Grant, I don't know..... Mizkaki.... where are you? Cathy is the one that will know the answer to that question. I did do a search on eBay and there are a few listed. So, if you don't have the Boye #8, there are other options. I appreciate you looking for me.

Hey folks, it's been a while since I posted any updates (because I have not done anything worth updating about) but I wanted to let folks know what's not forgotten.

I am still working on a repeatable method for producing slide plates. I can currently produce rectangular ones with no problem at all, it is the ones with the "bite" taken out that are the most challenging to reproduce consistently.

I am working on the"Singer for a Deployed Soldier" and should have the first complete machine finalized tonight or tomorrow evening, posts to follow.

I am working on "Sandy" the Wheeler Wilson #8 that was sandblasted by the previous owner to attempt to resolve a"stuck" problem.... Sigh..... I have purchased a replacement needle bar and replacement presser bar. The originals were the "stuck" problem and once de-rusted they were able to be removed, but the damage to the shafts where they were sandblasted was sufficient that if I reused them they would thrash the passageways that they were designed to slide through.... There was also a break in the body that once the rusted parts were freed it separated. I am attempting to do a JBWeld repair. We shall see if it can withstand the rigors of use.

Now that it is freed from the rest of the machine, the bed of the Wheeler Wilson #8 is also going to be the test bed for our first attempts at doing MOP inlay. We have the mother of pearl cut out and ready to glue down. I will be mixing the shellac and pigment when I have a couple hours of time to mix and apply.

I am slowly acquiring more bits and pieces for the Machines which make up the "Victorian Sweatshop" show we put on. I just ordered a full set of Original Singer Model 12 accessories a full original set in the box of accessories for the Willcox and Gibbs, and about 1/2 of the parts I need for the Wheeler Wilson #8.

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. I've been sewing baby stuff. Finally finished all the bedding I was working on. Here's links to both threads I posted with pics of the two separate bedding sets I made:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...g-t197514.html

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...d-t222427.html

Nana,

I iz here. :)
The Boye #8 needle is also known as a 1x4 or GG. They are NLA. I thought that the MY1014 might work as a sub, but in rechecking it I see that it will be too long and the shank is too large. I don't see any other needles that will sub due to the thin size of the shank. The shank of the Boye #8 is measured at 1.4 mm and most other needles that we use measure in at 2.02 mm.

Cathy

I measured my Organ MY1014 needle it measured 1.43 mm diameter with a round shank. They are a real life saver on my W&W D-9, which is one of my favorites.

Jon

Jon, That is great to know. The MY1014 that I had was a much larger diameter shank. They are reported to work well as a sub on the W&W 8 & 9. Thanks.

Cathy

Thanks again, Cathy. My neighbor found some Boye #8 online and is ordering them.

It is so funny.... I think I'm just as excited about the neighbor getting her grandmother's treadle working as if it were my own. My hubby (a big hunter) tells me that it is just as enjoyable helping the grandsons get their 1st buck, etc. ... now I understand. Watching someone else catch the 'bug' of vintage machines or getting out in the woods is such a rush.

Nanna, Good luck with teaching your GD how to sew. My 6yr old GD puts the foot petal of my FW on the table to sew. She uses her right hand to work the foot petal and the left to guide the material. I got the needle/finger guard from sew-classic. The 4 yr old twins also love to make my machine go! They put their hands on the foot petal and I guide the material through the machine. Last time they were heavy on the foot petal and the machine ran FAST!!! Good thing I was just doing straight sewing and using no pins. When I do use pins with the 6 yr old, I put them in from the opposite side so they are pulled out from the left rather than the right of the needle. They don't get in the way of a guide for the width of the seam allowance. They also stay in better as they are grabbing more fabric. I use the quilting pins with the plastic heads. I threw all of my tiny regular straight pins away a long time ago. Also handy with the little ones is a telescoping magnet for picking up pins. They love playing with it too.

Isn't it a lot of fun getting an old vintage machine working again!!??!! Even if it belongs to others, it really feels like an accomplishment to getting them to work and be useful again.

:D<-------That is me because after hunting for many, many months I found my treadle! It's a 1916 Singer 66-1.

When I answered the CL ad, it turned out to be the dental hygienist I've been seeing for the last 20+ years. It had been her beloved great aunt's and had been on display since the aunt died in 1985. As you can imagine it was a bit difficult for her to let it go but she was happy to see it go to someone she knew and that it would be put back to use. I also have a few stories about the aunt who was a character!

I'm still in the process of cleaning her up. The bobbin winder had been removed because it wasn't working. I was able to clean it and it is now working. Unfortunately they lost the screw that holds the winder to the machine. I've been trying to find a replacement with no luck. Does anyone know where I could find one?

For teaching sewing, I like a hand crank with a finger guard - The finger guard isn't fool proof but it goes a long ways for peace of mind. It was very hard for them to hand crank and move material at the same time. Then I used 3X5 cards. They can go over the lines or between the lines. You can draw circles on them - actually large half circles work. I drew dot to dots on the card so they can sew to the dot and stop on the dots then turn and sew on. I put their names on the cards so they could take them home or compare how well they did the next time. It isn't as intimidating as a large piece of fabric and it isn't as messy for me to clean up like a thread clogged machine. When they get to the thread they have to know not to go backwards. Or just skip to a motorized machine so they don't go backwards. I also make them stop with the needle up all the way unless they are making turns.