machine with your needle thread. There are several sites that have the old machine instruction manuals for free on the internet. If you get a manual printed out, that would help you immensely. I have printed out an instruction manual for all my machines -- that is the way I learned the threading, etc..