Parlor cabinet retrofit
 

I feel in love with this style cabinet the first time I saw one online - and then one day while visiting a local quilt shop - I saw this being used as a display table - offered way too much money, but I really wanted it! It had been stripped of all the treadle hardware - and has some serious water damage to the top veneer

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psdf827b5e.jpg

So it came home - and later this summer I found a listing on ebay for all the treadle hardware - so it's going to be put back together as my "swap-able" treadle cabinet.

To make this work, I'm modifying the lift base so I can easily put other machines in it -with specially made bases that are the correct size.

To do so, I had to remove the top - the hinges for the flip top went all the way down, so they had to be removed to get the top off.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps15587eb3.jpg

With that done, I was able to disconnect and remove the lift table. This is going to be put away for save storage so I can put it back to original if I choose to at some point.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps96147a5c.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psc86f29a6.jpg

DH and I will be making a modified lift table that is flat on top, with stops so that it won't come all the way up. So I'll be able to set a treadle head in a base with the belt holes in it- right into the recess, hook up the belt and I'll be in business!

Hmmm- I'd better make the bases with an insert so there is one big hole for the belt, don't want to have to take it apart to thread it through two holes in the base. Not a problem, but then we have a shop full of woodworking tools so that makes it easier.

Beautiful cabinet! Please keep us posted on progress and the finished results.
Rodney

Awesome!!!!

sew...what brand of SM did it originally? quite a project, pls keep us posted!

That is a Singer Parlor cabinet. Most often I've seen it with a 66 Red Eye, but a person could have got it with any of the Singer treadle machines at the time.

I have one that is the slightly older version with the flat upper drawers. That one came with a 66 Lotus. With my two Singer side open parlor cabinets, one came with a 27 Sphinx and the other with a 66 Red Eye.

Such a beautiful cabinet. It's quite a project alright. They never make that cabinet anymore so you can bet price of that will go up. Will you be painting it the same color? Have anyone here painted their cabinet black or something dark? I am about to paint mine but still thinking what color is good.

painting - oh perish the thought!

Lovely cabinet! :)

i meant to say staining/poly.

I have this same exact cabinet Cathy; mine came with no machine but I have a near mint Sphynx that will go into it. Beautiful parlor cabinet. Mine is only missing the "foot treadle" all other hardware is there I believe. I found mine on Craigslist a couple of years ago and if I remember right, I gave about $60 for it.