makitmama

well, the owner can do as they want with their property. I agree some of us could resurrect it. However, any time I have vintage machines out it triggers reminiscing in people who see them. There could be a lot of people who smile with good memories when they see this machine in such a public setting, and it certainly is better IMHO than setting it in a closet somewhere because it is a 'parts' machine.

J Miller

CIL,

I apologize, but I can't stand that attitude. "It is just a parts machine." Really. Why? Other than exposure to the weather, there might be nothing mechanically wrong with it. The paint and decals are chipped and worn, big deal, that doesn't make it a parts machine. The plated parts are rusty, again big deal, they can be cleaned.

The owner can do what they want, that's true, but it's still sad. Kind of like the business here in Springfield, that has a 55 Chevy 2 door up on a 30' tall pole as their advertising gimmick. Pretty sad waste of a good car in my opinion.

Joe

nygal

Makes me want to cry. The poor thing.

SteveH

Sounds like another case for a middle of the night switch-a-roo... perhaps swap with a Vega..

BarbaraSue

Call me a traitor but I like the idea for a machine that is "over the hill". And sadly to say that there are machines past all hope because they are not singers. This one was a maybe. Not everyone has the $$ or connections to restore. If the machine was already rusted at half the amount you see, it was likely past its ability to sew or even be for parts. I like this instead of a the dump where it will not biodegrade! Yard decorations, I've seen tractors made out of some. One man stated that the machines were past hope of sewing as he was also a restorer and making a tractor (his brother's idea) was better than filling his barn with them. At least he didn't get good ones and make tractors. Combined two ideas decorating for some: sewing for her; tractors for him. Thanks for sharing.

J Miller

BarbaraSue,

I have a Singer 99K that was totally, solidly rusted tight. I refurbed it and it's sewing now. Rusty is what I named him. Currently he wears a hand crank unit and I'm searching for a 3/4 size case for him. He ain't purty no more, but he sews purty good good.

The only difference between his being a piece of junk and functional sewing machine is my willingness to take the time and effort to fix him. He sews just fine and only three parts were replaced. One because I broke it.
I've used as much of his original parts as I could.

I won't condemn any machine just because it's old, worn, rusted ( unless it's like the boat anchor I think Candace posted the pic of) or a non Singer.

I guess it's just an attitude thing. My attitude is I'll fix it if it can be fixed at all.

Remember the 66 head I traded you was a parts machine and I put it back to work.


Joe

Material Witness

Right, we will assume it was too far gone to restore. I like it.

shirleyd

I think that's a cute idea for an old machine that's not restorable! I often see some really fun ideas people have for making their mailboxes unique and different. Never seen a sewing machine, though; usually old farm implements and tools.

BarbaraSue

I will agree, Joe, that you and a few others on this board can do wonders with machines. I do believe it is a gift that many of us do not have even though we are able to bring about some good changes in machines. I just think that if the machine is not even fixable by you, wouldn't having it as a calling card be better than the dump, the barn, the outbuilding? That is all. I respect the machines first and believe that fixing them is the utmost idea. However...
There are some machines that parts are no longer findable because they were that rare, or made so poorly to begin with that they didn't last. I have one I call a parts machine. Rust remover and elbow grease didn't get the needle post to move with the wheel. My DH almost came off the floor trying to dislodge it, and he is no featherweight. It did not budge after days of soaking. That one, if I wanted that to be my calling card could be at the end of my driveway.

LindaJR

Maybe hte person who lives in the house does alterations or dressmakeing. Or as some said just a collector and this one could not be put in working order, so was repurposed as a yard ornament. I love it.