Thread: Vintage Sewing Machine Shop.....Come on in and sit a spell

Originally Posted by Caroline S

My DD's mission for this morning was to go look and perhaps buy a Sphinx. Success. She is a beautiful girl under all of that old hardened oil. We are so happy. She comes into the house tonight for cleaning and oiling (currently in the garage in hiding. DH does not understand our passion). Her serial number is K311054, born in 1902 we think. We will be calling Singer on Monday to get actual birth date.

Congatulations, you have a very pretty Sphinx allotted on June 17, 1902, a model 27 - note the low bobbin winder placement, if the bobbin winder had been higher by the hand wheel it would be a 127!

I love the cabinet too, it looks like it is in great shape!
Nancy

Originally Posted by jlhmnj

Treadle belt is pretty easy and instructions sometimes come with belt. Here's what I'd do if I didn't have the 3n1 treadle pliers:
---Get proper size belt in natural leather (stay away from red) from SM supply, ebay or.....
---wrap belt around treadle pulley and SM pulley and pull tight and cut where ends meet (don't worry about cutting short the belt will stretch)
---examine wire staple that comes with belt, get drill bit slightly bigger than staple diameter and drill hole in each end of belt half the width of staple (so holes are width of staple when belt is put together)
---Put staple thru one end of belt and crimp tight on other end leave alone.
---Put belt on machine with uncrimped staple end facing up and run treadle for a few minutes
---Belt will stretch and cut off belt at hole at uncrimped end and drill another hole half width of staple
---might have to do this 2-3 times till belt is broken in
---crimp second end when belt seems stable and belt doesn't slip but not overly tight
---imagine Youtube and google would also have info on this.
Good Luck, it sort of a fun process
Jon
---

Or do what a lot of us are doing these days - sew the belts together with dental floss instead of using the metal staple thingy. I think Purplefiend, Sharon, started the dental floss fix!

Nancy

Originally Posted by redmadder

Hey beanie, its not a wheel. Its a device for winding spun yarn into hanks. I don't know what they are called but the hand version is a niddy-noddy. Niddy noddy, niddy noddy, two heads, one body. How cool to see one.

I never heard of a 'niddy noddy,' but it is so fun to be educated on these things! Thanks for sharing!

Nancy

Originally Posted by Phyllis nm

Belts
About 20 years ago I bought “new” leathers for my 104 and 114 machines and the leather was old I guess. They kept breaking, and I hate the replacing the clips. I went to my air condition/ plumbing supply and bought regular fan belts from them. I have never a problem since.
I called all over town and found one long and thin enough to fit my 29-4 but I had to cut it to get it on the machine. That was not easy to clip together

Great idea of cutting a v-belt and clipping back together, never thought of it. I like the round leather belts for some things and it is handy to keep a small roll of leather around and make a custom sized belt when needed, like when your forced to use them stretchy O ring SM belts. I like the looks of it and it works well.
Jon

Anyone here have a Singer 500 that was missing it top? I know this is a common complaint. How hard is it to reattach a broken top? Can the hinges be purchased or??

Originally Posted by Caroline S

My DD's mission for this morning was to go look and perhaps buy a Sphinx. Success. She is a beautiful girl under all of that old hardened oil. We are so happy. She comes into the house tonight for cleaning and oiling (currently in the garage in hiding. DH does not understand our passion). Her serial number is K311054, born in 1902 we think. We will be calling Singer on Monday to get actual birth date.

What a beauty and the cabinet is in great shape too.

Texas Jan