Boni Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 My daughter and I visited a couple in Salem yesterday who have quite a collection of vintage machines. I came home determined to work on mine some more. I took the bobbin winder off and polished that baby till she shined like a mirror. Here is the link to my Pacasa album for all you vintage enthusiasts. Enjoy. and thanks for looking. http://picasaweb.google.com/bonniesews/Singer27?feat=directlink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Wow Boni you really got that shined up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Bonnie, my gosh your machine looks like mine! It's been in my family forever I guess, my serial number is G5153822, I have a drawer full of attachements for it and have no idea how they work, maybe I'll have to experment, I don't have the instuction book. My grandmother just used the machine untll just before she passed away, she knew at one visit she wasn't going to use it anymore so she made me take it home. It's quite the contrast with my Millie next to it!! Keep us updated with your progress on the restoration!! Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Shar, there is a website that you can download a copy of vintage instruction books. My daughter knows where everything is. She is quite an expert now. They really are fun to work with. I'm more determined than ever to keep up with the restoration. I've seen some beautiful cabinets and machines restored and I know this one will work. It's the other end of the spectrum from our LAs for sure. Makes me appreciate all the new stuff we have to work with, but I love the simplicity of the old way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Boni that looks great, polished up nicely. I have a treadle too, but mine is a Unique. I have the original manual and the original sales receipt from 1901. I have had it for about 20 years now. I purchased my for $5.00 from an estate auction of a sweet ole' lady that lived next door to me. She knew I loved chocolate chip cookies, so every morning she would come over with fresh baked cookies and we would have coffee and cookies while she told me wonderful stories of her childhood and growing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 What a treasure, Liam--the sewing machine and your neighbor. Did you record any of the stories? Do you have a picture of the Unique. My daughter would love to see it. She's sort of addicted to treadles. Shar, here is the page to look up the vintage of your machine. It looks like yours was made between 1916 and 1918. According to the chart mine starts with a B which were made between 1904 and 1905. What type of decal does your have? A Sphinx, or something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Boni, Currently I have my machine pulled out of the cabinet and packed away nicely in a box. I have the cabinet off the base ready to be stripped and re-finished. The base is ready to go to a guy who has a strip shop. I am going to have it dipped in his tank and repainted black. It's one of those UFO projects I need to get done. I made a mistake when I moved to my last place. I didn't have room for it, so I pulled the machine out of the cabinet and packed it away. I put the cabinet and base in storage for 8 years. When I brought this house I moved everything I had in storage here. I was so sick to see the condition of the cabinet and base from sitting in storage. The cabinet finish was all bubbled up and the base had rust on it. Live and learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Ouch, I know where you've been. My machine was in a barn on my MIL's property until last winter when the roof caved in from snow load. It sat in the open air until DH told me it was there. We had no idea it was there until he went up to asses the damage. By then it was way too late. I'm hoping I can salvage it and bring it back to life. sounds like your cabinet may be done in. Or do you think it can be rescued? There are a couple of websites I would recommend that give very good methods for restoration. Treadle On -- has lots of online info and Vintage Singer Yahoo group which you have to register to participate. You might check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Actually the cabinet isn't in too bad of condition, I beleive it can be restored easy enough. I have restored dressers that were in worse conditions. I have a five piece Victorian parlor set that I started to re-finish too. But I probably won't get to either until spring when the weather gets nice again. I have a large quest bedroom I want to do a victorian theme and place all these pieces in once they are re-done. My wife and I use't to go to auctions and buy antiques and re-finish them. It was a hobby the two of us did together. I haven't done much of that since she departed. I hope you can save your machine. They are such a treasure! They sure don't make sewing machines like they use't to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 It's nice to know what you're doing. . .I'm pretty good with a paint brush, and I have done some refinishing. We'll see. That Victorian parlor set sounds nice. Oh the good OLD days. I'm glad I'm living right now though. and No they don't make them like they use't to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Thanks for the info Bonni, I'll look up the web site after work today. Mine has Eqyptian decals, it looks like a winged spinx on the bottom plate and by the fly wheel. My cabinet is oak with little beads along the surfaces in places, the drawers and sides are carved, it's in good shape but the decals are worn pretty thin and gone is some areas. Liam, your treasure sounds so wonderful, I love it that mine has a history I know as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Boni, that looks great! You know how I am about the old Singers!! Love 'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Shar, we would love to see pics of that machine, I too love to see them and have an old 1927 singer that is is top running condition although it needs the knee pedal, can use a pair of plyers to make her run but can't sew that way... What a great story Liam, your neighbor sounds like she was a gem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 I have an old 1936 Singer in a cabinet that I bought at a flea market for $5.00!! I was buying a pig in a poke though, cause there was no where to plug it in and try it. I took it to my techie, he rewired it, cleaned and oiled and she runs like a top!! Holds a perfect 1/4" seam! Then my hubby found one for me at Save 'n Serve (type of Good Will store sponsored by a church) for $35.00, on sale 1/2 price! It's older than the first one, but I cleaned and oiled it and it sews beautifully also! For $17.50 how could I go wrong?? I also bought one on ebay. It was the filthiest, most jury rigged, piece of junk I ever saw!!:mad: Win some, loose some!:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammi357 Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 one word...dremel! you can do an amazing amount of polishing with the dremel, a buffing tool and jeweler's rouge, and it speeds up the process and saves your fingers! best of luck with your project...I have one like it in my garage... and numerous other waif machines that followed me home...in the basement, the living room, the bedroom, the sewing rooms..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted October 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 Got it! DD has it currently but we're sharing. She's using the dremel to refurbish hers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Geeze it's only been a few months and I already forgot how to post a picture. Go to:http://community.webshots.com/user/Shar949 tp see pictures I took this evening of the machine. I still need to look up the web site for the manual, now I wonder if I have complete attachements or just a lot of parts..., be interesting to find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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