I bought it.. so what do I do with it?
10-27-2013, 11:53 AM
#21
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: San Lorenzo, CA
Posts: 5,361
ok, so I have learned a TON on this site. if you are interested in making this baby hum again, read both of these.
I started of with this process - VERY direct and unforgiving.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t210095.html
Now this is the most recent one I have done... A lot more "sympathetic" to use museum parlance. (meaning ness destructive of the history and originality of the piece)
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t231055.html
I started of with this process - VERY direct and unforgiving.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t210095.html
Now this is the most recent one I have done... A lot more "sympathetic" to use museum parlance. (meaning ness destructive of the history and originality of the piece)
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t231055.html
10-27-2013, 11:56 AM
#22
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: San Lorenzo, CA
Posts: 5,361
Originally Posted by tessagin
sorry for the late reply but when i get something old that is mechanical, i just start wiping down with a damp cloth then some wd 40. Go from there! Obviously others know more about this machine but atleast that's a start.
10-27-2013, 12:10 PM
#23
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,334
It's going to take me awhile to read all the posts about cleaning these ladies. I'm nervous.... don't want to do something that will do any harm (don't worry, I know not to use wd-40. I had to clean up a 15-91 that had wd-40 in the drawer of the cabinet..... a lot of work but now she sews like a purring kitten.)
I put blaster on the slide plates because I couldn't get it to budge even a little bit. I'll let that sit till tomorrow and try again.
Did you read my post about taking off the face plate? Well, I took it off but put it back on.... afraid something will get out of line. But it looks like you take everything apart..... so with your help, I'll try to tackle this whole thing in a day or two. It takes me awhile to build up my courage.
I did take off that crescent metal piece on the bottom and tried to clean it up.... lots of pitting. What do I do about that? I have a dremel.... should I used the cotton polish wheel with metal polish? I have to get some wadding.... used to use that for cleaning up our brass bed but don't have any right now. Isn't it called never-dull?
Okay... I'll keep posting about this and take a break to read all your posts. I hope I understand all of it.
I put blaster on the slide plates because I couldn't get it to budge even a little bit. I'll let that sit till tomorrow and try again.
Did you read my post about taking off the face plate? Well, I took it off but put it back on.... afraid something will get out of line. But it looks like you take everything apart..... so with your help, I'll try to tackle this whole thing in a day or two. It takes me awhile to build up my courage.
I did take off that crescent metal piece on the bottom and tried to clean it up.... lots of pitting. What do I do about that? I have a dremel.... should I used the cotton polish wheel with metal polish? I have to get some wadding.... used to use that for cleaning up our brass bed but don't have any right now. Isn't it called never-dull?
Okay... I'll keep posting about this and take a break to read all your posts. I hope I understand all of it.
10-27-2013, 12:14 PM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Millville, NJ
Posts: 1,835
Originally Posted by nanna-up-north
I said I would ask LOTS of questions.... here goes.
After sitting overnight, I'm able to remove the screws on the face plate. But there is that 'take up lever' in the middle of it. Is there something I need to do before taking those screws all the way out? I don't want to mess up something. Here's a picture of the faceplate
Then, I took the screws out of the semicircular metal piece that kind of hides the shuttle on the bottom. I'm including a picture of the shuttle that you can see but I still can't get to it. The slide plates are still totally stuck. .... more oil, more sitting, maybe a little blaster to loosen it up.
After sitting overnight, I'm able to remove the screws on the face plate. But there is that 'take up lever' in the middle of it. Is there something I need to do before taking those screws all the way out? I don't want to mess up something. Here's a picture of the faceplate
Then, I took the screws out of the semicircular metal piece that kind of hides the shuttle on the bottom. I'm including a picture of the shuttle that you can see but I still can't get to it. The slide plates are still totally stuck. .... more oil, more sitting, maybe a little blaster to loosen it up.
Your Davis is a Vertical feed so the parts behind the faceplate will be more complicated than a underfeed (feed dog) sewing machine. I'd recommend lots of picture taking as some parts will be loose. Best to set machine on handwheel protected by soft cloth to work on. If any of the small rollers under the faceplate machine can be removed put them in a safe spot. Make sure these rollers spin nicely once clean.
Easy tapping on wood dowel should loosen up slide plates.
Jon
Jon
10-27-2013, 12:28 PM
#25
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,334
Thanks Jon. I will take lots of pictures.... I am going to take this slow.... need to process each step to keep it all straight. I sure wish I had found this years ago.... when I was younger and quicker to figure everything out.
The slide plates are soaking in blaster.... I'll try a wood dowel tomorrow after it has had a chance to absorb everything. The problem is that I can't seem to get enough of a grip to really get them to move. DH thinks that he can get something thin between the plates from the bottom to get them to move.
So, I'll keep posting... and asking questions.... and working toward getting things cleaned up.
The slide plates are soaking in blaster.... I'll try a wood dowel tomorrow after it has had a chance to absorb everything. The problem is that I can't seem to get enough of a grip to really get them to move. DH thinks that he can get something thin between the plates from the bottom to get them to move.
So, I'll keep posting... and asking questions.... and working toward getting things cleaned up.
10-27-2013, 02:22 PM
#26
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: San Lorenzo, CA
Posts: 5,361
I would try hand brushing the unpainted bits with Brasso and gently remove what you can. You always have the option to come back and do more, but it's a real bugger to do less....
x3 on the photos. What I post is about 1/5 of what I take. Every angle, every view. Each part removed gets a pic. parts get laid out on cardboard and re photo'd before I clean. clean one part at a time. gently. WEAR is your enemy.
wood is the best choice for driving them out. Taps, not strikes, remember they are stuck there with grit, so move them gently so as to minimize the damage.
PB Blaster was a great choice also.
once they come out try a q-tip with extra fine steel wool wrapped around the tip to clean the tracks..
x3 on the photos. What I post is about 1/5 of what I take. Every angle, every view. Each part removed gets a pic. parts get laid out on cardboard and re photo'd before I clean. clean one part at a time. gently. WEAR is your enemy.
wood is the best choice for driving them out. Taps, not strikes, remember they are stuck there with grit, so move them gently so as to minimize the damage.
PB Blaster was a great choice also.
once they come out try a q-tip with extra fine steel wool wrapped around the tip to clean the tracks..
10-27-2013, 02:24 PM
#27
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: San Lorenzo, CA
Posts: 5,361
I would try hand brushing the unpainted bits with Brasso and gently remove what you can. You always have the option to come back and do more, but it's a real bugger to do less....
x3 on the photos. What I post is about 1/5 of what I take. Every angle, every view. Each part removed gets a pic. parts get laid out on cardboard and re photo'd before I clean. clean one part at a time. gently. WEAR is your enemy.
wood is the best choice for driving them out. Taps, not strikes, remember they are stuck there with grit, so move them gently so as to minimize the damage. You can also tap gently along each side the whole length of the slides before moving to loosen the grit.
PB Blaster was a great choice also.
once they come out try a q-tip with extra fine steel wool wrapped around the tip to clean the tracks..
x3 on the photos. What I post is about 1/5 of what I take. Every angle, every view. Each part removed gets a pic. parts get laid out on cardboard and re photo'd before I clean. clean one part at a time. gently. WEAR is your enemy.
wood is the best choice for driving them out. Taps, not strikes, remember they are stuck there with grit, so move them gently so as to minimize the damage. You can also tap gently along each side the whole length of the slides before moving to loosen the grit.
PB Blaster was a great choice also.
once they come out try a q-tip with extra fine steel wool wrapped around the tip to clean the tracks..
10-27-2013, 04:20 PM
#29
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,334
Okay, I couldn't wait so I went to the basement and tried to get the slide plate off again. And, YEAH!!.... the front slide came off. The back slide is still stuck....
And there is the treasured shuttle....
And inside is the bobbin, soaked in blaster but there!
So, I started to clean up the slide plate. It's not shiny yet but I can read the numbers now.
17040
Patented
MAY 7th 1854
FEB 16th 1856
FEB 21st 1860
OCT 19th 1865
APR 15th 1867
MAY 28th 1867
FEB 28th 1868
DAVIS SM Co
WATERTOWN
There's a number on the back, too. 10068 E
So, how far do I polish it? I used 0000steel wool but then I used my dremel with the wire brush.... gently.
And there is the treasured shuttle....
And inside is the bobbin, soaked in blaster but there!
So, I started to clean up the slide plate. It's not shiny yet but I can read the numbers now.
17040
Patented
MAY 7th 1854
FEB 16th 1856
FEB 21st 1860
OCT 19th 1865
APR 15th 1867
MAY 28th 1867
FEB 28th 1868
DAVIS SM Co
WATERTOWN
There's a number on the back, too. 10068 E
So, how far do I polish it? I used 0000steel wool but then I used my dremel with the wire brush.... gently.
10-27-2013, 04:33 PM
#30
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: San Lorenzo, CA
Posts: 5,361
i would not use a power tool on that if i could avoid it.. really is an uncommon machine.
it is not in that bad a shape. Brasso and/or steel wool would work great!
Same for cleaning the shuttle and bobbin BTW. Toss the thread, it will most likely not sew.
So, if you could look up the next patent in line that they used you could rough date it from that. Say that 6 mos after FEB 28th 1868 they started doing something different using a new patent, the date gets on the machines made from then on, so your's is in between those dates.
great pics! Woo HOO!!
it is not in that bad a shape. Brasso and/or steel wool would work great!
Same for cleaning the shuttle and bobbin BTW. Toss the thread, it will most likely not sew.
So, if you could look up the next patent in line that they used you could rough date it from that. Say that 6 mos after FEB 28th 1868 they started doing something different using a new patent, the date gets on the machines made from then on, so your's is in between those dates.
great pics! Woo HOO!!
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