As you can see by the earlier photo, I can still get to the chopsaw as it's right next to the garage door, the tablesaw is way down yonder in the dark beyond. So here is an idea for those treadle heads, leaning at odd angles on a workbench, couple it with the HC knob, and you can be sewing in minutes! [ATTACH=CONFIG]483325[/ATTACH] Another view of "Maywood" [ATTACH=CONFIG]483326[/ATTACH]
And to show that's it's stout enough for 1/15 of screaming horsepower...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/82ptwr49h4...2011.15.50.mp4
What do you need to make one?
1) 2 pcs of 2-1/4" flooring scrap, see a hardwood floor installer for freebies.
2) a sewing machine of known width, at least the first time.
3) either a chop saw(need not necessarly be treadle powered) or a miter box and hand saw, or a table saw if you can still get to it.
4) 2 pieces of "allthread" from the local hardware store. (No, Walmart is NOT a hardware store). I used 10-24thread, but 1/4-20 is another possibility. these can be the same length as the bed of the SM, if your hdwe store has neat little bins of Hillman fasteners with these special female threaded posts,[ATTACH=CONFIG]483327[/ATTACH] Notice that they look like shuttle bobbins, but wait, I'll get to that later.
5) 2-4 nuts of the same size, and 2 flat washers for same.
6) 2 pieces of dowel, same length as bed of machine. It can be 5/16" dia like mine, of aluminum or brass, or steel, or even hardwood dowels.
Tools;
1) Saw of some sort to cut the flooring to lengths similar to but not necessarily the same as, the depth of the sewing machine. I like longer, stable base, and places to hand things like thread holders, light fixtures, motors and little mounting blocks for some pieces of something yet to be determined to provide a bigger feed deck.
2) Drill press is nice, but you could get by with a hand drill, with a guide bushing and a little fixture to place the holes, or you could just measure or even eye-ball it, cause it will still work, unless you really goof. A 1/4" drill bit for wood, a brad point is nice, but not necessary. Drill holes for the dowels to fit in that are as deep as the dado is at top where the sewing machine is going to set.
3) Pliers/wrench/strong fingers...
4) Something to measure and mark with, or, as I've heard they say down under a "good-eye".[ATTACH=CONFIG]483328[/ATTACH]
5) Once you're somewhat convinced that it just might work after all, a little sandpaper, shellac thinned with alcohol, a rag to wipe it on with, and some 0000 steel wool, to rub out the rag marks cause you were to cheap to mess with a brush. Follow with another coat, of same, on the same linty rag, towel or cotton ball, that didn't work before.
6) Assembly, all of 10 minutes.[ATTACH=CONFIG]483329[/ATTACH]
7) Finagle said sewing machine to not drop thru the counter while you tighten the nuts on the 2 pieces of AllThread, or you could go large and spend $2.60 for 2 more of those internal threaded furniture fastener thingies.
done... put in a needle and try your luck at embroidery, remove the foot, put some material on a hoop and make a painting. Check out the FaceBook group devoted to just that.
8) Almost forgot, move the HC knob, (Miriam attachment?) to where it will be at the bottom when the needle is all the way up, for embroidery, and fasten it to where the needle is all the way DOWN for quilt piecing. Control is now EASY! Speed on the other hand, not so much...