Before and after
 

Thanks to everybody that helped me with information about our Minnesota New Model A sewing machine. We found it in the basement of the farm house we are renting. The landlord gave me permission to try to bring it back to its former glory. After months of sanding by hand, I decided not to replace any of the original but, instead just to try to get it to work so we could have a beautiful working display. The machine originally did not move at all. It took a lot of PB Blaster and elbow grease and a new belt and the machine moves perfectly. I took the treadle and pitman arm off and applied grease to those areas as well.

The first picture is the condition in which we found it. The second picture is after sanding and applying a stain.

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Looks like you did a great job restoring it!

Thank you. I still have to get a gloss on it. I am also going to take the cast iron off and repaint that as well.

Wow, you did wonders with it! It looks great!

Thank you. I need to add a gloss. I am debating whether I should use a shellac or polyurethane. I was told that a shellac would be better for the vintage look and trying to keep it as original as possible.

It is beautiful. I would love to add a Treadle to my sewing room.

That hardly looks like it's the same machine. Just needed a little love and a lot of elbow grease

I would vote shellac. Poly make everything look like plastic.

Thank you!

Use shellac