You've just gotta love the 'Little Old Ladies' (3/4 size or smaller vintage machine)
04-09-2012, 06:57 AM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
OK, I'll join the party.
Our first 3/4 sized machine was the Newhome Greyhound.
It was acquired as part of a lot of things at an auction about 12 or so years ago. The top has been wet, the veneer was pealing. The bottom rotted out too. But the little machine was undamaged.
It sat in the garage, then storage locker, then the garage some more for most of those 12 years.
Last year I took it out of the garage and took it down to my little work area in the basement. Over the months I fixed the bottom and the top as best I could. Still has a bit of work to go. I need to find some scrap veneer to replace some missing bits on the top.
I had to rewire the machine because the old wiring was horrible. Rotted, bubba'ed up and basically unsafe. When you touched the machine you'd get a buzz out of it.
My first attempt at rewiring it resulted in a fried foot controller. I got the wires crossed and shorted it out. A couple days ago I fixed it and reinstalled it. She's now back in business.
Last night I discovered the little machine is made from aluminum. Weighs about the same as our Singer Featherweight.
The second machine I don't know if it's a 3/4 size or a 1/2 size but since Miriam put hers in here's our Featherweight.
My wife has told me she's wanted one of these ever since her older sister got one eons ago. As we got into GW auctions she'd follow all the Featherweight auctions. Then one day the bidders seemed to loose interest in this one. The price didn't rise like they normally did. So when the auction was almost over I put a really really high bid on it. A couple other bidders put bids on but quit early. So I got it for her for a reasonable price.
It needed a mechanical cleaning, belt, and some thread removed from behind the hook. That one piece of thread had it jammed up tight.
After all the mechanical cleaning and lubing the little machine sews great.
She came with case, tray, a bunch of accessories, original owners manual, and about 20 bobbins.
Here's a shot of the Greyhound and Featherweight. It shows how similar in size they are.
The third machine is a Singer 99K.
A real 3/4 sized machine. When I got it all I got was the head.
The slide plate was there, but no case, no motor, wiring or foot controller. I got all these parts from various sources and put this machine back together. It works just fine but needs to be used to loosen up.
The last machine I have that could be a 3/4 sized machine is our Minnesota Model ~B~.
We got this one from forum member bdshafer last month. It's turned out to be a nice little machine. I've managed to procure some needles from mizkaki and after a good cleaning and lubing it really sews up a storm.
I've got plans to make a cover for it since the machine doesn't have a top.
So far I've only got one bobbin for it and when I ran that out I stood there thinking on just how to get the bobbin winder to work. Sine this was originally a treadle machine there was no big belt to drive the bobbin winder. Then I had a thought and stuck an old rubber belt on the hand wheel pully and the bobbin winder. Zoom zoom, works like a champ. Now I just need some more bobbins.
That's my group of 3/4 sized machines. Hope you liked them.
Joe
Our first 3/4 sized machine was the Newhome Greyhound.
It was acquired as part of a lot of things at an auction about 12 or so years ago. The top has been wet, the veneer was pealing. The bottom rotted out too. But the little machine was undamaged.
It sat in the garage, then storage locker, then the garage some more for most of those 12 years.
Last year I took it out of the garage and took it down to my little work area in the basement. Over the months I fixed the bottom and the top as best I could. Still has a bit of work to go. I need to find some scrap veneer to replace some missing bits on the top.
I had to rewire the machine because the old wiring was horrible. Rotted, bubba'ed up and basically unsafe. When you touched the machine you'd get a buzz out of it.
My first attempt at rewiring it resulted in a fried foot controller. I got the wires crossed and shorted it out. A couple days ago I fixed it and reinstalled it. She's now back in business.
Last night I discovered the little machine is made from aluminum. Weighs about the same as our Singer Featherweight.
The second machine I don't know if it's a 3/4 size or a 1/2 size but since Miriam put hers in here's our Featherweight.
My wife has told me she's wanted one of these ever since her older sister got one eons ago. As we got into GW auctions she'd follow all the Featherweight auctions. Then one day the bidders seemed to loose interest in this one. The price didn't rise like they normally did. So when the auction was almost over I put a really really high bid on it. A couple other bidders put bids on but quit early. So I got it for her for a reasonable price.
It needed a mechanical cleaning, belt, and some thread removed from behind the hook. That one piece of thread had it jammed up tight.
After all the mechanical cleaning and lubing the little machine sews great.
She came with case, tray, a bunch of accessories, original owners manual, and about 20 bobbins.
Here's a shot of the Greyhound and Featherweight. It shows how similar in size they are.
The third machine is a Singer 99K.
A real 3/4 sized machine. When I got it all I got was the head.
The slide plate was there, but no case, no motor, wiring or foot controller. I got all these parts from various sources and put this machine back together. It works just fine but needs to be used to loosen up.
The last machine I have that could be a 3/4 sized machine is our Minnesota Model ~B~.
We got this one from forum member bdshafer last month. It's turned out to be a nice little machine. I've managed to procure some needles from mizkaki and after a good cleaning and lubing it really sews up a storm.
I've got plans to make a cover for it since the machine doesn't have a top.
So far I've only got one bobbin for it and when I ran that out I stood there thinking on just how to get the bobbin winder to work. Sine this was originally a treadle machine there was no big belt to drive the bobbin winder. Then I had a thought and stuck an old rubber belt on the hand wheel pully and the bobbin winder. Zoom zoom, works like a champ. Now I just need some more bobbins.
That's my group of 3/4 sized machines. Hope you liked them.
Joe
04-09-2012, 09:32 AM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Timmins, Ont. Canada
Posts: 4,683
Had to do some repairs to the domed top but now it looks terrific (even if it is missing a small piece of wood) Just love my little machine. It is my 1st vintage.
04-09-2012, 09:49 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: middle of nowhere Alaska
Posts: 719
ok here is the "family" of lil godzilla 128's
you should be able to see more pictures of them in my album
left to right, the bent shaft centenial with the hotrod Pfaff motor
the pretty much unmolested 128-23
and last Franki the 128-23 with OLD chrome parts
the two wooden cases are both smashed to bits from shipping, but that is today's project glue!
(what looks like dust on the center machine is frost.. I brought it in from the shed for the photo's)
you should be able to see more pictures of them in my album
left to right, the bent shaft centenial with the hotrod Pfaff motor
the pretty much unmolested 128-23
and last Franki the 128-23 with OLD chrome parts
the two wooden cases are both smashed to bits from shipping, but that is today's project glue!
(what looks like dust on the center machine is frost.. I brought it in from the shed for the photo's)
04-09-2012, 11:31 AM
#30
Power Poster
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 15,506
http://www.treadleon.net/woodshop/bu...dingbases.html building bases - it doesn't look terribly hard to do. The green machine's base has some issues too. It goes in but the supports are pretty much crumbly condition. They do need a base to work don't they.
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