BoJangles

Trish, I will send him an e-mail and ask him where in VA he is lcoated. I don't remember what the address label said on the needles I bought.

Nancy

HisPatchwork

Thanks for sharing them, I really enjoyed reading them. I am hoping for a story of my own someday. I would love to get one...or more. I would love to have one for each of my DGDs.

sew wishful

Too funny!! My daughters say "Another one???" LOL! Little do they know they are each getting one!! Leaving them one in the will! JKJK!!

vintagemotif

I'm so glad you have kept her machine. I like stories like this. My mom has promised to give her Bernina 830 to my daughter. I wish my mom still had her Necchi Supernova. I learned to sew on that. If only the machines could talk, I bet the stories would be very interesting.

gramquilter2

Thanks for the site the stories are a great read.

cabbagepatchkid

Hahahahaha.....I'm afraid to tell my daughter whenever I get another machine :roll: --Keep in mind that I'm 57 yrs old (and don't need anyone's permission), she doesn't even live here (so it's really none of her business) but I feel like a kid sneaking my boyfriend through the bedroom window or something. Can I help it if I keep finding 301's everywhere I look (I now have 7) :lol: or is it my fault that my dental hygenist gave me her grandmother's 99K. And how about all of those beautiful treadle machines with their wonderful cabinets that I've run across----am I just supposed to leave them like orphans :mrgreen: , etc, etc.....

whenpigsfly

My orphaned Singer 128 arrived today via FedEx, Bentwood case intact. Pretty good shape after 69 years, I think.

A quick test - despite the frayed cord and the practically chalky belt - showed that the motor still works. So, first will be the cleaning and then the rewiring.

Anyone have experience cleaning crinkle finish? And both the slide plates are frozen shut...any hints on how to break through the years of crud?

The veneer around the case's handle is splintered. Is there anything that can be done about that?

cabbagepatchkid

I was just reading about this problem the other day. It is from Treadle Lady's booklet (which I highly recommend):
"Slide plates are sometimes stuck, penetrant and a little force will loosen them. Be careful with force, too much can damage parts. The back slide plate of a vibrating shuttle machine should fit tight so it does not slide out easily when sewing. They are often very difficult to remove" She says that you can place a small block of wood in front of the back slide plate and tap it with a small hammer.

Even if your machine isn't a vibrating shuttle machine I hope this info can help you get them loose.

ETA: I'm glad that your bentwood case came through without being in a million pieces. How did the shipper wrap everything?

irishrose

Bojangles, I factored the shipping when I was comparing the price to a cleaning price. I don't think $21.90 from California to Michigan is bad.

whenpigsfly, your little 128 is a twin to mine. The size belies the weight on that machine. Could they have used any heavier cast iron.? I still haven't cleaned mine up, but she sewed when I tried her out at her former home.

whenpigsfly

Cathy, thanks for the How-To!

Even though I knew my case was pretty battered to begin with, I still held my breath and thought of your experience with your pristine Bentwood case until I got a good look at this one. The machine had been tightly wrapped with extra large bubble wrap. (However, the foot pedal was left loose in the bed area, and the needle was down.) The machine was then put in a rather large, extra sturdy computer box which was filled with styrofoam peanuts. So, except for the unwrapped, unrestrained foot pedal - which COULD have been a battering ram against the needle/needle bar -- there seemed to be some care taken in the shipping. Certainly better than crumpled newspaper.