What the heck is it?
 

Came into work today after a long weekend holiday and found this on my desk.

I did plug it in. It doesn't work.

Looks like a bobbin winder, thread holder and a motor for a sewing machine. Oh, and a foot pedal!


Someone was inventive and made a motorized bobbin winder.

The thing on the right - with a round black base and a long thin metal thing with a bend on it - is a large spool/thread holder - but the pin/peg that SHOULD be in the center of the base that the spool would be placed on appears to be missing.

The black thing on your desk looks like a foot controller.

I have no idea what the metal thing mounted on the board is or what it is for.

I'm with Hawk. It's a prototype motorized bobbin winder.

It's a home made motorized bobbin winder.

The thread holder is missing the center pin, no big deal though. The thread would come off the spool up to the hook, then down to the tension on the right side bottom of the wood base. Then over to a bobbin on the shaft this side of the wheel on the left.
The bobbin winder is from an industrial machine, I've seen many pics of them on the machine tables.

The motor and foot controller are generic and could have come from anything. The winder is a really great idea. I've got to steal your pic for future ideas.

As for it not working, what did it not do? And if you don't want it, ship it to me and I'll reimburse you the shipping. :D

Joe

It is the bobbin winder from an industrial sewing machine rigged on a home sewing machine motor. The tall thing is for thread or IV drips...

I'm all in with a bobbin winder. How cool of your friend to leave that for you! I wonder what the other cords go to? Does it also have a light?

I'm making a HC version!! Like my elbow needs more wear! ;-)

No light. This is the same lady that gave me the "quilting" machine I can't seem to get working. Looks like she's cleaning out her place to move (being transferred to Dallas through the American/US Airways merger) and I'm the recipient of anything to do with sewing. Haven't talked to her yet (still mad that the machine doesn't work). Now it appears that I have an industrial bobbin winder that doesn't work :-)

Nothing happens when I plug it in. No noise at all. The little metal thingy that should hold the bobbin appears to be fatter than normal household singer bobbins. I guess I'll take it home and check it out . . . then probably ship it to Joe. I can't for the life of me see any use for it and I at least like to claim its usefulness when I buy something (says the lady with 7 vintage machines in her garage).