Hi Caroline
I did end up getting a VS2 manual from ISMACS - thanks for sharing the link, that's great. Beats getting ripped off on eBay!! (for a scanned/copied manual, I mean)
My serial number is 13302814... it dates to 1895. I think you might have done what I did (at first) and looked at the list back at the millions (eg) 1,000,000 numbers when our serial number are actually in the ten millions (yours: 14,816,344) which would mean your machine dates to 1897 - almost exactly the same time as mine :) Does it have the same decals and everything? - that's really cool. How does yours run/sew? I have got mine going now but I think the treadle irons & pitman are stiff - I've got no experience on how to free them up nicely so I'll be trawling the internet today for tips! :thumbup:

Congrats! Awesome beauty. One of the things I like the most about picking up a new/old machine is the feel and the smell. Sure, some are GROSS but most feel and smell like the inside of an old car... same "aged" thing.....

Totally, Steve! I was noticing that last night when I was looking "under the hood" - full of old dust and stuff. I noticed on the old manual it says "use only the very best refined sperm oil" ..... so maybe that smell is muddled in with the ghostly tears of 19th century whales?

Sperm oil, that's a bit of history right there. To free up your treadle just clean and oil all the pivot points.

Joe

You are correct that is what I did. Mine dates to 1897. I just went back and double checked. Yes, my machines, I have three, and have the same decals. One, #11646308, was someone's botched refurbish project that my son bought me. It is doorstop until I decide what is to be done with it. The other two are currently sitting up here in my loft and I work on them occasionally. Have you oiled your treadle irons and pitman arm? The treadling should not be stiff.

When you say clean, do I need to take it all apart? I'm not really sure how to clean treadle irons. The mechanism seems to stop when it gets to the point where the wheel is supposed to turn over.. other than that it "goes". I was also wondering if it might have meant I put the belt on too loose or too tight. It's the first time I've done it (so I doubt it's too tight)

Depending on how dirty, furry ( you should see mine - I could make a whole cat from the fur they've attracted ), gunked up they are taking the treadle plate off and cleaning the pivot holes and screws the lubing them might be a good idea. Also the ball socket on the bottom of the pitman arm ( metal one ) can need cleaned and lubed too.
The pivoting points on the big wheel should just need wiped out and oiled.

The belt should be just tight enough to not slip. Too tight can cause stiffness in the treadle, just like on an e-machine. Not to worry too much as the leather belts do stretch.

Joe

Congrats on your beautiful "new" machine! I wish you many happy hours with her!

Amazing collection of usefull information;
http://www.treadleon.net/sewingmachineshop/index.html

The specific link "I" used to do the rebuild on my irons and they work AWESOME now.
(really, they "worked" before, but now it spins effortlessly and always ends with the pitman arm on the low end...)
http://www.treadleon.net/sewingmachi...gtreadles.html

For starters, I'd personally just oil the machine and treadle base according to the owners manual. If it isn't broke I wouldn't fix it. If you enjoy taking everything apart, cleaning, and polishing- have at it, just take pics or notes. The amazing thing about these machines is that after sitting for 50 or 100 years and after only a routine oiling they spring back to life. The machines were abandoned usually before they broke down---they were that well made and designed for one task.
After using the machine for a little bit and adjusting for a good stitch, if something isn't right I'd take it from there but usually all the machines need is synthetic oil rather than whale oil. Good Luck, Have Fun.

Jon