New (to me) Minnesota S
 

Hi all!

I'm new here but just picked up a very nice Minnesota model S treadle machine. It has its share of problems (broken casting, cabinet drawers are pretty beat) but free always has a nice ring to it.

Still figuring out how to get pictures posted, but I know that this was a house brand for Sears and most likely made by Davis in the early 1910's. I also know that these were copies of Singer machines. What I can't figure out is if Singer parts can be used on a Davis machine. Can it be done? Has it been tried? Please let me know! Thanks in advance.

Scott

Welcome, Scott. Hopefully, jlhmnj will be along and give you some additional information for your machine.

It looks like you saw the ismacs page that tells about Minnesota machines for Sears.

It looks like maybe the manual in post #7 of https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...e-t234005.html may be helpful.


We like pictures. In order to post pictures on Quilting Board, you will probably need to reduce or compress the picture to a file size that is smaller than 2MB. How to post images can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...020-01-17-.pdf
Don't forget to scroll over to the far right to find and click on the "Upload" button.

I have found that only the big red "Reply" button or "Quote" work to give me the paper clip icon to work for adding pictures.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...p-location.jpg

Some additional info regarding reducing images at post #4 and images for the scroll and upload button can be found at #5 of https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f...d-t312607.html

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

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan! There are so many people who can help you out in the Vintage & Antique group that you will get some of the best advice. I am not the one however to advise you. I only dabble in Vintage and Antique machines and have a small collections of machines. I am sure that some of them will jump in on this thread which I will be following. Again thanks for becoming one of us at the QB.

I have a Franklin, Sears clone of a Singer 27, which was manufactured by either White or Domestic according to ismacs.net, and I have used Singer 27 parts on it: shuttle, needle, bobbins, and tension parts.

Welcome from South Lousiana!

Thanks, Joe! From what I gathered off ISMACS, mine was built by Davis between 1910-1912 (IIRC). It looks so much like a Singer (minus the weight) that I had to ask.

Scott

I sincerely love the idea of quilting, I have family deep in the trenches of quilt making, but I can barely sew by hand, much less by machine. So I'll stick with fixing up machines instead.

Scott

And hello from New Jersey! Since yours is the smallest message, I'll try to add pictures to this reply.

The machine is beautiful. I wish I could say the same for the cabinet and treadle.

That cabinet does look like it's had a hard life!

Take a crack at fixing the table. Wood can be glued and nailed, and metal (to a lesser extent) can be fixed also; I have used JB Weld and other 2 part epoxies along with wire to act as rebar. I also use Howard Restore-A-Finish on the wood and have been very happy with the results.

If you don't want to tackle that table you can look for an "empty" Singer treadle table, it is likely that your machine will drop right in.

Once you start working on these machines, it's tough to stop...be warned!