Of pots and pans

Last Saturday, on a whim, I stopped in Aliquippa in front of a used furniture store. I just asked the guys at the counter if they might have any old sewing machines. Upstairs, in the back, in the corner, in the dark, sat several cabinets. I put my hands down on the closest one and began to scan: 185j, Kenmore 158, Dressmaker... and I thought maybe I'd get out of there arms-free when I realized that what I'd been leaning against was a version 3 type 40 DeLuxe library table. I backed away unsure if I really wanted to know what was inside.

A few minutes later I paid the man 12 dollars and sat the 40 with it's 1930 model 101 along with a Singer Zigzag attachment - complete -in the box with instructions - inside the car.

The entire trip home I was wondering where I was going to put the darn thing.

I know why I did it.  I should have bought that ancient version 2 model months ago and now the ad is gone. If I had this cabinet then... I would have had the parts to fix the 1922 example. So I guess my thinking was -buy this now and that will never happen again: I'll always have the extra parts.

Missing out on that version 2 is really going to bug me for awhile.

Inside the 101 cabinet the machine was dusty but seemed okay. The hand wheel turned and one wire had come loose from the terminal. As I went to re-attach the wire I noticed that someone had been there before me and had accidentally wired it incorrectly. It took a few minutes to get it all in order. The funny thing to me was that the cabinet, both inside and out, could have been a twin to my 101 in nearly every detail.

Since I'd checked the wires, and the wheel turned with little effort, I plugged an extension cord into the power strip and then plugged that into the machine and flipped on the working light. I reached down... and for once in my life had the pleasure of swinging out an original 101 knee control. I pressed against it, and the 88 year old machine purred to life. This left me feeling strange. It shouldn't be that easy, so I started looking for faults. The machine didn't have much in the range of speed and the knee control seemed rather wobbly.

There was good reason for the wobble. The control plate should have had four screws holding it into the cabinet, but only had two...and if that wasn't enough, the control mechanism bracket was missing a third screw. Finally, I thought: something to do!

An hour later the control mechs had been cleaned. The copper bits were shiny again and the spring assembly was adjusted and locked. I found some vintage flat head screws the right size from a jar full of old cabinet bits and I remounted the control. Now, instead of moving the entire bracket, the knee control pushed the plunger and the range of speed was far more varied. It still needed a good cleaning, but just for fun I threaded it, slipped in a bobbin, and it sewed for me. In the big scheme of things I don't know what I'm going to do with this machine... but the cabinet is in really nice shape and maybe, just maybe, I might need that top.

If that had been the end of the weekend... I would have been happy,
but no, oh no... there was more to come:

A version 4 type 40 table with a 1946 15-91 and a Singer 237 with a very noisy motor.

Both found their way into the garage.

On Tuesday, two more Kenmore machines showed up. One of those (a 158.54) found a home on Friday. The second one: a 148.200 is on the bench now. It's been loosened and it runs, and I need to change the needle to see if it will sew. It all looks very positive. It may get donated to the same non-profit if I can rewire a foot pedal for it.

Oddly, the machine has no light.

and it appears to be a candidate for treadle power.

It's the only pan here. (not sure if I would own a 148.200)

All the rest are potted.

On Thursday, at yet another yard sale, I found this 1957 Singer 201.

I really enjoy this machine and will have to take some quality pictures (something this Powershot SX130 is incapable of doing) because I've never seen such a clean 201. Conversely, I can't stand the cabinet. Sure, it's easier to carry... but I really don't care for the plastic. It just feels cheap and fragile.

The spring plate re-design is yet another weight-saver, and kind of neat. Just a little bolt-on flap.

The first 201 manual I've ever seen in this format.
 

How I managed to squeeze both a 101, 15-91, and 201 into the garage is a matter of some speculation. They don't really fit, and I have to open the door and move things to work on cabinets. One more poly coat and I should be done with refinishing a mahogany type 40 top and sewing surface in an original finish. The treadle project is on hold - oops - I haven't mentioned the ground breaking treadle project yet have I?-  and it would help a lot if I could sell a nearly flawless 1951 Centennial 15-91 before the weekend.

because you know... I may need the room.