Yeah, thanks Steve, googling before I did anything got me back on the right track. I clamped it and heated it with propane torch, dropped in under woodstove ash and let it set. After that it machined easily, after I resharpened the dull cutting tools. I put it together. and put a hole for the thread to pass through at the top, as the other take up arrangement seemed pretty messed up. [ATTACH=CONFIG]478328[/ATTACH] Once I debrurred that thread hole it sewed beautifully! I'm excited? Now I have an idea for a hand crank mechanism, if it works, I think you HC fans will appreciated it.