Originally Posted by
jlhmnj
Minnesota A was made by a few makers other than Davis. If the Minnesota A has a has a rectangular needle / feed dog plate than it is Davis. For the last model Davis NVF the footprint and hinge location is the same. What might be different is how the machine attaches to cabinet at the front edge. Some have a clamp underneath and other a bolt running through the bed in front of the arm. If the attaching methods are different some minor modifications are needled for a drop head cabinet. If you aquire the head first I'd bring it along when examining the cabinet. Personally I'd look for a complete VF treadle on classified websites.
The 1910 Davis bicycle is awesome. Even on ebay I rarely see one. Any info on the bicycle operation or history would be greatly appreciated. I've only found a few conflicting articles online.
Jon
That is just the sort of helpful information that I was looking for! Based on your experience It’s probably best not to even attempt a head swap.
I have located one in Colorado but I am not sure that the seller is up to the task of shipping it without the gorillas at UPS turning it to splinters and broken cast iron! I am thinking about requesting that she take it to UPS to be professionally packed but I am not sure if she would be comfortable disassembling the cabinet and I am not sure if I am comfortable with UPS doing it either. It would probably cost more than the machine itself but I believe it would be worth the price. Do you have any information about classified sites to possibly locate another closer to Texas?
Davis built machines are few and far between down here in South Texas but I have found a few Minnesota machines.
I noticed some Davis Dayton cycle ads on the fiddlebase site. The Davis sewing machine co. has quite a following on the C.A.B.E. Classic &Antique Bicycle exchange. A quick search there will turn up quite a bit of information on the cycling end of their manufacturing. I believe they built some of the Harley Davidson bicycles before shutting their doors in 1923.
This one is a great example...
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/sh...28#post-822117
On the subject of quilting, hopefully, here is a detail of the quilt top that I completed for my father. The embroidery by Nannie Brumfield, my great grandmother is self explanatory. She passed away in 1947. I used a machine briefly for a few inches, pulled the stitches and completed it by hand in about two years. I did however cheat on the first part of the binding only because it would be hidden.