Kath12

I just inherited my husbands grandmother's Eldredge Two Spool H5657 treadle machine. There is a note inside the cabinet that she had purchased this machine second hand in 1917. I would like to get this machine running again so I will need to purchase a new belt and needles. It is in beautiful condition just needs to be cleaned. It does have some rust on the needle which will have to be replaced, so I need to find a source for parts to this machine. I also would like to know the age of this machine. It has National Sewing Machine Co., Belvidere, Ill. USA and Eldredge Two Spool stamped on it. Any information you can give me would be appreciated.

Mickey2

You can sharpen the needle tip on a fine honing stone if it has rough edges. Run it over the tip of your nail or nylon stocking, it should not catch. It's a trick I found on the web, apparently used during WW2 when everything was scarse. It works well as a temporary solution until you find needles. The rust should come off with finest steel wool and a bit of test sewing, some metal polishes are even better. Run a tooth pick in the groove of the needle to make sure it's clean.

I can't give you any first hand info, but this model has caught my attention. A manual can be found here, and there's even a blog dedicated to these machines. There is a bit of info and help to be found on the web if you search.

leonf

Belts are pretty universal, but you will need to cut it to size and punch a hole in it to fit the staple. Some older machine circa 1860s had little grindstones to clean up needles. Oil everything that moves, or should, and you may have it running quickly Does it have the bobbin can ?

Farmhousesewer

It takes a standard 15x1 needle.

maviskw

Did it come with some bobbins. The small thread spools they use are no longer available, but sometimes you can find some at antique stores or thrift stores. They were sold with 125 yards of thread on them. I have five or six for mine, so could spare one if you can't find one. PM me. A friend was going to try to make some spools with smaller shanks to hold more thread, but I haven't heard if he ever got that done.

Kath12

My machine does have the spool can with an old spool of thread in it. I hope to try to wind new thread on the spool since the old thread wouldn't be very strong. This will be my January project I can't wait to get started on it. I think I have my husband interested in working on it since it did belong to his grandmother. The needle and shank is rusty so there will be some TLC needed in that area. I took out the spool can and need to figure out how it goes back. I tried while I was standing up so I need to get a chair and try while sitting down. There may be a video on YouTube

OurWorkbench

Congratulations. From what I have read about the Two-Spool it looks like it may not have been very old when "Grandmother" bought it used. I've heard that they are good for piecing.

I'm glad Farmhousesewer confirmed that it takes a standard 15x1 needle. That will make it a little easier. You won't have to try to get the original back to sewing condition.

It looks like there may be several youtube videos about two spool machines.

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

Mickey2

There are a few videos and blog posts on how to wind thread on old wooden spools, but I guess that's an easy one on a two spool model. The winder is made for this? I often see lots of old wooden spools on ebay, I guess it's all about finding the right size. Sometimes old thread can be fine, it depens on storage and of course can be depended on before they are tested. You have to let us know how it turns out. Apparently freemotion is not a problem.

maviskw

Mine has a spool winder, but you have to hold the thread and manually guide it to the left and right to get the thread sort of even on the spool. You can wind any size thread on the spool, even knitting yarn and tiny ribbon. You just have to by-pass most of the the bobbin case tensions for larger threads.

Jeanette Frantz

I had missed this post -- I've been sort of wound up in other things for a while. I have a National Two Spool (the Eldredge and the National companies eventually merged --I think that's what happened-- . Anyway, the sewing machine I have once belonged to my husband's great-grandmother. I've never used the machine -- I've had spinal surgeries so I haven't yet been able to "treadle". I think it's a beautiful machine, and I suspect it will make a wonderful stitch. These machines are not real common, but I don't really know enough about the machines to call them "rare". Good luck with your machine.