7) I've just been given my Great Grandmother's sewing machine. Can anyone help me fix it or restore it?
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This article is from the Textiles FAQ, by Lara Fabans lfabans@adobe.com with numerous contributions by others.
7) I've just been given my Great Grandmother's sewing machine. Can anyone help me fix it or restore it?
> Gosh, the machine I have must be about 60 years old. It's a
> treadle machine that has been motorized. I do not know if I
> want to remove the motor or not. Also, the veneer on the
> cabinet is in pretty bad shape. I'm going to have it replaced.
> Do you have any suggestions?
Well, first of all, anything you do to the machine lessens its
value as an antique (so I was told) so the first thing to do is
to decide whether you want the antique value of the machine or
just a really nice, spiffy looking treadle.
In my case I wanted a really nice, spiffy looking treadle that
could double as my everyday sewing cabinet and also be a nice
showpiece. I don't care about the supposed antique value. My
Grandmother had abused her treadle and it had been stored for 40
years in my Dad's workshop so you can imagine what it looked
like! Gouged, paint-splattered cabinet, dust everywhere, rusted
grill work and the head was covered in black grime.
The first thing I did was take lots of photos of it from all
angles so I would know how to put it back together after taking
it apart. Next I took it apart. Then I used very mild paint
stripper (3M special gel-type) to remove the varnish from the
cabinet pieces and the paint from the iron grill work.
I should state right now that you should TEST ALL CHEMICAL YOU
PLAN TO USE ON THE MACHINE IN AN INCONSPICUOUS PLACE FIRST!! The
paints and varnishes of yesteryear are quite different from those
that exist today. Often today's stuff is far too strong for
those old finishes to handle.
After removing all the paint, I washed the whole thing off with a
water-dishsoap mixture and rinsed it all thoroughly. Then I
dried everything and let the grill work ``age'' for a few days
(lets the iron ``set'' properly). Then I spray painted the iron
work with a rust protector followed by a black acrylic gloss. I
then sanded the cabinet and ``varnished'' it with a cherry wood
urethane.
I should mention that most veneers in those days were cherry wood
veneers, whereas most today are of oak. Cherry wood is very
expensive these days so you might have problems replacing the
veneer. I filled in small holes with wood filler and large ones
with a combination of glue, wood chips and wood pieces and sanded
carefully.
Now for the machine head: I should put in here that whatever you
do, DON'T clean the machine head with alcohol!!!! The old paints
and varnishes that were used at that time are very sensitive to
alcohols and such. DON'T USE THEM TO CLEAN YOUR MACHINE!!!
I used wd-40 to work through the top layers of grime. Boy was I
surprised to find gorgeous gold decals of phoenix's rising from
the ashes and such. I VERY GENTLY scrubbed away the rest of the
grime using water and dishwashing soap. I let the whole thing
dry for two days and then covered the head (brushed on) with
several coats of future floor polish. Then I oiled the heck out
of the insides using sewing machine oil.
Voila! A mear 4 months later (and I thought it was going to be a
weekend project! :-) it looks gorgeous! Of course the antique
lovers are horrified but I'm very, very happy with the project.
Now, if you want to keep the antique value of your machine you
are going to have to take a different tact: immediately go to
the library and get as many books as you can on restoring
antiques. Talk to antique dealers. Etc. This is what I did at
first and is what helped me decide that keeping the antique
``value'' was too much work and bother. It can be very rewarding
for the right person and the right project, but it just wasn't
for me.
Singer Service Centers actually still do repair and restore
antique machines -- the _real_ service centers (the ones run by
Singer, not the ones running in back of a sewing store) have to
service and repair all machines made by Singer, not just the
current batch.
As for whether or not to remove the motor: most early treadles
were indeed ``motorized'' aftermarket. That's how the first
machines were ``upgraded'' so the owners didn't have to go out
and buy one of the ``new'' motorized ones and junk their old
machine. You'll have to look at the job very carefully as
removing the motor and restoring the machine back to its
treadle state might not be as easy as you think. That's where
pictures and information about the original machine would help.
> Are there any books on this stuff? My treadle doesn't have a
> manual. Is there anything I can do?
Singer Company itself can get you a copy of the original manual
if you know the model number. Not a catch 22 like you think; a
call to your local Singer Service Center and a brief description
of the machine results in a model # in most cases (for example,
the woman in charge asked what kind of bobbin my machine used and
how it loaded (front or side of machine) and from that said ``oh,
you have a #128 vibrating shuttle model.'' The charge for an
owner's manual is generally around $4. Singer can be reached at
1-901-365-6613 to get the number of the offical service center
nearest you. (In Canada call (514) 359-2000.)
You can also look in the library for books about old sewing
machines. There's a book available through the Santa Clara
County Library (Cupertino branch) called _Machine Sewing_ by the
Singer Sewing Machine Co. and published in 1923 and updated to
contain all Singer machines through 1938. It tells you
everything you'd ever want to know about those machines and their
attachments. Get it on interlibrary loan if you're interested.
(Santa Clara County library system, Cupertino branch, Card
catalogue # 646.21 SINGER)
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