Definitely an addiction, I can't resist them. I didn't intend collecting them in the first place, I got my first treadle to turn it into a chunky spinning wheel, fell in love with the machine and it was downhill from there. I still haven't made that spinning wheel.
I prefer treadles to hand cranks, but I always have at least one hand crank ready for action.I sell sewing machines in the Winter and tents in the Summer. All bought at auction. I repair the tents using my hand crank Singer 201. It will sew virtually anything.
Jacqui