My mother-in-law does beautiful embroidery work and I thought, if I found a machine like hers, I could do the same thing...nope. I haven't got the patience. I will leave it to her. You'd think we could work together, she could do the embroidery and I could do the quilting, but I think she feels about my quilting the way I feel about the embroidery, it's just not her thing. My newest machine is my Nolting...I think it's a Fun Quilter...long-arm on the big frame. It's in the basement...I think it might be my place to escape from the heat today! Stay cool quilting friends!

Brought in my "new" Necchi today and sat in the cool basement and started to learn all about it. It is a nifty machine. Sews so smoothly. I tried out some of the cams, gadgets. It's so COOL!

Today I realized a couple of things. First, just because you can UN-screw something, doesn't mean you should. I was going to clean up my treadle and started by shining up some gunky spots and decided to undo the stitch length do-dad. Um, that little part INSIDE the machine is really hard to reach and this brings me to the second thing I learned. Sewing machines get really DIRTY inside. So, it's back together again, but I am re-thinking my idea to just clean it from the outside. Maybe I really should soak it in de-gunker after all....

OK, I learned something else. I can't wait to piece a quilt with it. I really do love treadling that machine...but maybe I'll make sure it's clean first.

Better be careful dipping the toe, I did and now I'm up to my chin, lol....Joy

I'm getting addicted. Someone on Craigs List today offered a New Home treadle for free. How am I supposed to pass that up? My 10 year old was out in the garage with me while I was working on another machine (yes, I know) and she was sewing on my "old" treadle machine (had it for about a month now) and she was having a great time. When I asked if she wanted to go along tomorrow to pick up another treadle machine, I thought she would roll her eyes at me, she cheered. She loves the treadle machine! Can't wait to see it. It looks newer than my Minnehaha, or at least the cabinet looks newer. I think the investigating is just as fun as sewing!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]347955[/ATTACH]It's getting cleaned up, the treadle runs very smoothly, the hand-wheel, when disengaged, runs smoothly, but something seems to be locked up. The needle won't go up and down. Most other things that are supposed to move, make a slight movement when I move the hand wheel...slightly, but the gear on the end of the shaft that comes down from the top and meets with another gear that goes across the bottom does not. Not a bit of play there. So, it seems to me, in my non-expert opinion, that something between that gear and the bobbin casing is locked up.

Further investigation is necessary. Here's a question...can I shoot some W-D 40 in there or is that a lubricant only zone? Or can I WD-40 first to get it moving then lube it?

I wouldn't WD-40 it. I've heard that when it dries, it will gunk up things. Someone else on here will give you some expert advise I think.

Thanks for the advice. I'll wait and see if anyone has ideas for me. Besides, I have quilting to do that NEEDS to be done.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]348229[/ATTACH]My 10 year old DD wanted to sew last night while I was working on the "new"machine. We went to the stash, she picked out some fabrics and we cut them out. Big 12 inch squares. She was bugging her sisters and I needed to find her something to do. She sat down at this machine and she sewed all of the squares together. Random order, 5 long strips then sewed the strips together. Today, she has her first quilt top! She's never sewn anything but for practice before. She is so proud...now she wants me to quilt it. Get in line honey!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]348230[/ATTACH]Here she is!

Worked on the New Home machine over the weekend. Removed the rod that's locked up and now it's moving so smoothly...the bushing on the rod is still locked up, but it's soaking and hopefully it will loosen up so I can try to put it back together. It's amazing that everything else moves the way it does...again, waiting patiently.

Aw! I missed the pic of your DD that you posted on the 11th! Look how cute she is, and how proud!! Rightfully so, she did a great job! :)

Good luck with your New Home....I have faith in ya!!

I have a New Home like yours but mine is motorized. It has the same "locked up" problem. So it is sitting alongside the other problem children waiting for attention.

Now shes in the same boat we are :D

I was just so proud of myself for isolating the problem part. I actually feel like there's hope for this one. Right now the treadle spins almost silently, the machine...without the problem rod...spins perfectly...and the wheel does turn to the rear instead of the front like the other treadle...as someone here warned me...now, just to find a bobbin and bobbin case. I have my eye on a donor machine on CL...he he he. It's not as pretty as mine, but if it has the same innards, it could work, right?

Thanks Charlee...she loves that quilt. I quilted it on the long-arm for her. Crazy, but I think I was done with it by the following afternoon. (Don't tell anyone, but I used a old mattress pad for the batting...she loves how thick and heavy it is...)

OOps I did it again!
 

My friend, on hearing me go on and on about treadle sewing machines, found another one for me on CL. $25. A White Rotary in a parlor cabinet...the cabinet fell apart as he and the seller were loading it into his truck. It's a dirty bugger, but it came with lots of attachments, a book, tools, etc. So, now there are 3 lined up in my garage in various states. My girls and I counted today...I think I'm up to 12. He's definitely an enabler. So, this poor fallen apart parlor cabinet...he thinks it should be easy enough to fix, but I'm not so sure. Wondering, if I want to try it out, should I be able to put it into a different cabinet? I suppose it depends on where the holes are drilled and the size of the base. Right now it's a bit of a dirty, linty mess, but everything seems to move.

Oh no, he thinks it will be good experience for me to fix it up myself...Gee thanks. Right now I have it out of the cabinet and on a table so I can get to all the dirty insides.

It's free! Now for some polishing...oh, and trying to remember how to put it back together!

So, I was at a thrift store a few days ago and I saw this cool cabinet. I keep thinking about it. There was a Singer of indeterminate age inside. There was all sorts of storage and it was really big. How do I know, on the fly, if the machine is any good? I mean, I can sew on it, see if it moves I suppose, but I don't know machines like all of you do. I have this Stylist that I want to set free because of its crumbling plastic gears and I was so charmed by it when I saw it...But then I think that I might just want it for the cabinet because it has such a big work surface and lots of drawers and an extra flap on the side just for thread and gadgets....this really is an obsession. I'm wondering if I could pop my other machine into or onto this cabinet...oh, I bet I could

If it was at a thrift store and the electrical looks OK they can usually plug it in for you to see if it works. If it is cheap enough buy it for the cabinet.

Enabler! oh, I mean, exactly what I was thinking!

I don't think there are many non-enablers here on this board.

So...I have one machine, a New Home from the mid 1940-1950 range. Missing a bobbin and bobbin case. No longer locked up, but turns rather roughly right now. I may have to remove the rod again and polish it some more to make it move more smoothly in its bushings. I have a White that moves well, sews when I spin the hand-wheel, but no belt and the cabinet is limping along missing one of its wooden legs. Wouldn't it be nice if all the heads and cabinets were interchangeable? And the Minnehaha, oldest of all of them, is working just fine. I saw a table made out of treadle irons and thought...hey, I could cut a hole in that and drop a machine in...Couldn't I?

With its leg in place, the White sews like a dream. I was grinning from ear to ear when it started sewing. I figured out the threading and bobbin. I played with the attachments. It's so QUIET. I can't wait to move it into the house. A little more work on the cabinet and it's comin' inside!

I gifted my Singer Stylist 457 to a good home today. She already had the same machine and likes it so much, she wanted another and was willing to do the repairs (crumbled gears). I didn't want to bother with it and happy to see it go somewhere it would be appreciated.

Today I picked up a new machine...that sounds funny, but you know what I mean. A Franklin treadle in a parlor cabinet.[ATTACH=CONFIG]355819[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]355821[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]355822[/ATTACH] The machine looks like it's in really good condition, but the cabinet is in serious trouble. Wondering if I should be looking for a donor treadle. I'll try gluing and screwing this one together, but when the previous owner was trying to put it back together, she couldn't hold the machine and dropped it a couple times trying to get it back on the pins. I think that's what cracked the peddle and it looks like a piece or two are missing. I can understand why machines get orphaned.

I should post a picture, but I'm sure you'll get the idea...I had a leftover cabinet from the Stylist I gifted to someone else. She didn't want the cabinet, so I took the cabinet and added a shelf, right below the hole for the machine. My portable Kenmore fits right in it and I can lift the front flap, if needed to open my little tool compartment. I wonder if it will work for the Husky...probably not, but it works great and now the machine doesn't sit up so high. I'm reorganizing my sewing space, hoping I can find room for my treadles before cold weather hits. I don't want them sitting outside in the cold garage.

Hahaha I am enjoying your thread - I must subscribe and keep up with your purchases. I'm finding myself in the same boat. I have about 15 machines right now though I've turned down several free or near free machines due to lack of space. I'm trying to only take on ones that I KNOW I can fix or that are really neat for my collection. It's SO SO SO HARD though! :)

Oh yes, I know. I have a friend who just picked up a Singer treadle machine for me. I have not seen it yet, so...I'm looking forward to that. I think it was made around 1922. I have no idea of the model, its condition, or anything about it. So, I will have a New Home, a Franklin, a White and now a Singer..oh, and the little Minnehaha that started all of this. As for the electric machines, I have two Kenmores, a Husqvarna-Viking embroidery machine, a Bernette Serger, a Janome mini for one of my girls and the Necchi, a Singer 99, my Nolting Long-arm...seems I like diversity.

Oh, and if I want to use the cabinet for the Husky, I cut an extra piece of the same wood I used for the shelf and it sits in the hole making the space level for the machine to sit. I used to sew at a table, but it was a bit high...this seems to work really well.

Sounds like you are building yourself quite a collection there!

Can you tell me about the Necchi? I know they are popular little machines but don't know much about them. Are these ones that take cams?

Yes. This one is from the 50s, not sure the precise date, but it came complete with all the accessories, feet, cams, a cool box for the cams that shows the stitch, the cams and the order they should be stacked. It's a really nice machine, works really well, and the man that I bought it from said his mother bought it and used it as long as he can remember and had it serviced often. $50. I was so excited to see it and had a lot of fun trying out all the stitches. There were even hand typed notes from the owner. It is a BU Supernova....I think that's right. It's my "downstairs" machine. I joined a Necchi group on Yahoo, but I know very little other than Necchi owners are very dedicated to their machines. I just think it's cool.[ATTACH=CONFIG]359111[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]359112[/ATTACH]

Can I just say? I love it here!

Hahaha - me too!!! The vintage quilter's especially are a SUPER helpful and generous bunch. I have learned SO much info on this site. It used to be a lot harder to get quick access to old sewing machine info too. The nice thing here (especially now that it's more than just one thread devoted to old machines) is there is such a large volume of people visiting you can get a pretty accurate answer to just about anything fast! Not to mention, the people are just really great. :)

That machine just LOOKS awesome! Now you know it's on the list of wants...thanks for sharing!! I'm just fascinated with these "cam" machines. It's a totally new concept to me but my Mother has a Kenmore that takes cams and she loves it.

I went through a few of the stitches and it's really pretty fascinating, and even more so that my Husky has so many at the touch of a button...and to me, it's more complicated than the Necchi

Junk or treasure? I don't know yet. [ATTACH=CONFIG]360845[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]360846[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]360847[/ATTACH]Three very dirty, but FREE machines...not sure what to do with them yet.

Free is good:thumbup:. The two electric machines will likely work after some R&R. The White may be another story and a challenge.

What a coincidence! Just yesterday I cleaned and oiled the same machine as your green kenmore! I got it for $10.00. It weighs 1,000 lbs....:shock:

It was pretty frozen, at first, but I kept oiling, oiling and oiling some more while turning the handwheel. The handwheel would only turn an inch or two in either direction when I first began but by last night, when I plugged it in, it sewed like a bat out of *you-know-where*.

It's a pretty cool '60-ish looking machine with the avocado green. I'm going to order a new cord and pedal because the one that came with it started smoking...:eek: I would definitely give the tan machine a try, too.

The tan one, the DeLuxe Emporium...sounds so sophisticated...works! I was afraid to plug it int, but I checked for frayed wires, etc and it all looked good. It really needs to be cleaned up though. ALL of them are dirty. I haven't tried the Kenmore yet, but I watched a video on YouTube and it looks like a real work horse. Yeah, that white might just end up being a door stop, but I might beg my brother the electrician to check it out and see if it can be rewired....after it gets de-funk-ified.