Originally Posted by miriam

I picked up a 'Rodney' sewing machine - made in Japan - looks like 1960s two tone blue with some nice knobs and buttons on it. I've been trying to figure out how to get the top off. No pic yet - GKs showed up. The bigger kids watched a video so my helpers were Miss L and Wilbur. Wilbur had to tear himself away and 'help' grandpa cook chicken on the grill. They love it at the shop - all kinds of dangerous chemicals, grease, oil, heavy sewing machines - tiny parts - Q-TIPS! yeah Q-TIPS! - buy stock youall.... Anyway. As I was pondering the 'Rodney' Miss L my 'helper' comes in and wants to know what I'm doing. So I explained it to her and she sat and looked and looked - we didn't get it off - we did figure out how to get it loose. That machine all oiled up is slick! I'm thinking Rodney will hot rod! It will do zz and FM and ss - that's it. It just looks like it ought to sew itself. So in comes Walter and Wilbur - where do they head - straight for 'Rodney' So many buttons and knobs!!! Screwdrivers. Wow and it is a BLUE sewing machine!!! Do all guys grow up with knobs and buttons on their brains? The top of that machine and the nose is all one piece - there is a big nut type thing under the top that holds it on - then the pressure regulator keeps it from coming off. I don't think I want to remove that thing. Last time I did one I had a shaft hit the ceiling... Miss L and I looked the rest of the machine over and discovered that the motor cord was melted - someone must have used liquid wrench on it or something - it was a nearly a puddle. So Miss L and I took the motor off and looked at how I was going to fix that. The wires are soldered on, Glenn. Then we 'discovered' a PINK - yes Rodney came with a PINK foot control poor Rodney - how embarrassing... Then I messed with 2 Singer 306 machines. Those will hot rod too. They have cool knobs and levers but they just aren't two tone and BLUE - just only godzilla brown. So I tested a New Home and a White - it was missing a bobbin winder - I stuck one from a donor on there. So much for my plans to get the Kenmore machines fixed. Oh and Joe, I messed with that Good Housekeeper I got at GW, Joe - Melinda I might need a manual - all but one knob seems to work now. Is that suppose to have a clear plastic cover over the front? Seems a bit wonky. We tested out every type of old cam I have in the place - nada... none fit. The one Kenmore I started with - one knob still frozen up. I'm thinking I might buy myself a Dremmel tool for my birthday.

Sure good to see Charlee around again and Trish & Pat too.