Help! What have I got?
 

DH found this lovely little girl at a garage sale today. She is small, only 11 inches across, and definitely not as heavy as my 128. She is in decent shape and her decals are just slightly scratched here and there. She came with a pile of feet--not going to even attempt to identify them right now--and 6 extra bobbins!!! Her case seems to have suffered a little water damage but she does not seem to be rusted at all. And there is no key, rather a knob you turn to unlock the case. The wiring to her foot pedal is suspect so will not even think about plugging her in until I get that checked.

But I have not been able to find any info about her. The only markings on her body say "Acme Special" and below that "Made in the USA". And also " "T"No.3 " on the inside of her throat. There is also the number T 102253 on her bobbin plate. Sure hope you folks can help me.

I researched the T number you gave and then went to images. There are bunches of different machines depicted. Even a Singer. I will keep looking.

later - Haven't found much. I wonder if a repair place might know some history, or maybe the library.

I know absolutely nothing about her, but what a pretty little machine! Congrats!

I found one that looked very similar on google. It was on a geocities site. My browser was highjacked, so I'm not going back. If you usually use Firefox, try another browser. If it gets highjacked, just make your computer restart.

I'm a novice sewing machine person. Even though I don't know for sure, the machine seems incongruous. The tension arrangement is usually seen on treadle machines. I think it used to be a treadle. It might be an early Sears model, from what little I found.

bkay

Here's the link to Google https://www.google.com/search?q=acme+vintage+sewing+machine&tbm=isch&tbo= u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjuwLzPm6DUAhVn6YMKHV 4MD5sQsAQIJQ&biw=1600&bih=765#imgrc=XkUynSx7Nzx2nM :

Yes bkay, that is what I was thinking too for a couple of reasons. She has decals behind the motor. That seems sort of strange. Plus the only info I could find was that Acme was a name used by Sears in the early 1900's??

As far as the tension arrangement is concerned, any idea how to thread her properly? Sure wish she had a manual.

Red down the page to 1887

http://ismacs.net/sears/sears.html

No, I have no idea. I'm not a treadle person yet. Cari-in-oly, Macybaby, Glenn and maybe Mickey2 and leonf are treadle folks. If no one chimes in soon, go to victoriansweatshop.com. Lots of treadle folks hang out there. They will help. They always help me on sewing machine projects.

bkay

According to needlebar.org the Acme name was used by Davis, National, Free and Standard. But the decals and size look like it might be a New Home. http://needlebar.org/cm/thumbnails.php?album=153&page=4 has some "T' machines. According to http://janome.com/siteassets/support...anufacture.pdf it looks like it was made in 1930

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

I agree with Janey and John it looks like a badged New Home. I have several New Homes and this could be a brother or sister.

For threading, it is probably similar to http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2013/...dventures.html Part of how I threaded my New National can be seen at http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t283436.html Maybe http://needlebar.org/main/manuals/newhome/1index.html will help, too.

If I remember correctly I had some issues with the top tension, but by looking at the machine and the links I was able to get it to sew.


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

Thanks for the vote of confidence bkay but my knowledge of a machine like this one wouldn't fill a thimble. I just finally threaded a long bobbin shuttle for the first time the other day and had to watch a utube video to do it.

Cari

Thank you all so much for your info and links. The photo of the machine on the Quiltville site could be my baby's twin--except for the greyhound decal. Mine has a decal that reminds me of 3 lilies tied with a ribbon. But the side view showing the threading is exactly like mine. Going to try her out after breakfast! BTW DH paid a whopping $40 CAD for her--that's about $30 US. Definitely had to bring her home!

Oh, yeah. you're the Brother person. Duh.. and I totally forgot Janey. Duh....It was a senior moment day.

bk

The top mount attachments on my Free Westinghouse have a narrower slot than other machines attachments. Look where at your presser foot attaches. That might be a clue to who made it. White top mount attachments have a little wider slot. I'm not sure about National.

The link to quiltville blog is the correct threading of your machine as Janey so kindly provided. The upper tension spring is a good system turn screw in to tighten and out to release some tension. Once set you will not have to bother with it again except for special sewing requirements. This machine uses 20X1 but you can use a 15X1 needle by cheating it down enough to catch the bobbin thread. It will then sew perfectly. Very easy to treadle this machine. I use mine all the time with the 15X1 needle.

It looks like the thread path is like my Eldredge Two Spool and the Delta Rotary. I tried and tried to figure how to thread them, but had to be shown how. Then I found a manual. It is a very strange thread path.

Whooohoooo I have achieved stitches!! Not perfect but stitches none the less! I can hardly wait for DH to check out the wiring so that I can plug her in. (I know, she could be turned back into a treadle or even a crank, and she may be at a later date, but I really want to see her fly, even if it is just once!)

Thanks Glenn, for the info about the needles. She actually has a couple extra too. Next investigation--try to find a manual and identify the feet!

Don't hesistate to have the wiring redone if you don't mind motor and lights the parts are usually fine, it's the insulation on the wiring that's potentially worrysome. Here treadles usually come with a machine and I have such hard time getting rid of it. If it's a smaller model treadles aren't that plentiful either, but they turn up.

:thumbup: Congratulations -- Doesn't that feel good?
Try some of the files at http://ismacs.net/newhome/new-home-s...e-manuals.html
They should help. There are some differences in rufflers and tuckers over the years, but similar. Also be aware that many times things that don't necessarily go with the sewing machine are found in with things that do. :shock:

If you are still having a hard time identifying them, you can post a picture. John mentioned when he saw your pictures, that he really liked the composition and the size of them. They loaded quickly on our "slow computers."

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

Janey, I resized the pictures to 'small' before loading. Really makes a difference if you're not on a high speed network. But I also used the DH's high end Nikon to take them so the resolution was excellent to begin with.

I really appreciate all the help you folks have given me. This is only my second vintage machine but I get the feeling she won't be my last.

They're like potato chips. Once you start you can't seem to stop.

Cari

The link to the ismacs New Home manual thanks to Janey again as a section attachments and will help you identify them and how to use them. You are most welcome on the needle info. I just continue to use the 15X1 to save the original 20X1 needle.

I would agree that it looks a lot like a New Home. I actually like leaf tension more than discs. less fiddly bits.