Need help identifying Sears Minnesota treadle sewing machine
09-03-2020, 06:21 AM
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,258
I'm thinking that you probably are missing the tension release piece. I just found another machine like yours, that I forgot about at Vintage Minnesota Treadle
Are you sure that the manual says to take the face plate off? The manuals that I've seen say just to oil on each side of the needle bar and the holes on the top of the machine. I have heard that it is extremely fussy to remove the face plate off Davis machines and get back together. I'm not sure if that is only the Davis Vertical Feed or it is all Davis machines that is boxy, like yours.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Are you sure that the manual says to take the face plate off? The manuals that I've seen say just to oil on each side of the needle bar and the holes on the top of the machine. I have heard that it is extremely fussy to remove the face plate off Davis machines and get back together. I'm not sure if that is only the Davis Vertical Feed or it is all Davis machines that is boxy, like yours.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
09-04-2020, 06:03 PM
#32
Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by OurWorkbench
I'm thinking that you probably are missing the tension release piece. I just found another machine like yours, that I forgot about at Vintage Minnesota Treadle
Are you sure that the manual says to take the face plate off? The manuals that I've seen say just to oil on each side of the needle bar and the holes on the top of the machine. I have heard that it is extremely fussy to remove the face plate off Davis machines and get back together. I'm not sure if that is only the Davis Vertical Feed or it is all Davis machines that is boxy, like yours.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Are you sure that the manual says to take the face plate off? The manuals that I've seen say just to oil on each side of the needle bar and the holes on the top of the machine. I have heard that it is extremely fussy to remove the face plate off Davis machines and get back together. I'm not sure if that is only the Davis Vertical Feed or it is all Davis machines that is boxy, like yours.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
09-04-2020, 07:21 PM
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,258
Whew, had me worried, there for a second. I agree, just to get it working as originally intended. I don't have a Davis or Minnesota, but do have several long shuttle machines. Some have the spoon shaped tension release and some that have a pin in the center of the tension assembly that pushes the tension discs apart a bit when the presser foot is raised.
Have fun with your "new" machines.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Have fun with your "new" machines.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
09-17-2020, 06:25 PM
#34
Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 5
Help to identify Vintage Minnesota
Can anyone help me identify my Minnesota treadle. It does not have a model letter Would love to know the age and type to get a manual for it
Last edited by Ruthannegreenwood; 09-17-2020 at 06:27 PM.
09-17-2020, 06:49 PM
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,258
Originally Posted by Ruthannegreenwood
Can anyone help me identify my Minnesota treadle. It does not have a model letter Would love to know the age and type to get a manual for it
I did not read all the way through the thread, but Jon replied in post #2
Originally Posted by jlhmnj
Hi,
You have an early Davis Minnesota A before they put the A in Minnesota. This is a Davis Model E, Underfeed. Davis was located in Dayton, Ohio at this time and this machine was made for Sears mail order. The A was the top of the line Sears model and would have sold for roughly $18.
Davis needles, bobbins, and shuttles are unique to Davis. The original needles were called Davis long. One popular needle brand name was "Boye" with the number 10 on the cap. The needles are close to 2" long with a flat on one side. Always best to verify dimensions on Boye tubes as sometimes the contents get mixed up. Ebay is a good place to find them.
The serial number 973011 dates to late 1901 or early 1902. Davis dating records do not exist and this estimate is from original warranty certificates. Davis started making machines for Sears right around 1900 and on a much more limited scale until the late Teens or early Twenties. Davis went belly up in 1924 due to bankruptcy.
Link to similar owners manual:
http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect...f/sil10-37.pdf
Enjoy, you have a great piece of family history.
Jon
You have an early Davis Minnesota A before they put the A in Minnesota. This is a Davis Model E, Underfeed. Davis was located in Dayton, Ohio at this time and this machine was made for Sears mail order. The A was the top of the line Sears model and would have sold for roughly $18.
Davis needles, bobbins, and shuttles are unique to Davis. The original needles were called Davis long. One popular needle brand name was "Boye" with the number 10 on the cap. The needles are close to 2" long with a flat on one side. Always best to verify dimensions on Boye tubes as sometimes the contents get mixed up. Ebay is a good place to find them.
The serial number 973011 dates to late 1901 or early 1902. Davis dating records do not exist and this estimate is from original warranty certificates. Davis started making machines for Sears right around 1900 and on a much more limited scale until the late Teens or early Twenties. Davis went belly up in 1924 due to bankruptcy.
Link to similar owners manual:
http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollect...f/sil10-37.pdf
Enjoy, you have a great piece of family history.
Jon
11-04-2020, 08:42 AM
#36
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 11
Looking for extra info on this Minnesota A
Hi here is my Minnesota A. Number D116831. I have owned it about a year. I will up date with a picture of the cabinet.
I would like to know the age and any other information. I think I have located a manual. I have not cleaned it up yet. I did oil, adjust the tension and install a new belt. It does sew!
Thanking you in advance.
Can someone help on how to upload pictures?
I would like to know the age and any other information. I think I have located a manual. I have not cleaned it up yet. I did oil, adjust the tension and install a new belt. It does sew!
Thanking you in advance.
Can someone help on how to upload pictures?
Last edited by tltbirds; 11-04-2020 at 08:44 AM. Reason: Where are my pictrues?
11-04-2020, 09:16 AM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,258
We like pictures. In order to post pictures on Quilting Board, you will probably need to reduce or compress the picture to a file size that is smaller than 2MB. How to post images can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...020-01-17-.pdf
Don't forget to scroll over to the far right to find and click on the "Upload" button.
I have found that only the big red "Reply" button or "Quote" work to give me the paper clip icon to work for adding pictures.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...p-location.jpg
Some additional info regarding reducing images at post #4 and images for the scroll and upload button can be found at #5 of quilt block ID?
Actually, this morning I had some trouble posting some pictures that were under 2MB and had to reduce them to less than 1MB in size.
Hopefully, if you can get some pictures posted, Jon will be along to correctly ID your Minnesota A and what kind of needles you will need for it.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Don't forget to scroll over to the far right to find and click on the "Upload" button.
I have found that only the big red "Reply" button or "Quote" work to give me the paper clip icon to work for adding pictures.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...p-location.jpg
Some additional info regarding reducing images at post #4 and images for the scroll and upload button can be found at #5 of quilt block ID?
Actually, this morning I had some trouble posting some pictures that were under 2MB and had to reduce them to less than 1MB in size.
Hopefully, if you can get some pictures posted, Jon will be along to correctly ID your Minnesota A and what kind of needles you will need for it.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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