Seaside gal

I have a Singer treadle machine made, I think, in 1952. The cabinet needs refinishing, two drawers need new bottoms in them (cracked) and the machine is missing the presser foot, the cover over the bobbin area and a piece off the back of the machine. And it has no belts. The treadle moves freely and the cabinet and frame are sturdy and whole. I was trying to sell it at a garage sale today and the only offer I got was $20. I didn't take it but now I wish I had. I don't want to fix it or put it on ebay. Is it worth anything or should I just put it out for junk?

Charlee

Put it on Craig's list. Price it at $20 or $30....

Sounds like it's in pretty rough shape, but someone will take it for the $20 or $30 that you'll list it for, take it home and make it work. Don't junk it...you could make someone's day with it! Some folks can't pay a lot for a machine, but they're willing to put sweat equity into it in order to have a nice machine that works. Could be someone's only chance to own a treadle...

J Miller

I agree with Charlee. But I always wonder why machines seem to missing these parts. Is there a society of gremlins that sneak around and steel these parts. Curious minds (mine) would really like to know.

Ifn you was in IL I'd go $20 for it. Maybe $25 cos it was made the year as me.

Joe

Charlee

Joe, I'm betting this is a model 66, in which case someone put the bobbin cover on wrong and it fell off at some point in time. I have to wonder why Singer chose to have these plates slide on from the "inside out" instead of from the end.

The piece off the back...I wonder if that's the plate that covers the "service access"?

J Miller

The bobbin cover design made sense to someone I guess. But for the life of me I still am amazed at the number of machines, Singers and others, that are missing the bobbin covers. Especially those I've watched on GW.

If it's a 66 the only thing that could be missing from the back would be the inspection cover.

As for your comment about "sweat equity" I love doing that. When I'm done I can look at the machine and say: "I did that."

Joe

Charlee

I love to work on cabinets! Machines? Heh! Not so much, but I do it to the best of my abilities, and when I get stumped I apply my favorite repair technique! "Honnnnnnneyyyyyyyyyyy!!"

To answer on the slide plates. For the shuttle machines, most of those front plates that are missing are because they were removed and replaced so often that they wore down the metal and became loose. When the machine was put down into the cabinet, the plate fell off, no one noticed and it got lost. With the 66 and 99 machines, it's because of the same reason only it was because someone tried putting it on the machine from left to right instead of the reverse...it doesn't "catch" and so falls off, again, unnoticed.

jbj137

I guess I am DUMB.
I did not know about the Right-to-Left on the plate.
Now I know why mine will not stay on.
THANKS for the info.
J J

Charlee

You are NOT dumb!!!!! I won't tell you how long it took me to figure that one out, but I will tell you that it involved me sitting down and reading!!

Wintersewer

I think you would be lucky to get $20 for it. I have bought nice complete Singer treadles for $20 several times. I would put on CL for $20 or BO. After all, it can't be used as it is.

quiltingweb

And it explains why they put those "junk catchers" under the machine cabinets...to gather up all the stuff that falls out when we stow our machines. I thought my bobbin and shuttle were lost forever. I even went back to the sale and asked to search through the junk drawers only to find both in the rotten bottom of the cabinet when I got back home. Boy, did I feel stupid...oh, and the front slide plate on mine is missing too..probably victim of the same tip-and-drop. I am learning SO much here!