icentropy

Hi all, first off thanks to Macybaby for telling me about this forum.

I was checking out a local Facebook page when i stumbled across an ad for an old sewing machine for sale. They were asking $200. I thought it was pretty neat but not having an extra $200 to blow on a decoration i forgot about it.....till they posted again saying they needed to get it out of their basement and "someone please make an offer".....so i offered them $50 via PM (figured it'd make a nice gift for my wife as a decoration) and they took it! Now i have an old sewing machine in my shop.

I just got it into my shop and cleaned it up a bit with WD-40 (it's all i had). everything seems to spin free. It had an old broken leather band so i just restapled it and that seems to hold. The little research i've done in the last few hours seems to say it's a model 27 from 1899. It came with a bunch of bits and pieces and accessories that i have no idea what they're for but there's quite a few of them. I WAS going to give this to my wife (she's not much into sewing, and has a cheapy walmart machine we bought her years ago for $100 or so that she uses once in a while) but the more i learn about these the more I'm thinkin i might just keep it for myself. Hey it's a pretty manly machine right?

I'd like to learn more about how to restore, maintain and use it. I'm also interested in learning what it can do. I know this is primarily a quilting forum but has anyone used them to sew heavier fabric? denim? Canvas? Leather? I honestly don't know anything about sewing either but I've always been interested and now i have a good reason to learn

Here's some pics. The first three are from the sales ad. The rest are taken a few moments ago at my place after a wipe down of WD-40.

csharp

Read, read, read, the posts here and you will get up to speed. I JUST purchased a copy of what you have here and I might add I think you got a real steal. I paid WAY more for mine, but it was in great condition and the cabinet was nearly perfect. Watch some videos on youtube about how to thread a shuttle bobbin and how to treadle, I don't know how to put in "links" but you can google your questions and they should lead you there. Wow this is great looking ...also you will be bombarded with "don't use WD-40"...Use only sewing machine oil to wipe down your machines. WD-40 eventually attracks dust to the gears etc. Good luck in your learning curve.

barny

Oh, that is a beauty. You'll love it I'll bet. Welcome to the board. Nice to have you.

minibarn

Very pretty machine. personally I like treadling much better than the electric machines, but I do have both. If you use the search on this forum you will find lots of answers to your questions, and the people here are always ready to help. Have fun and be careful...quilting and old sewing machines are addictive!!! (there ARE worse things so be addicted to though).

Jp

icentropy

Thanks everyone. the more i learn about it the more excited i get. I'll have to get some polish and sewing machine oil in town one of these days and get it up to snuff. I know i have lots of reading to do on this site and hours on youtube. I saw a few videos on cleaning/polishing and oiling so i suppose that's next.

foufymaus

Welcome! You have a beautiful machine. Have fun read lots and yes its a manly machine. Lol

Prim Quilts

Welcome, that is a great machine. By the way, it sounds like you may already be addicted.

jbj137

***
*** Nice Machine.
*** I also love your part of the US. I have visited near Port Angeles several times.
*** Welcome for the Upstate of South Carolina.
***

Rodney

Welcome aboard! You got a good deal at $50. The decals are in really good shape on that one. Wipe off the WD-40 and oil everything that looks like it should move with sewing machine oil, including everything behind the cover on it's nose. WD-40 has it's uses but isn't a great long term lubricant and can dry up and gum up the works on your machine eventually.
While you can sew some heavier materials with that machine, it was produced for home use and really wasn't built to take a steady diet of leather and canvas. If you like mechanical things you'll find it's very easy to get hooked on old sewing machines.
Rodney

foufymaus

Correct me if i'm wrong but isn't the Sphinx decal the one that came with a warning to turn the machine so that it wouldn't be visible to young children because of the nipple, or was that a different decal?

ahh.. i think it was a different decal. I found it via the forum search: http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...y-t227599.html