I was just wondering what is considered "vintage." I still have my first Singer (404) purchased the year I married, 1962. She makes a beautiful stitch.

I did a search on vintage and antique and 50 to 75 years is considered antique. 20 years is considered vintage. I have a 404, also, so I guess it is antique.

And so am I.

:lol: Thanks for the research. That means I also have a vintage White machine. I love it, but it's sooooo heavy -- no plastic parts on that dude.

I have one of these and it is a real workhorse. It will sew thru darn near anything. Heavy tho. once it is up, I leave it up. Too heavy to take to class. They are a nice machine. Lovely isn't it? Jan

I have one of these and it is a real workhorse. It will sew thru darn near anything. Heavy tho. once it is up, I leave it up. Too heavy to take to class. They are a nice machine. Lovely isn't it? Jan

These are a few of the ones I use regularly in my studio most of them are treadle operated and as you can see by my signature Treadles are the only machines I ever use!

Billy

Billy these are gorgeous. Maybe my New Home will be pretty one day. Thanks for your help. I was able to find a manual and I have been following your cleaning thread on here. To cold to sit outside and use turpentine. right now. So I used penetrating oil and have it just setting for the next few months I'm afraid. Maybe that will help losen some of the dirt and gunk. Happy Holidays Mary

Kerosene is what you want to use for cleaning the mechanics. Turpentine will remove the finish on the machine.

Billy

oooops. I knew it was something stinky. almost all the finish is off my machine already.but I do want to do this all the right way. Thanks Mary p.s. is your table top a door?in the last picture?

Yep its a door blank but I made it from a hollow door plank because I could not find the 36" solid door at the time. The middle is solid where I cut out the hole but the ends are not. I found out the hard way not to drop a sewing machine on that bench. I accidentally had a machine slip from my hands only a few inches above the bench and it punched a recess in it. So now I am going to cut it out and beef it up then put a thin sheet of birch plywood back on it and seal it all up again. It will be okay until I do the addition to the studio and I can move all of my quilting to the new part and then I will use a solid door plank for the work bench there.

Billy

Billy, thx for sharing (again). Something so lovely about those machines in the bookcase like that.

I am moving the table into my sunroom and will be adding a section to the wall unit. I will be able to hold another 9 machines in it. I am really running out of room for machines that I have earmarked for use in the studio. And I have two more treadles to set up in my hallway my 1870's FC Henderson and a W&W 9.

Billy

Sounds like it's time to knock out a wall and make room for the machines. lol Mary

Actually I am adding onto my studio just so I can move my quilting to another area and then the part that I have now will be used to service the machines and hold all of my parts. I am adding on another 1200 sqft and it will be an upstairs part to house my collection and memorabilia.

But out of all of the machines I have only 2 are electric, and the newest is from 1963.

Billy

wow sounds like it will be really nice. My husband and I moved a 100 yr old house 23 years ago. and are almost done redoing it. Seems like your never done. Just like the treadles. Your 1963 would look nice next to my 1966 pontiac ventura. wish it was up and going still. Mary

My Mom had a 1966 Bonneville that my Dad bought her brand new. it was a tri power car and they traded it for a new 73 Dodge Charger. We would have had an R/T 440 4 speed car but my mom said she wasnt going to drive a stick. So it ended up a 400/auto with the slapstick. Still was a fast car but wasnt an R/T......

Billy

Every day- we restore them

Wow, you have some really nice machines.

I use my 301 daily. Just love it.

Here are a few of my repaints........

Billy

I love my vintage machines, I have 4 singer treadles all in working condition ( 2 model 27, a model 9w, a model 66 -redeye), and 4 electric- that mostly gather dust or make some repairs when i'm in a hurry (a singer model 201-2 that's frozen and in need of cleaning, a white domestic- currently awaiting parts, a free-westinghouse that needs cleaned but runs, and a more modern brother that I honestly haven't ripped apart yet).

I love the treadles and that's why I use them for almost everything. I don't know if I'll ever buy a new machine again, the plastic parts wearing out/ jamming, just don't seem worth it. :)

Cheryl

What a cute little hand crank sewing machine!

I use my 15-90 and my 99K all the time. I am saving up to buy a new Janome or Babylock but until I have enough saved I use these reliable machines and I imagine I always will use them.

I have an old free/westinghouse sewing machine in a nice cabinet that I would like to either give away or sell if there is a market for it. It does run but it hasn't been used in many years. It belonged to my 93 yr old mother in law. She doesn't remember how old it is. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do with it? Should I just donate it to local charity?

Jane, you might offer it up in teh Pay it Forward section of the board, someone close to you will snap it up in a heartbeat... :)

Yes and you know it will be used.