Basic Sewing Machine Base Tutorial
07-17-2014, 02:48 PM
#31
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This base was intended to be only a base, it's good for machines intended for display or machines fitted with a hand crank. If you want a lid you would need to make the base longer on the wheel side to clear the wheel. That would give you the extra compartment for the electrical box that you see on many vintage machines.
07-25-2014, 12:25 PM
#33
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Hey Rodney, I really didn't forget about this - life got in the way. Our roof sprung a leak all over my office wall last Thursday and I've been in panic roofing mode since. We're almost half done, but it's raining today, so I have time to take and post pics. 
Let's see how much I can remember about these boxes.
The "cushions" for the machines are just pieces of the 2x2 antifatigue mats you can buy everywhere.
I bought forstner bits for this but I don't recall atm what size I used for the small ones, I can measure though, or check the garage to see which bits have the pretty knocked off them.
I started out with the plastic pieces (you can see one on the smaller box) to secure the machines, but they snap too easily. I had one snap while the machine was in it, luckily I was using the hinges that day, so it just flopped down instead of hitting me.
The larger box is the dimensions of the common case you see some Singers in but more often a clone. It's the same size because I was going to replace a really hammered one that I had here with my 15-91 in it but I ended up selling the 15-91 instead.
The smaller box is a representation of the lemongrass and burgundy Singer boxes.
Originally, I'd thought I'd use these mostly to help service the loose heads, but I realised that when I tilted them back, the case would bite me, so I started leaving the machines loose on my turntable instead.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484928[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484929[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484930[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484931[/ATTACH]
ETA: Tools used would have been Hammer, el cheapo Black and Decker belt sander, table saw, chop saw (for the machine supports), forstner bits and a drill.
Let's see how much I can remember about these boxes.
The "cushions" for the machines are just pieces of the 2x2 antifatigue mats you can buy everywhere.
I bought forstner bits for this but I don't recall atm what size I used for the small ones, I can measure though, or check the garage to see which bits have the pretty knocked off them.
I started out with the plastic pieces (you can see one on the smaller box) to secure the machines, but they snap too easily. I had one snap while the machine was in it, luckily I was using the hinges that day, so it just flopped down instead of hitting me.
The larger box is the dimensions of the common case you see some Singers in but more often a clone. It's the same size because I was going to replace a really hammered one that I had here with my 15-91 in it but I ended up selling the 15-91 instead.
The smaller box is a representation of the lemongrass and burgundy Singer boxes.
Originally, I'd thought I'd use these mostly to help service the loose heads, but I realised that when I tilted them back, the case would bite me, so I started leaving the machines loose on my turntable instead.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484928[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484929[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484930[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]484931[/ATTACH]
ETA: Tools used would have been Hammer, el cheapo Black and Decker belt sander, table saw, chop saw (for the machine supports), forstner bits and a drill.
07-25-2014, 03:59 PM
#34
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Location: Centralia, WA, USA
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Those cases are nicely done. If you covered them with an appropriate material they would look original.
The corner blocks are a nice way to get around more complicated joints and give the plywood a lot more strength than otherwise too. The rubber pads for the corners are a nice touch.
Rodney
The corner blocks are a nice way to get around more complicated joints and give the plywood a lot more strength than otherwise too. The rubber pads for the corners are a nice touch.
Rodney
07-25-2014, 10:09 PM
#35
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Join Date: Jul 2012
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Thanks Rodney. I can't really take any credit for the design though. I had 2 rough cases that I was able to reverse engineer without disassembling and copy them pretty much as they were. They were really a proof of concept. I think if I were to make another one, it would be out of lumber, like the ones you made. These are nice for utility work, but most of my need for cases these days is for display.
I have photos of having glued and clamped these boxes. Then I nailed them together once the glue was dry. I was briefly looking for Tolex for exactly the reason you mention. The corner blocks let me get around some of the inaccuracy of my gluing job, and act as a support at the same time.
I have photos of having glued and clamped these boxes. Then I nailed them together once the glue was dry. I was briefly looking for Tolex for exactly the reason you mention. The corner blocks let me get around some of the inaccuracy of my gluing job, and act as a support at the same time.
08-02-2014, 02:41 PM
#36
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 200
08-03-2014, 10:58 PM
#38
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