It depends...is the paint/Japaning intact? If so, wash them down with a mild soap and then I use car wax on mine...

If they're in rougher shape with lots of rust, you have to stop the rust before you do anything else. Evaporust is a favorite product of mine...Then do some painting...either touch up, or if necessary, take the irons apart and spray paint them.

Thanks Charlee. I think the paint is good, not rusty. The car wax sounds like a great idea. Barb

Glenn's new tutorial for cleaning up a machine! YAY!! :)

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...s-t193635.html

The head of my machine cleaned up quite nicely. But I finally had a chance to sit down and try treadling again, and I have a very disconcerting *SQUEAK* from somewhere around the treadle mechanism. What kind of lubricant is best to use? Do I just lubricate all the moving parts?

And the iron parts (cast iron? wrought iron?) aren't as nice-looking as I'd like - can I polish them? With what?

Thanks for any & all ideas!

Use some Triflow grease

Any tips on resetting the timing?

Google search 'sewing machine timing instructions' then go into 'video' a bunch should come up. I do not know if http://www.tfsr.org/ has anything on timing or not - I've not looked.

I didn't have any Triflow grease, but I found some spray lube of DH's, and finally found it - the tiny steel (bearings?) in the end of the pitman rod, where it connects onto the flywheel. Thanks!

Re: cleaning up a vintage machine - the irons. I really don't want to use paint on them, but I would like to "freshen" them up a little bit.

First, not sure I understand how to disassemble the cabinet & legs. I'm assuming there are screws on the pivot points to take the machine out. Does the cabinet then come off, or do you remove the legs from the cabinet?

The legs & underneath the cabinet needs a good washing, but I don't want to get the veneer wet - the veneer underneath the cabinet has separated into layers - need to clean that & glue & clamp to get it back together?

**Has anyone used "stove blacking", AKA Williams Stove Polish, to refresh the iron legs? The Williams people say it should work just fine, but I wondered if anyone else has actually tried it?

I have a 1924 singer can't wait to watch videos