An early Eldredge
 

In my search to obtain a machine that takes the longer "Eldredge/National" shuttle - I bought this one from shopgoodwill (came from Oregon).

It's a true Eldredge - made before National came into existence.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psjwxgppqg.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pszbqa3t3d.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pssdw2rfpn.jpg



However the carrier fits the short shuttle. But I got to thinking - if some were converted, maybe I have a longer carrier in with some of my "Junk".

So I looked, and found one.

The left is what came with the machine, the right is the longer one.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psix59ytbm.jpg

The interesting thing - the only machines I have with a carrier like this are National ... (yes, I did look at them all)

This carrier looks like the one on the right, but is the length of the one on the left. This is one of the machines that I expected would have the long carrier, but did not.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps36db34fa.jpg

The names listed on the Boye needle holder for the longer shuttle are all "badged" names used by National, but also other companies as many were Store names. So researching it by name isn't real helpful. And even the Boye case cross references the two -stating "Sell shuttle 22 if too Short" next to shuttle 13, and "Sell shuttle 13 if too long" next to shuttle 22.


I hoped that if I got an early Eldredge, it would take the long shuttle, however now I'm wondering if maybe the long shuttle was something National tried for a while (longer bobbin would hold more thread) and then gave up on shortly after.

I think at this point I am going to stop looking for a machine that has the longer shuttle carrier - and either mount the longer carrier on one of the National machines I bought that I had expected to have it (but did not) or just keep the carrier loose and call it good.

Which means I have a machine/carrier for each of the shuttles offered in the Boye needle case. I'm still one machine shy of having a machine for each needle - I'd need a WW #8 to complete that.

Cathy,

I've been following along with your quest to find the Eldredge or National that uses Boye #22. I'd have to agree that this shuttle was made for a limited period of time alongside the shorter shuttle and discontinued in favor of the Boye #13.

Jon

It sort of defeats the purpose but will the longer carrier fit on a short shuttle machine? Given the relative scarcity of the long shuttle machines at this point I'm wondering if the longer shuttle might have been an optional upgrade or just sold on their higher priced models.
Rodney

Rodney, from looking at what is listed on the Boye case, I'm leaning towards it being an "age" thing. They seem to be machines made around the time that National was formed.

Hello! I don't mean to hi-jack this thread, but I have been looking for someone with an old Eldredge. My machine is identical to the one you pictured; made in Chicago while the company was still JUST Eldredge, and BEFORE they moved to Belvadier (sp?). I am looking for a manual or a threading guide. It sounds like perhaps you use your machine? so perhaps you have one of these? Any information is greatly appreciated. BTW, my machine was in an alterations shop until just a few months ago, still being used.[ATTACH=CONFIG]535949[/ATTACH]

welcome to the board!

Neat old Eldridge. Cleaned up, they sew very nice

Hi,

Linda at Relics has a National made Eldredge B manual for sale:

http://pages.sewing-machine-manuals....1834180/1.html

There is an ongoing search for an Eldredge or National which uses the "long" shuttle rather than the shorter one.

Is there a motor underneath the table or was your Eldredge treadled?

Neat machine.

Jon

I've got several "national' manuals (different ages and models) , but I do not believe I have one for a machine of this age.

I do have one for this machine - a newer version of the Eldredge B

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps1a8e7bd3.jpg

I volunteer at a historic home that has a what I think is a "badged" Belvidere (Belvedere?) machine. The name is gone on the arm but I can still see the ghost of where it used to be and it is accompanied by a catalogue for Belvidere cabinets etc published for "Smith & Caughey, Auckland" - who look to be the special agents for New Zealand. That department store is still operating in Auckland (where I live) and is probably the oldest in the city that's still going.

It is a treadle machine and has that triple-pronged tiara on top of the arm for the tension set up. It's a long-bobbin machine but I can't get the slide plates off to see what kind of shuttle it has. (That's a job for another day, perhaps - if they let me!). I'd love to find an operator's manual for it (preferably free) but am having no luck so far. I don't have a good picture at the moment but can get one if the description isn't enough to help.

Please let me know if you think you know just what it is, or need me to get you some further info so you can identify it. I'd love even to have a fair idea what year it is.

Thanks so much and kind regards... Megan

A picture would definitely help. Since National was based in Belvidere, Illinois, I'm wondering if it would be like one of the machines at the top of http://needlebar.org/nbwiki/index.ph...uttle_Machines.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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