Muv

Hello Blackberry - I was so sorry to see the damage to your machine.
LindaR - now you've seen Blackberry's machine you can see how lucky you are.

I remember having my heart in my mouth when I saw pictures a member posted on Billy's tutorial thread after she had taken a machine completely apart. She had never stripped a machine down before, and all the parts were pushed over to one side with nothing labelled or put in separate compartments so she could be sure she would put them all back in the right place.

As for soaking the machine in paraffin (kerosene), that is totally unnecessary unless you have a completely seized up old wreck, and even then, only consider it if the decals are already past it. Also (and I'm speaking English English here, so don't faint with shock), what if the neighbour comes round for a cup of tea and a fag and inadvertently flicks a bit of fag ash in the wrong direction when he pokes his head round the shed door? Who would get there first, ambulance, fire brigade or the bomb squad?

Billy used to fix cars and motorbikes, and, from what I could see, treated sewing machines in much the same way.