will a singer treadle work "backwards" ?
 

I bought a Wheeler Wilson #9 off ebay. It had a busted electric motor (so it went cheap) and I didn't care as I intend to put it in a treadle cabinet.

However, much to my surprise, it runs "backwards" compared to my Singers. I was going to put it in a parlor cabinet I already have - Can I do this - or is the treadle mechanism balanced so it won't run that direction? I don't have the treadle part put together in that cabinet to try it, and don't want to mess with the cabinets with machines in them.

Thanks

Cathy,

Treadle's are non-directional. It's the machines that are directional. I've run both my 9W-7s ( Same as your WW#9 ) and 66s off the same treadle cabinet and it makes no difference.

Joe

that is great to know! I've never actually sewed with a treadle machine yet, but I plan to now that summer (and all that goes with it ) is over. Though I forgot all about the potatoes I harvested right before heading south - went down the basement to put something away and saw the four big boxes - at least they keep for a while!

I just got done opening up the 12 boxes of stuff I bought off Ebay that showed up while I wasn't home - including a WW box in excellent condition with a full set of attachments. Now I've just got to figure out where to put everything.

12 boxes? It's like Christmas!

You already have your answer, but it reminds me. As a child messing with the treadle I had difficulty starting the "pumping" in the correct direction. The treadle would work backwards, but the sewing machine wouldn't. Mother's reaction to this may be why I was afraid to "mess with" sewing machines long into my married life. My wife also refused to let me "mess with" her MW Signature.

I traded for a WW9 and thought it had a problem. I tried to sew with it and it would not pick up the bobbin thread. I had a manual for it I had bought off line and decided to look and see if I could find out the problem, well I did, lol....it runs backward. I would have never figured this out. I would have probably just let it sit. It sews great now. It is very old and in pretty good shape. I had never heard of a sewing machine running backward, lol.

well according to W&W it was Singers that ran backwards.... hehe

I am in agreement with that. Automotive and most other engines run clockwise. Most fans and other electric motors run clockwise. But Singers and most other machines run anti-clockwise. Early White made machines, W&W, and some others run clockwise.

When I treadle, no matter the machine I use, the treadle wants to start so the machine will turn clockwise. It takes an unnatural pedal movement to start the machine anti-clockwise.

Also when I first started sewing I didn't realize the machines turned anti-clockwise. They were electric after all and I didn't do anything but push on the controller. Now that I have several e-machines that turn clockwise I find them much more natural feeling.

Oh well, I've learned to use them as they come. But my Singer 9W-7s are far more natural to treadle than the 66s are.

Joe

I always check the movement of the feed dogs to see which way they are going by turning the wheel by hand. I think some of the White machines turn the other way too.

I would have prefered to get a Singer 9w instead of the WW - but I fell in love with this one - and I love the thread spool holder on the top. The Singer decals aren't as pretty, and I already had a nice WW wood attachment box to go with it.

I was surprised this one went as cheap as it did - but the seller went into length about how it was "broken" and "sold as not working" because of the electric motor. Someone had taken the motor apart and then gave up on it.