sewing machines into lamps????
 

Hi, somewhere online (don't remember where now, but it was just the other day) I saw an article about how people are now buying up vintage sewing machines and turning them into lamps.

Oh dear.:confused:

Is anyone familiar with this? Maybe it's a good idea?? Any pictures of them, I just can't imagine. It just makes me think of all the treadle machines tossed out so that the legs could be turned into tables....

I've seen them at craft shows. I know that the guy that does those makes sure that these are real rust buckets and not able to be used as a sewing machine. He repaints them and does make them look nice, but I prefer a sewing machine to sew, not light up.

I hate to see the tables that are treadle bases. It just makes me wonder what great machine - potential great machine - was sent to a landfill to make a side table. So sad.

We were just discussing a really great Singer 66 redeye with nearly perfect decals that someone ruined by drilling through it to make a lamp. The damage is irreversible. I guess in some sense valuing the decorative potential of a sewing machine is a start in learning to value and preserve them but I figure they're better actually being used as sewing machines or displayed in a non-destructive manner. It would be no more difficult, in fact easier to have the lamp post behind or of to the side and the machine displayed in a manner where it could sew again some day.
Rodney

They turn them into tractors as well.

I am completely, totally, unswervingly, adamantly, absolutely opposed to such atrocities.

Joe

If they take a thrashed machine, with missing parts and damaged main hardware, repaint it and make a "whatever" I'm OK with it. It is when they try to make a "beautiful" lamp by taking a beautiful machine as a base I feel that the term "upcycling" is a lie. The first example would be taking something with NO function and making it pretty and useful, the second is "downcycling" where they take something that is capable of a lot and reduce it to something less useful, for profit...

http://askmome.tripod.com/id22.html

Cari

Gross, but I can accept that.. at least it still sews...

Given the fact they're selling other machines on that site I'm going with the idea that one had severe cosmetic issues before they painted it.
Rodney

Since many machines are wired with sewing lamps anyway (and many are not integrated), why drill into the head at all? If the sewing lamp is integrated, set up a switch that can light the sewing lamp alone, light the table lamp alone, and together.

In this case, wiring a table lamp to a non-electric hand-crank machine is just...odd.

We've all seen other similar conversions. WWI and WWII shell casings or milk cans into lamps, hubcaps into clocks, painted handsaws, etc. You want to see some complaining? Show a rare handtool that's been converted into something else or painted to a collector and see what they have to say.
We're pretty mild.
Rodney

I agree...It really bothers me to see these in the booth...but at least they aren't beauties that he destroyed. His wife would probably swing a machine at him if he tried to use a useable one.

I don't care either way. Just don't turn MY machine into a lamp! :)
sandy

One word only. . . sacrilege!