Getting ready to "Abuse" my old treadle 27
 

rebuilding a seat for an older ( classic) snowmobile and have decided to use the old treadle as the machine of choice. Mostly because it is the only machine I have ( mounted anyway) that will handle the heavier upholstery weight thread... I will post some pictures of it in action when I get to that point. tonight was spent taking the old seat cover apart ( my dog ate half of it and most of the seat foam ) and I came up with a question for the group..... " Are Seam rippers considered consumable items?" they are around my place... mostly because I can never remember where I used it last.. and tonight this old seat cover the seams were so full of dirt and sand I am sure I ruined the one I was using

decided I should include some pictures.....https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1713/...5c87b02f_c.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5725/...5da5b29d_c.jpg

That's what I call a real project! Let us know how the treadle handles the challenge.

Looks like what my dog did to our sofa cushion not long ago! Good luck.

Hey, I just happen to know a person on the east coast who is a Antique and Classic Snowmobile collector (He has more snowmobiles than I have sewing machines.... yeah....) If you are interested in making a contact for stuff, let me know by PM.

Steve

On seam rippers - yes they are consumables. Most people use them long after they have become dull, and that makes for increased difficult in ripping seams. You can sharpen them, but they are cheap enough to easily replace.

I don't think your 27 will even flinch at sewing that up. I would get an industrial if upholstery was going to be a steady thing but occasional jobs like that are within what it was designed to do.
Rodney

I KNOW she wont flinch, I have done some edge binding with light leather with her and have complete faith... I don't sew enough to even consider what i do use... just heard so many people say the old machines are fragile and delicate... or you need an industrial to do upholstery.... and yeah a steady diet of to heavy will bring an early end to a home machine... but a sharp needle and two layers of vinyl is no sweat. just thought some of you would be interested in seeing an old lady put to work .

Fragile = Yes, to impacts because Cast iron is brittle
Delicate = Hardly, "tough old broads" is what my daughter calls mine...

ALWAYS interested in seeing these beauties work! Thank you.

My mother used my grandmother's treadle that I have now to mend horse blankets and make saddle pads for me back in the day when I had horses. She said she thought that machine would sew most anything.