Really .... the presser foot should be left in the up position as several of you have mentioned? I am shocked by this. I have always thought that it needs to be in the down position so that the pressure is taken off the spring. That just sounds so logical to me that I have always done that ... but then I have always kept a piece of fabric under the foot also. Boy, the things one learns on this site! You guys are irreplaceable as far as knowledge goes. Anything else I should know to stop doing that I have been doing for way too long (other than eating chocolate)? Guess I'll find out eventually since I always read the Vintage/Antique threads.

I do keep my machines in a controlled atmosphere. In the studio that we built a year or so ago, the heater/cooler is set at 60 in the winter (I turn it up to 65 if I get chilly while out there working) and 78 in the summer so I am guessing that they are all going to be okay. It is nice a dry and well insulated so that should be good too.

leave the presser down.

you can relieve the tension on the foot by flipping it to like you would for free motion.

I had always been told to leave the foot down too, to avoid stressing the spring!

Maybe BEST is to just take the foot off so you can take pressure off the spring and still have no metal contact? But then the foot is probably more likely to get lost...maybe tie it to the presser bar with some thread or something... My "family" of machines is still small enough it all lives indoors in my sewing room, which I keep very comfortable.

I'm trying to limit my machine collection by telling myself I can't keep anything I don't use at least once a year. We'll see how that goes, though...I'm still too attached to everything to let any of it go!

Sewnoma, I like your suggestion of taking the foot off and leaving the pressure foot unit down. I really don't like the idea of leaving that up with pressure continually on the spring. I have boxes for my feet for each machine so if I make sure I put the foot in it's appropriate box, I (hopefully) shouldn't lose it. Thanks for that idea!

I have heard this about spring "saving" a lot...... Does anyone actually have any experience with a spring that has been weakened like this? Some times things that "just make sense" actually don't

I ask because spring tempered steel is remarkably stable. I have had machines that I know were stored for 80+ years with the foot in the UP position, that once the rust was removed, the spring worked fine. I have had the honor of working hands on with 17th century armor with spring tempered bits that even with a few hundred years of being in one position, still worked flawlessly.

I would be willing to bet that even the most amount of spring weakening you would get over a VERY long time, could be compensated for with an 1/8 of a turn of the presser foot tension..

Now, I should say that machines made in the "modern era" may have a different quality of steel that had some inherent weakness or susceptibilities.

my .02

I've never seen a problem with those springs unless Egor tampered with one

Well, Steve, I'm going to put my 2 cents worth in. The Singer 202 that we realized we had several weeks ago had the presser foot down -- rusted down, not to the slide/needle plate, just rusted. It took a lot of persuasion (gentle, mind you) to get it freed up! So, I'm with you, leave the presser feet up. I've noticed that repair shops usually have a piece of fabric placed between the presser foot and the needle/slide plate -- that's because the machine has been "sewn off"to make sure, and to show the customer the machine is stitching properly! Okay, enough! LOL

Jeanette

Ok just remember that fabric is VERY dry to start. if you store it in an environment that is humid, the fabric will absorb that moisture and become a rust risk.

You're Right
 

Glenn,
You are right. The fluctuation in temperature causes condensation, water, to form. Water is the enemy. If one wishes to "protect" feed dogs, use thicker plastic, a lid from coffee etc. Othewise, nothing at all should be used.
Donna