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| veneer is buckled |
YEA! I'm finally home! Sorry, I was gone for 2 weeks for a wedding and vacation. After the 7 out of state trips in 7 weeks, and now this trip, too, I'm tired of traveling.
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| ceramic knobs on drawers |
Sorry, no Teapot Tuesday today, instead, I'm showing a Singer 66 treadle I was gifted yesterday. I'd answered an add on a freecycle site the morning I left for Texas about a treadle. I didn't think I'd even be considered, since I told her that I'd be out of town for 2 weeks and couldn't pick it up until I got back. I also told her to pass it on if she could. Well....guess what! I got an email to come pick this lady up. This treadle has only been used as a plant stand for most of the past 30 years. The veneer on the top needs to be replaced. I've read about replacing veneer, but, I haven't tried to do it. I'm not real good with wood refinishing. The rest of the treadle base is in good shape, it just needs a little cleaning. After a coat of Howards wax,
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| really dirty Singer 66 head |
the rest of the wood will look really nice.
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| really dirty chrome & head |
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| really dirty head |
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| spider web underneath |
The treadle head was really dirty! I don't think it had been dusted in 30 years. The chrome parts were all brown. Luckily, there wasn't any rust. The parts all moved freely. I learned how to clean the machines at the
TOGA I attended in July. I pulled out my supplies and got started. If you look a few pictures down, you will see my dirty hand from all the grime on the machine. I used no pumice Goop. It is white/clear before use. I cleaned this machine twice. If you want step by step instructions, then contact me and I'll write them up for you.
Check out how much lint was in this machine! Yuk! I've never seen this much lint behind the face plate before. The bobbin area wasn't as bad. I HAVE seen worse in the bobbin area.
I didn't want too many screws loose, so, I didn't clean the bobbin winder until the rest of the machine was done and reassembled. I'm good at taking things apart, but not so good at remembering where all the parts go :O
The head and parts cleaned up pretty well. I oiled it every place I could find to oil it, including the paint. Everything moves nicely now. In a few days, I'll get time to clean the base and put the head back in it.
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| look at all that lint! |
I already have a Singer 66 treadle head that I want to turn into a hand crank. I won't be keeping this one. I need to find it a new home, now that it has been cleaned up. Anyone want a treadle? It'll only cost you shipping, and that could even be worked out, maybe. I now have two treadles that need to find new homes. I can't keep all the treadles that follow me home, I just don't have the room for all of them. I still want to find a White treadle base and irons for the White treadle head my dear hubby found for me on the way to the TOGA. Oh this S.M.A.D. (Sewing Machine Acquisition Disorder) is so bad!!!! What fun!!!!!
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| lint filled bobbin case area |
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| dirty bobbin winder |
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| this is some of what I got off |
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| after cleaning and oiling |
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| doesn't this look better!?! |
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| Singer 66 Red Eye cleaned up |
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| now you can see chrome! |
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| even the back looks pretty now |
WOW! I think after it is all cleaned up... it looks pretty good! Great freecycle! And welcome back after your travels!
ReplyDeleteI think the veneer is a good candidate for the method where you lay damp towels on it and then iron the veneer back down. It cleaned up great! What did you use?
ReplyDeleteI keep hoping I will find a Red Eye head. I have to say, they seem rare around here, or they are pretty expensive. I don't need any more cabinets (or machines for that matter, but does that stop me?)
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested in learning what you use to clean up machines. It looks like this Red Eye had decades of cigarette smoke and nicotine on it.
Good job cleaning it up!
If you don't find anyone local - give me a shout. I would be interested.
ReplyDeleteGood job on the restoration of that machine! It looks really good. We had a demo on an iron down wet tea towel method for repairing veneer at the Michigan TOGA a few years ago and it worked well on some small areas. Not sure how it would work on this whole top. My other solution is to make a quilted table topper to fit the top of the machine. Works great :-). Use the machine itself to give it even more authenticity.
ReplyDeleteFabulous job? How long did it take you to clean it? The decals are in great shape. Hope you find it a good home.
ReplyDeleteThis is tooo amazing...great restoration job!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Kathy
Hello Cheryl - I love the machine - I realize this blog is over a year old, but, I just purchased a RedEye and it is rusted tight. I got everything moving except the needle bar (which the works are located inside). I don't know how to get into the head to oil/clean & break it loose. I pulled the wheel off, to get it cleaned and oiled, did the bobbin winder and got the foot lever to move again. I just don't know how to get to the guts to get the big stuff moving. I hope this isn't a "too bad for you cause its rusty" deal.
ReplyDeletePls advise if you get this - thanks much, Janie in Evansville, IN