Look it what I'm getting for free ...... update
 

Look it what I'm getting for free ...... update

Last July 18th I posted about the Singer treadle I was to get for free when we went to my MILs memorial service in FT Wayne. Check out the original pics.
My SIL said it had been used as an aquarium stand.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t194998.html

When I got the machine I took a picture of the cabinet before we put it in the Pathfinder. It was pathetic and I wasn’t really sure I could fix it.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...Asreceived.jpg

From then until two days ago I’ve been working on the cabinet. The Machine cleaning and repair didn’t take long at all.
The hardest thing was getting the Briwax Dark Brown paste wax that Skip recommended. No one in central IL carried it. We finally had to order it through an Amazon source.

I started by totally disassembling the cabinet. Then I glued and clamped many, many parts that had come apart due to the water damage. I was able to save the sides of the largest part of the top. Lots of gluing and lots of clamping later the ends were solid again. Then after that it took lots of sanding. That is why I took the entire top apart.

I also reglued the edges of the drip tray underneath where they were separating. And fixed quite a few small places where the veneer was beginning to separate.

The hinged lid was damaged the worst. The veneer was almost completely off and so I decided to replace it. I should have taken the extra time and glued it back on. As it was I decided to replace the veneer with a new piece which was a big mistake. First it wasn’t quarter sawn oak, and second it had been previously finished for a customer that didn’t need it. I got it at a big discount, but it was old and cracked easily and I just couldn’t get it glued on properly. Then sanding it to get the finish off so I could stain it was just more work than the savings was worth. In the long run it would have worked out better, and looked better had I glued the old pieces back on then sanded, stained, and refinished them as I did the other pieces.
But new piece is glued and nothing short of a power sander is gonna get it off.

After the wood was fixed I went to Skips tutorial on refinishing.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...ts-t97670.html

The only thing I did different from his instructions is I used two coats of the amber shellac and one coat of the clear rather than the other way around. I wanted the repaired top to match the rest of this cabinet’s color as best I could and the cabinet was quite dark.
I also found that using a paper towel rather than a brush to apply the stain and shellac to be much easier and more consistent. The brush just put way too much on in too small of an area.
After the shellac had dried the cabinet sat for about three weeks until we got the Briwax and then till the weather cleared up enough I could set up my tables out side of the garage to work.

So two days ago I finally got the cabinet back together. And yesterday the Singer 9W-7 was put back in.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...etfinished.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...ished-open.jpg

Although I’m not happy about the lid, it does look pretty decent.
We sat outside for a while as I sewed with the machine. It makes a really nice stitch from long to short.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...Testsewing.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o.../Stitching.jpg
The black thread was on top and the red in the bobbin. The little places that look like skipped stitches is the fabric covering up the thread.
And here is a tip; if you’re going to sit outside in the bright sun and sew on your treadle machine ….. don’t use white fabric. You get light blinded pretty quick. When I looked away after sewing I couldn’t see much of anything.

While we were out working our old lady cat Millie kept us company and soaked up some sun while she was at it.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...ngupthesun.jpg

We’ve decided that eventually we’ll make a quilt on this machine. Probably a jelly roll quilt. Oh my poor legs.

While we were admiring the treadle and its nice stitching my wife commented that the light just did not look right. I said that was an easy fix so I took it off.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...helightoff.jpg
There, that looks better.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...ooksbetter.jpg

And one last thing, the rear belt guide is broken.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...rbeltguide.jpg
Does anyone here have a spare one they’d be willing to sell me?

So, another project is done. Now, where do we put it?

Joe

Fabulous job!

Good job. I've refinished one cabinet and it is a ton of work. And I didn't have the veneer issues you did. It looks so much better.

Wow, beautiful job. I have that exact same wooden cabinet. Dh brought it home from a garage sale probably 25 yrs ago. We use it for our coffee table. Someone had removed the legs and machine. I always wondered what machine model it was from. Yours came out beautiful, love the machine.

Kat

That is gorgeous! It's identical to one I have, except mine is a 4 drawer instead of 6. Good job! You make me feel bad about the black lacquer/decoupage one I'm working on now. It was too shot to repair, though, without replacing the veneer, and I was not up to that on a freebie machine!

I just love all the disigns on the cabinet. You must have the patience of Job! You did a beautiful job on all of it.

The patience of Job??? Usually, but not always. I've got so many things going I just work on something for a while then move on to the next thing then the next in rotation. Or when I need something for one project I move on to the next till I get what I need for the first one ...... OK, now I'm dizzy.

Joe

Nice job! Lots of work, nice to see in a throw away world!

WOW that's beautiful! You did a super job...

Joe,

You should be proud of the beautiful job you did.
I love my Wheeler Wilson 9, which is the same machine as the Singer W9.
Someday I would love to learn to do wood working and refinishing. But with a garage full of machine that need work, that someday will be in the future.

Cathy