Help with cleaning & oiling a treadle base
 

Hi Everyone! Had some life interruptions, but now I'm trying to get back to refurbishing my 66 Red Eye Treadle machine. Thanks to lots of input from folks here on QB, the machine head itself looks beautiful and runs smoothly - when I start the handwheel, it'll continue turning on its own for 3-4 revolutions. But I haven't found much info on cleaning the treadle base in my QB searches or even on YouTube.
1. I've seen YT videos where people have used mild soap & water to wash the base before priming, etc. Is water OK to use on the base??? I know it should NOT be used on the machine head... is the base somehow different?
2. Have any of you used Corroseal or similar rust converter/primer? The videos I've seen show it being used on the intact base. I would think the base should be disassembled first OR just be very careful not to apply the rust converter near any moving "joints" where metal meets metal?
3. If I decide to pass on rust converter or primer for now, and just focus on cleaning and oiling the "joints" where the various moving parts connect, should this be done just as I did with the head (sewing machine oil)?
4. Are there any joints in the base where I should use actual grease rather than just lightweight oil?

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions and feedback! And if there are prior threads about any of this that I missed in my searches, a link would be great - I don't want anyone to have to reinvent the wheel on my account! :D

Kelly

Glad you are back, Kelly.

Congrats on teh thorough lubing of your 66,

No water warning was to prevent decals silvering.
Bases are much more forgiving. I haven't tried to paint mine, I just use swing machine oil on all the pints that move on my Singer treadles.. Assuming you don't have a wooden pittman arm. They may take something else..

I used sewing machine oil on mine - moving parts. Used simply green to clean the dust off. There was no rust. Then I used stove polish with a foam brush to spruce it up. I am pleased with the results.

Just to be safe I used sewing machine oil. It is a matter of being safe over sorry. A drop or 2 is all you should need.

I have heard that stove polish is good for irons. I did a search for stove polish and found that there were many both liquid and paste. I found that most say not for painted metal and one not for bare metal. However, when I was reading the reviews on Amazon about one that was not for painted metal that they said that the used it after painting and was pleased with the results.

My question is which did you use and whether it was a liquid or a paste?

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

I used a thin liquid. I did this years ago and it still looks pretty darn good!

Thank you, Alyce.

I also found https://www.quiltingboard.com/5394349-post95.html

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

interesting. I’ll keep that in mind if I ever have to do it again.