Help with cabinet
 

Hey all. I was given a treadle machine for my birthday by my mom (actually, I got a couple antique/vintage machines, she's awesome) that looks like it mostly needs a good clean up, and I appear to have everything but the key to it. I've seen some on ebay, are those universal, or no?

Anyway, not my most pressing question. What I'd really like to know is, how do I replace the wooden carving/appliques that are on the drawers of the cabinet? The cabinet has six drawers, all but two are completely intact, one may look a little worn, but I'm ok with that. On the other hand, the two in question are missing the carving things. Not really a huge deal until I realized the carving things also serve as drawer pulls. Now I get why those two drawers are on the bottom, but I would really like to get replacements if I could. Is there anyone out there that produces those, or am I looking at having to have them made?

Last one, any suggestions, do and don'ts for cleaning the machine itself? It still has it's original paint and designs, though they are getting faded, so I'd like to not hurt what's left. The cabinet otherwise has a couple problem areas, but mostly is just dry, dry, dry wood.

Thanks for any help!

Hi Lizard

Have a look at the pinned post by Muv for safely cleaning and lubricating your machine. Without pics and information about the machine and model, it's always hard to give specific advice. If you know what machine it is then try using the search feature to see if people have already posted the relevant information. You can safely give the machine a wipe down with a soft damp cloth, being careful not to get fabric caught on any flaking bits of paint. Then in terms of cleaning, the safest agent to use is high quality sewing machine oil (this should be clear).

In terms of the carvings, I've never tried to replace them before. If it's a Singer cabinet, people do sell the individual drawers online so it might be easier just to replace the whole drawer. Not aware of anyone who produces replacement mouldings but I could be wrong.

Have fun and best wishes with your project. I hope you'll share some pics! :)

Put a picture of your machines with the bad drawer fronts and I'll check in my son's cache of treasures and tell him it is just junk that he can't sell and send them to you if I see any that match yours.

I like the way you think, though your son may not. :D

I have seen individual moldings for sale on Ebay but usually you're going to see the entire drawer instead. The drawers would actually be easier.
Rodney

The keys come with several business ends - you need to look into the key hole and see which one you need.

They are triangle, small square, larger square and slotted. My husband filed down a triangle one to work in the slotted opening. The slotted keys are rather boring looking.

Thanks for replying. I will try and get pictures of the machine this week to post. It's an old Minnesota machine and I'm finding conflicting information on who manufactured it. I know it's a triangle key, the drawers have several goodies that came in them, so I carefully dug through them (almost had an incident with a fishhook in one of the drawers) and aside from a lot of pieces and parts (some I have no idea what they're for) there's no key.

I tried ebay, I haven't even found a cabinet that looks like the one I have, let alone the drawer pieces. Figured I'd ask here and see if there was a place that maybe made that sort of thing. I'll try and get to it in the next few days for pics and such. Thanks all.

Lizard,

Davis made many of the Minnesota machines. When you get the pics posted there are several members here that will be able to tell you who made it.

This is my Minnesota Model B, it was made by Davis:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]466106[/ATTACH]

She used to be a treadle machine, but was retro fitted with a motor eons ago. The base it's on is an old home made one.

Joe

I've never posted pictures, so hopefully this worked. Right now I have it kind of backed into a corner since I'm rearranging my space and storage stuff. So this is the pic of one side of the cabinet, the top drawer has all the applique stuff around it, the middle is missing the bottom edge and the bottom one is missing nearly all of it. Where they meet on the top is where the "pull" portion is, so when that pops off, like on the bottom one, you have to reach under the drawer and slide it out from the bottom.

The machine is pretty dirty, but everything appears intact, at a glance anyway, I've not given this a full one over just yet. It looks like it's sitting crooked in the cabinet and that's only because I can't open the top piece all the way just yet, blocked in, but it does sit mostly level when the fold out table is fully extended. What do I know about this machine? Next to nothing, my mother found it for me for my birthday and my school schedule has left me with next to no time to get to it.

I did get a pretty cool 60's machine too, complete with a Lucite sewing box that has two top trays (stacked) over the larger bottom compartment, and the original purchase paperwork for the machine. She found that at an estate sale. That's about it for both, I'm on spring break, so I'm hoping to make a dent in that room (it's all in a spare room) and get organized so I can have projects and such going. Right now it's a lot of organizing to deal with, so it's taken the backseat.

Lizard, here in Dallas there is a woodworking store in our area and I'd bet they are around you. They may be able to duplicate yours. I have no idea what it would cost tho'. Wouldn't hurt to ask around.

What is the store in Dallas? My mom lives in Arlington, so I could wander over there next time I go for a visit.