Treadle machine - please help me help out a friend
 

My friend told me yesterday that she has a treadle machine in her garage. It was her step mothers, purchased it at an antique store. My friend knows nothing about treadles or old machines and has never tried to use it.

I'm a newbie with old machines but I'm fairly competent with my 1950's Kenmores so I offered to help. My friend lives over an hour away so today she will Skype me with the machine in front of her. Please tell me what info I should gather so we can evaluate this machine. She wants to either sell it or give it to me if I want it, but I'm not sure I want it. I have very little room in my house and if it's a machine that needs obsolete parts, I don't want it. It's also possible the machine is missing so many parts that it's not valuable at all. IDK.

The only thing I can think to have her do is try to turn the handwheel and see what happens. I'm sure there is more. Where are the model numbers on these old machines? Is the bobbin assembly somewhat similar to modern ones so I can see if it's all there? She does sew, so maybe she can thread it and try a stitch. I have no idea what condition or brand of machine we are talking about.

I'm going to visit her in Feb and if the machine is worth the time, I'll bring along my oil, grease, screwdrivers etc and see if I can get it going. But today, I don't even know what to look for.

Thanks in advance. If I can get her to take some pics, I'll post them. Otherwise I'll report back with what we find.

Well, photos would go a long way to identifying the machine.

Singers are simple for the most part.

Almost all treadles are antique / vintage and require parts that are the same. If you don't want to bother with that, then why bother with it at all? Parts are not that hard to come buy and most of the old machines are fairly simple.

Diagnosis:
Look for missing parts > slide plate being the most common, feet, levers, spool pins

Look for obvious damage > finish wear on an older machine is not considered damage, considering how they were finished, it's to be expected.
Chips, rust, scratches dents, broken parts, that is damage.

Check the hand wheel, see how it turns. If it's stiff most likely it just needs cleaning and oil.

If it's most Singers the hand wheel rotates towards you.

White made machines, no matter what they are badged and the Singer 9W-7 series rotate away from you.

New Homes also rotate towards you.

Remember these machines were designed by blacksmiths and carpenters, not rocket scientists or computer geeks like the new ones.

Joe

February isn't that far away. I've seen Skype. Hope both sides have good Skype. I would wait and take my tools in February. Photos may be better. I may be wrong. My neck of the woods an hour's drive is nothing. Good Luck!

Thanks Joe! I'm dying for my friend to Skype me so I can see exactly what we are dealing with. I thought I'd read some threads here about machines that are impossible to find parts for. I'm mainly helping her to evaluate whether she can sell the machine. It would be an easier sale and for more money if it worked and was complete. While I'd love to try a treadle, I'm not sure if I need to own one or can fit one in my house.

I hope to report back with a name, model number and photo. But in the meantime you have given me a lot of things to check out on the machine - if she ever Skypes me!!

Thanks tessagin. I don't mind waiting until February but I think my friend is antsy to get rid of the machine. I'd hate to see her post one of those Craigslist ads that say "sewing machine. don't know if it works" and then find out it was a valuable machine after she sold it for $20.

I'd like to help her evaluate it properly.

The White VSIII hand wheel turns top toward you like a Singer.

CD in Oklahoma

Well the Skype call came through and I'm so tempted now.....it's real pretty!

No picture to post yet, but it works. She turned the handwheel and the needle went up and down. It has all the plates and the spool pin. Plus a neat wooden box full of accessories. The box opened up like it was unfolding - pretty cool.

It's a Singer. It said USA June 14, 1910 Feb 21, 1899 and also G3684552. It had floral decals on it which looked real nice. It's in a cabinet with 4 drawers. The top of the cabinet has seen better days but I've done some minor wood touch ups before, I think I could make it look better.

Tempted......so is it a decent machine? (for free!!) She's ok waiting until my visit in February before doing anything. I'll have to figure out how to thread this machine before then so I can truly test it out. Where am I going to put it???

That serial number should make it a 15-30 from 1914.

Floral decals, I'll assume that it's the Tiffany pattern. Did it look something like this?

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps66f483f2.jpg

Also, I believe the puzzle box of attachments predates the machine - so you'll want to determine if they are a set for a VS machine (most common) or a round bobbin machine. Most of them will fit this machine though - that is one nice thing with the Singers.

Thanks Cathy. I was just getting to respond but didn't have any pictures so your post is way more useful!