Originally Posted by jrhboxers
Okay, I have been using my grandmother's featherweight for all my quiting for awhile now. And my husband scored another COMPLETE featherweight - including the buttonhole attachment - from the county trash/recycle site. (He scored MAJOR brownie points for that :thumbup: )
But, I have been noticing all of the people that are quilting with a treadle. I have both knees totally replaced 2 years ago. And I have a hip that - due to being hit by a drunk driver in my own living room - comes out of joint every now and then. So I have a couple of questions -
1 - How much physical exertion does the machine take?
2 - How comfortable do you think I could be using a treadle?
3 - Are the treadle machines fairly easy to maintain? I am thinking about the daily/weekly upkeep that I do with my Featherweights.
4 - How hard is it to refurbish one? And what conditions would make a treadle un-refurbish-able (if that is even a word).
Any advise/ideas/comments will be greatly apprciated.
I am going to try and respond.
1. Not much I would say it is the way you treadle. The way I do it more is put on my right leg then my other. But I need to stop that. As I use the treadle for physical therapy and my left foot has a slow response. So I use the treadle to try and work on that.
I have arthritis in my ankles and knees. I noticed it was more of my muscle that were a bit sore when I did a long time on the treadle.
2. I think that if your knees are okay since the replacement then you would be okay. If you have a comfy chair then the hip should not be a problem.
3. I maintain mine buy cleaning the lint out and putting oil in it after every project. I have heard some say oil everyday some say every week. so I go in between
4. I think it has to be really really bad for it to be non refurbish able. But then again I have never refurbished one. I can clean them up but taking everything apart is not my thing
Sorry I cant be of more help.
Maybe till you know you like it buy a cheap one a singer that uses modern feet, needles, and bobbins that way you dont have a headache to get new stuff
Good Luck
I enjoy mine and would trade all my new ones for it!