What a great idea! Wish I would have seen it before we remodeled my bathroom!

eeeekkkkkkkkk!! Where do you put the toilet paper????

One downside is that people will see this cool idea on the internet and possibly want to do something like that themselves, which creates a market that wasn't there before, competing with those who want them for their original purpose.

I have frequently seen the treadle bases with no tops at antiques/junk stores. They sometimes also have the drawers being sold with no cabinets. The reality is that many of the cabinets have gotten completely delaminated after years of storage, and most people are not going to realize that there are some who might treasure the old thing. I can't say I've ever seen a complete treadle cabinet offered without a machine in it. The triangular shape that they needed to fit the vanity into the corner means that they had to have used a different piece of wood. Probably the original top was in very bad shape, if it's any consolation to those who would have liked it for a sewing machine.

I've seen a lot converted sewing cabinets offered for sale - in most cases, the restored treadle cabinet would have sold for more than the converted item is selling for.

The best (worst) item I encountered was a necklace using part of the embroidery control nob from a Pfaff 130 embroidery attachment (it kind of looks like a skull) . They were selling the necklace for $25, the part (unaltered) would have sold for $50.

And the necklace made from welding treadle cabinet keys together - about 30 key total. Individually they sell for $5 - $10. This necklace also had a $25 price tag.

And then the Featherweight table that someone had epoxied the lift out portion in place- again taking something worth about $150 as it was and creating something worth about $10.

Most of the problem with this stuff is location - I have several treadle cabinets I'd give away to someone that didn't want to re-purpose them. But they need to be picked up.

Question: Many of you disapproved of what was done with this treadle. I have to ask if you would attempt to save any treadle machine regardless of condition?

Here is the treadle machine that I am asking this question about. Would you try to save this??

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I doubt if that machine can be restored to any kind of original beauty but I might have a nice one that might fit in there if you would like it.

Not talking about the machine, I am talking about the treadle base.

There are people on other forums that restore treadle bases in much worse shape.

Thanks for your reply. I was trying to gauge what shape a treadle must be in to be considered un-salvageable.

I think it depends on a person’s ability to do what ever it takes. For me it has to pretty much be able to be all there. I don’t do any veneer work but people do that and fabricate metal parts if needed. That one is pretty unusual so it might be a great candidate for restoration rather than repurposing. It may be worth more restored than repurposed. It would be some project. The machine is one of many but it could be reconditioned and used. I have a smaller one like that - Glenn reconditioned it and it has been used to teach kids to sew. It is odd looking and a kid magnet.