Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell
01-23-2011, 02:22 PM
#8751
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,972
[quote=BoJangles]
Ok you guys, I cleaned up my Davis some more yesterday with oil after reading that here. Guess what? Before I realized it, my Betty did not say DA anymore. The DA was the only part of Davis left on the front! The back says VIS the DA is missing -- it must be where the orginal owner always grabbed the machine! It was funny - front DA, back VIS! Now no DA, but on a good note Betty is very shinning so I don't know if I am happy or sick! Look at page 474, there was a DA, now nothing! Geeze!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I am sick!!!!!!!
Nancy
Well, I joined the Yahoo Davis group and read all the posts last night.
I asked my question about how to handle the cleaning, and someone answered back. What I learned was that oil should not take the decals off, but what can is too much wiping. So, if the decals are exposed (no shellac protection) or the shellac has turned cloudy or damaged, then if you clean with a cotton ball you should only wipe over once with the cotton ball because the cotton ball will pick up dirt and/or shellac and that dirt on the cotton ball will now act as an abrasive and scratch the decals if you were to wipe over the decals again. Which means you could wipe off the decals. I believe it is best just to clean around the decals with a Q-tip.
Originally Posted by tomilu
Ok you guys, I cleaned up my Davis some more yesterday with oil after reading that here. Guess what? Before I realized it, my Betty did not say DA anymore. The DA was the only part of Davis left on the front! The back says VIS the DA is missing -- it must be where the orginal owner always grabbed the machine! It was funny - front DA, back VIS! Now no DA, but on a good note Betty is very shinning so I don't know if I am happy or sick! Look at page 474, there was a DA, now nothing! Geeze!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I am sick!!!!!!!
Nancy
I asked my question about how to handle the cleaning, and someone answered back. What I learned was that oil should not take the decals off, but what can is too much wiping. So, if the decals are exposed (no shellac protection) or the shellac has turned cloudy or damaged, then if you clean with a cotton ball you should only wipe over once with the cotton ball because the cotton ball will pick up dirt and/or shellac and that dirt on the cotton ball will now act as an abrasive and scratch the decals if you were to wipe over the decals again. Which means you could wipe off the decals. I believe it is best just to clean around the decals with a Q-tip.
01-23-2011, 02:29 PM
#8752
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: leavenworth, ks
Posts: 3,093
Ooops.. I was supposed to quote vintagemotif here:
Are you talking about linseed oil or a different kind? I would like to know b/c I have several that need cleaning and would like to preserve the decals. I was working on a test machine before the carpal tunnel surgery so am cleaning vicariously through this thread. :)
Are you talking about linseed oil or a different kind? I would like to know b/c I have several that need cleaning and would like to preserve the decals. I was working on a test machine before the carpal tunnel surgery so am cleaning vicariously through this thread. :)
01-23-2011, 02:47 PM
#8753
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,972
Originally Posted by chris_quilts
Ooops.. I was supposed to quote vintagemotif here:
Are you talking about linseed oil or a different kind? I would like to know b/c I have several that need cleaning and would like to preserve the decals. I was working on a test machine before the carpal tunnel surgery so am cleaning vicariously through this thread. :)
Are you talking about linseed oil or a different kind? I would like to know b/c I have several that need cleaning and would like to preserve the decals. I was working on a test machine before the carpal tunnel surgery so am cleaning vicariously through this thread. :)
01-23-2011, 02:52 PM
#8754
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: leavenworth, ks
Posts: 3,093
Originally Posted by vintagemotif
Originally Posted by chris_quilts
Ooops.. I was supposed to quote vintagemotif here:
Are you talking about linseed oil or a different kind? I would like to know b/c I have several that need cleaning and would like to preserve the decals. I was working on a test machine before the carpal tunnel surgery so am cleaning vicariously through this thread. :)
Are you talking about linseed oil or a different kind? I would like to know b/c I have several that need cleaning and would like to preserve the decals. I was working on a test machine before the carpal tunnel surgery so am cleaning vicariously through this thread. :)
01-23-2011, 03:03 PM
#8755
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NE Iowa
Posts: 843
[quote=vintagemotif]
Ok you guys, I cleaned up my Davis some more yesterday with oil after reading that here. Guess what? Before I realized it, my Betty did not say DA anymore. The DA was the only part of Davis left on the front! The back says VIS the DA is missing -- it must be where the orginal owner always grabbed the machine! It was funny - front DA, back VIS! Now no DA, but on a good note Betty is very shinning so I don't know if I am happy or sick! Look at page 474, there was a DA, now nothing! Geeze!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I am sick!!!!!!!
Nancy
Well, I joined the Yahoo Davis group and read all the posts last night.
I asked my question about how to handle the cleaning, and someone answered back. What I learned was that oil should not take the decals off, but what can is too much wiping. So, if the decals are exposed (no shellac protection) or the shellac has turned cloudy or damaged, then if you clean with a cotton ball you should only wipe over once with the cotton ball because the cotton ball will pick up dirt and/or shellac and that dirt on the cotton ball will now act as an abrasive and scratch the decals if you were to wipe over the decals again. Which means you could wipe off the decals. I believe it is best just to clean around the decals with a Q-tip.
Do you have a link to the Davis Yahoo group? I'd like to look it over. (Not sure I can spend the time on another forum, but would like to see about it anyway!) Thanks.
Originally Posted by BoJangles
Originally Posted by tomilu
Ok you guys, I cleaned up my Davis some more yesterday with oil after reading that here. Guess what? Before I realized it, my Betty did not say DA anymore. The DA was the only part of Davis left on the front! The back says VIS the DA is missing -- it must be where the orginal owner always grabbed the machine! It was funny - front DA, back VIS! Now no DA, but on a good note Betty is very shinning so I don't know if I am happy or sick! Look at page 474, there was a DA, now nothing! Geeze!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I am sick!!!!!!!
Nancy
I asked my question about how to handle the cleaning, and someone answered back. What I learned was that oil should not take the decals off, but what can is too much wiping. So, if the decals are exposed (no shellac protection) or the shellac has turned cloudy or damaged, then if you clean with a cotton ball you should only wipe over once with the cotton ball because the cotton ball will pick up dirt and/or shellac and that dirt on the cotton ball will now act as an abrasive and scratch the decals if you were to wipe over the decals again. Which means you could wipe off the decals. I believe it is best just to clean around the decals with a Q-tip.
01-23-2011, 03:14 PM
#8756
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: N/A
Posts: 185
RE: a 301A . .Hello everyone, including of course, Mr. Billie. . .I am still reading, enjoying and learning! I have located a singer 301a and the man that has it says the post that holds the needle is broken. Isn't that a main shaft? Would it be a part that can be replaced and how common is it for that part to break? Could it have caused more parts to be affected? Need to know whether or not to look at it any further. He is asking $65 in cabinet, which seems quite high to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanx for any input. Brenda
01-23-2011, 03:26 PM
#8757
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
Originally Posted by vintagemotif
Well, I joined the Yahoo Davis group and read all the posts last night.
I asked my question about how to handle the cleaning, and someone answered back. What I learned was that oil should not take the decals off, but what can is too much wiping. So, if the decals are exposed (no shellac protection) or the shellac has turned cloudy or damaged, then if you clean with a cotton ball you should only wipe over once with the cotton ball because the cotton ball will pick up dirt and/or shellac and that dirt on the cotton ball will now act as an abrasive and scratch the decals if you were to wipe over the decals again. Which means you could wipe off the decals. I believe it is best just to clean around the decals with a Q-tip.
I asked my question about how to handle the cleaning, and someone answered back. What I learned was that oil should not take the decals off, but what can is too much wiping. So, if the decals are exposed (no shellac protection) or the shellac has turned cloudy or damaged, then if you clean with a cotton ball you should only wipe over once with the cotton ball because the cotton ball will pick up dirt and/or shellac and that dirt on the cotton ball will now act as an abrasive and scratch the decals if you were to wipe over the decals again. Which means you could wipe off the decals. I believe it is best just to clean around the decals with a Q-tip.
Yes, sewing machine oil will clean the machines and make them shine. I doubt the oil can take most decals off, but the Davis machines seem to not have as good a finish over those decals as the Singers do. Anyway, I used cotton balls and oil. I was careful to get clean cotton balls as I kept cleaning. I think the decals came off because they were not protected, and not put on very good in the first place. I read somewhere that Davis had great machines, but the finish on their machines had 'shoddy work practices." I assume that meant that people had trouble with the decals coming off? My decals are completely gone, they are not silver like over-cleaning a Singer ends up. This tells me, the decals were not on very good to begin with?
Monica, that is really good about not using your dirty cotton balls over decals. My cotton balls from cleaning Betty last night were black! I was very careful, so I thought, about not going over the decals with the dirty cotton balls. Anyway, Betty is clean and she looks much better all shiny then she looked with part of a decal and dull.
Please inform us if you find out any more interesting things from the Yahoo Davis group.
I will post pictures.
Nancy
01-23-2011, 03:30 PM
#8758
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
Originally Posted by Crossstitcher
Here is our 128 machine with crinkle finish and black slide plates. We call her Vicky after the lady we bought her from. Today DH put a hand crank on her and I tried sewing and she sews like the champ that she is. First time I have ever hc in my life. Vicky is a 1951 model she had a motor but I think she will stay as a hc.
Nancy
01-23-2011, 03:36 PM
#8759
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Rescue, California
Posts: 4,585
Originally Posted by tomilu
Found a couple of treadles at an antique place out of town. One is a Wheeler and Wilson #9 in great shape and the other is a very early Davis with fancy irons. Can't make up my mind which I want, no room for both.
Nancy
01-23-2011, 03:48 PM
#8760
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cadillac, MI
Posts: 6,487
Who made an Empire machine? There is one on craigslist. Looks to be in good condition - is it light green? Nice looking machine with a big harp.
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