My Dream Machine
Well, I think this might be it. I 've had my eye on getting a straight leg treadle, and found one with a machine for a reasonable $45. And it's cleaned up and ready to go to exacting specifications such that it may in fact be the world's* first tri-powered sewing machine: treadle, hand crank, and motor. Why, you may ask, would I need a tri-powered sewing machine? For the same reason I need the 25-30 other machines in the house-I don't! Actually I think this prepares me for any eventuality: my arm could fail, my feet could fail, or the electricity could fail.
The motor actually spins the entire treadle mechanism because it uses the treadle belt to turn the machine. The hand crank has a finger that can be disengaged from the hand wheel spokes. I can use the hand crank without turning the treadle or the motor, I can use the treadle without turning the hand crank or the motor, I can use the motor without turning the hand crank but with turning the treadle. I could separately belt the motor, leaving it off when using either other power source, and will probably end up doing that.
* for purposes of this post "world" is defined as within the confines of my house.