Are needles still available this machine?

Jon

Not sure yet. I am doing the research to determine the type of needle now...

Grover and Baker treadle
 

Steve,

I'm wondering if the small spools from one of these "emergency" mending kits will work in this machine -- they are exactly the same size as the one that was in the National Two Spool I ended up with, as far as I know, they will work in my machine. These kits are NOT expensive, nor more than $1-$2, and there are 12 spools in the kit!

Congratulations on your acquisition! It's really tremendous what all you folks are doing to restore these beautiful old machines!

Jeanette Frantz

Here is my best guess:

The machine is from 1862. It stayed in the warehouse until it met its cabinet, and was sold in 1864 or possibly a bit later. Now, choose your own adventure:

a) Purchased in 1864, the new owner's dog ate the top back slide bit, and they bought a new part at the store.

or:

b) The machine was actually in the warehouse until 1867, and the top back slide bit had been knocked off by a clumsy night-shift worker and lost ages ago; the shipping dude then grabbed a new plate from the shiny box of new plates.

Eh?

;-)

lol...

here is a pic of the area now...
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Hmmm the issue is that they appear from the drawing to be normal "height" but 1/2 as wide/thick. Actually a lot like the modern skinny spools (which is what i will try when we are at that stage)

Steve

Steve,

These spools of thread in the emergency repair kit are nowhere near as large as regular spools of thread. A regular spool of thread would never fit in the National Two Spool Machine! It was just a thought! I know these spools are the same size as the spool in my Two Spool machine!

Jeanette

Once it have the presser foot freed up, that will be part of the testing process! I found last night I have a handful of those mini bobbins...

steve,

wow just plain wow. that's really awesome - let's see , the drive or the machine ? that's a piece of history. love reading all the posts. i am just mesmerized. keep us posted.

I think that would bring good money on ebay....NOT on CL....not in my area anyway. Anyway, we all know it's "worth" what you can get at any time and place. Our family motto is: "Buy high and sell low." I VERY VERY seldom get what I paid, even when it's refurbished and sewing perfectly.

I paid a lot less than the "6-800" anyway....

The machine is priceless to me because of it's history. When this machine was produced Abraham Lincoln was the president still....

Wow, this machine is incredible! Can't wait to see it sewing and the stitch. The spools in the illustration look about the size & shape of Mettler spools, but can't tell for sure.

steveh. you should have a separate thread for your G&B restoration. we're excited to see the before and after with photos.

?? this is the separate thread for the G&B.....

Page 3 has a bunch of the photos of the before. if folks want more let me know. This machine so far has been cleaned with sewing Machine oil on everything, and wadding polish (with a little brasso as an accelerant) on the metal parts.

got yah. didn't realize this is it already. thanks.

no stress.

So one of the members here "has a friend with an issue" hehe Actually her friend has a G&B Chainstitch like mine (except her's works). However, her G&B is missing the slide plates. They are using cardstock as temps...(shudder)

So last night I cut out a couple of blank sets. We have a notcher here at work so I will make the square cuts on the long plate today at lunch.

Because screw-ups happen I made two sets to hopefully get at least one correct set.
Because the notches are going to be a bit tricky to get square and correct, I made an extra one of those just in case

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Great news!! IT MOVED!!!!! The presser foot bar that was still frozen solid FINALLY moved. it lifted up 1/4"

It only took 10 days of every other day dousings with Kriol and KrudKutter and daily wiggles and taps from every direction I could.

It is still stuck but it moved, which means it WILL move smoothly eventually.. This machine Will sew.

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Also the thread guide is now clean and oh look! there is a slot for thread now that it is cleaned out...
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Don't you just love it when you get that first little bit of movement?!!

CD in Oklahoma

reproduction slides are ready for plating (Tomorrow)
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test fit pre-plating
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I don't know how I missed seeing this thread when it started, but Steve you are a magic man. The machine is awesome. Glad you were able to get it and it will work when you are finished.

here is the YouTube video of the lady's machine like mine working (SHOWS STITCH)

G&B 1863

This is the machine that I am making these slides for.

it's completely free moving now!! I am a pitman bolt and a needle from sewing. (moves really nice actually) It seems that the tougher they are to free the tighter they are mechanically, which makes them better/smoother once freed

here are two neat shots. you can really see the difference between the original silver needle plate and the steel plates i made... I plan to plate them today after turkey..... that needle plate was in the tool drawer, all I did was clean it.

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Steve.

She's really looking good! Hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Jeanette

Thank you! My needles arrived yesterday.

Here are a couple of pics of the G&B curved needle next to the W&W curved needle.
Definitely NOT interchangeable. (the smaller one is the G&B)

I am still working out how to thread the lower portion. (it is a two spool, two thread machine)
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very amusing. I just sent you the old page that you edited, from arizona site, now I take your text that is a sort of contemporary translaction, and I put it in a big folder so i can loss it with more comfort.
all is the enthousiasm for the fascinating grover & baker. the needle is that on the right, or not?
now i calculate you are 9 hour before us here in italy. here is seven am of saturday, and for you ten pm of friday.
I see a magnific week end for you ! don't forget my greetings for mrs and mr Aston. wonderful sewing!
your machine is really as new now and you gained nearly a century and half.:o

i have been sent a photo of the needle height gauge with a ruler next to it. I will be scaling a copy ASAP.

wonderful. I was just wondering about the gauge, seeing it in the booklet, at the far end of space-time. is it a metal triangle , thick as the space between the two fingers of the presser foot, with an hole at the right highness of the needle eye?
yesterday I was encouraged to make another proof and I had the boldness to unscrew the needle...
now after twenty attempts it seems right. it makes green stitche. but when it met the fabric, double light flannel, I heard a sort of little squeak , that alarmed me.
but the two needle, upper and circular, don't touch each other. is it possible the point of the needle is a little dull?
I search to take photos
my machine is very similar to your, but mine is more.... dirty!:o

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the highness of the needle eye, measure homemade, seems about 15 mm. with maximum highness of needlebar.

there is the fabric under the foot, two light flannel. 1mm? 0,7? however she sews, perhaps the squeak too is lighter.

notice that, it seems to me, when you go upper down , the upper thread is not brought ut, without any fabric under the

foot. in fact the booklet doesn'nt talk about bribging up the upper thread before sewing.

i go for re-seeing the video. a presto:)

here are a few shots of the Needle height gauge

Here is a pic of the original that I was lucky enough to have sent to me:
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Here is the pattern I lifted from that glued to some brass with thew first one cut out.
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Here are the four guides cut and ready for cleanup
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Here is the completed shot with a small length of chain added to help keep it from getting lost.

Yes, the guide goes into the presser foot to set the needle height.
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bravo! 10 for this work! it would look nice even as an ear ring or similar for the last of the year.

you must post some of your preferred tools for making, next time!….;)

Thanks, I used rubber cement to glue the paper down, a Jewelers Saw and blade to cut it out, and a diamond file to smooth the edges. that's it.

I also got the replacement brass slides cut out. I will see if I can get them sliver plated tonight. These will probable not be my final "operating set" because the cuts were a bit off and there is a small gap. But i will use them to troubleshoot the process and work out the issues, THEN make a final set.
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Steve, those look fantastic. Do you make them to sell? I'm needing the front bobbin plate for my 1910 66

that looks so NICE and it's not even done yet !!

me too. i need the plates for my 128 (ha ha ha).

I am actually working on a process to reliably make VS2 Fiddlebase and 127/128/27/28 slide plates. I can make the rectangular plates all day, including W&W plates, and the outer curve of the fiddlebase is easy, it is the "must match the circular needle plate cutout" that i can only currently do one at a time by hand. I am working on getting the correct punches to do the large 1/4 bite.

I make plates for fun. I sent to folks for free and if they want to do a Paypal to reimburse that's fine, but not required.

This is not a commercial site, so if you want anything like that you should PM me for my Email and handle it off board.