Repairing Cracked Bed on Old Sewing Machine

1894 Frister Rossmann hand crank purchased on Ebay from the UK the end of August.  Darn!  Wish there was a happy ending to this story.  The machine was packaged poorly by the seller.

I'm going (to try) to repair the bed crack with JB Weld.   It is my first rodeo with a repair this extensive.  I contacted my sewing machine mentor Skipper.  He is guiding me through the process.  

Skipper has just finished a cracked bed repair on his Frister Rossmann antique hand crank and is also sharing with me the steps for restoring the black surface (japanning).

You can read about his techniques

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/cleaning-repairing-shellac-clear-coat-vintage-sewing-machine-heads-t193635.html

and 

http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/cleaning-repairing-shellac-clear-coat-vintage-sewing-mcahines-t186522.html

Here are some of supplies to make the bed crack repair.  I am waiting on the black aniline dye powder.  Also waiting for Jon's wood working clamps, and his extra hands to help me dry-fit and prepared for the JB Weld repair.  

And of course, it gets a little more complicated than first glance . . . 

Lower right hand side--see the metal ruler I placed on the wood base

Detail - just left of the metal ruler is a chunk of cast iron missing.

Trying some Kroil oil to loosen the hand crank bracket upper screw.  Probably hasn't been loosened in 100 years!  Its on there tight.  After 8 hours, I still can't loosen the screw.  I'll try again later--might have to add some hair dryer heat.  I did some light tapping on the screw--can't do much of that because of the cracked bed.

Detail of hand crank bracket screw upper that is locked down tight.  It is an odd angle at best to access the screw slot.  

Can this machine be saved?  I'll try best.  I will share photos later.

Come in for a Spell - Halloween Weekend House Tour and Craft Show

Halloween Weekend House Tour and Craft Show

255 Mill St. - Scandinavia, WI

Sat/Sun October 27 and 28, 10a until 5p
Benefits The Humane Society of Waupaca County

Plenty of Parking - Back of the Red Garage

Homeowners Linda and Jon Durrant welcome you to their home for a special Halloween Victorian House Tour and Craft Show benefitting the Humane Society of Waupaca County.  A modest donation of $2 per person will be accepted by our kitchen manager Sandy, and representatives Faye and Monica of the Humane Society.  Enjoy a treat served by our favorite Miss Sandy.

LUNCH - In the red garage, the Scandinavia Library will offer a variety of chili soup and dessert.  Rest your bones and enjoy lunch and visit with friends with picnic style dining in the heated garage.

CRAFT SHOW - Everything handcrafted and home-grown.

Quilts, Purses, Fresh Bakery, Loomed Rugs, Chocolate Candies, Vintage and Antique Sewing Machines, Sterling Silver nd Gem Stone Jewelry, Handcrafted Goat Milk Based products: soaps, lotions, salves, and lip balms, Home Grown Canned Goodies: jams, jellies, pickles, etc.  Vintage Pattern Aprons, and Wool Items 

The Summer Kitchen

at Main East Entrance 

Jerry Johnson - will demonstrate sewing on a treadle sewing machine and answer questions about his beautiful woven rugs, handmade chocolates, as well as vintage and antiques sewing machines.

Patti Kirchner - designer of fine sterling silver and gem stone jewelry will have her display in the red dining room.

Lorene Yoder -  Sunrise Bakery will offer an array of fresh baked goodies in the living room.   She has been doing Farmers Markets and Holiday Craft evens for the past 7 years.  She makes a variety of yeast breads, party breads, sweet breads, and cakes.  Imagine the aroma of her fresh baked and fried pies!

A dream team of 3: Lorene's daughters are LouAnn who makes jams and jellies, and daughter Lisa's specialty is cookies.  A smile of respect comes over me, as Lorene speaks of these arts handed down by her mother.  She says, "it is a joy to pass it on to my daughters."

Diane Civik - will display and sell her jams, jellies, pickles, etc. in the north bedroom downstairs, (formerly the parlor).

The office in 2007 during the Victorian whole house restoration 

Selene and Fatima Saeed - have a nice booth set up in our office space. Check out her soothing goat milk based soaps, lotions, and balms.  Their farm Glacial Acres is located in the northwest corner of Waupaca surrounded by ancient glacial formations.  They raise a small herd of goats, a small flock of sheep, along with chickens, ducks, turkeys, and guineas. 

Selene hand spins locally grown wool, and enjoys weaving, knitting, and crocheting.  She delights in  making colorful vintage-inspired embroidery on kitchen towels.  Never a dull moment on their little homestead!

 East Bedroom Upstairs 

Karen Hannon - you can find the apron lady in the east bedroom upstairs.  Karen started sewing aprons 10 years ago when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  She says sewing became a stress reliever and provided her mother and other residents with some very attractive "clothing protectors."

She expanded her options over the years and now offers several different style of aprons for men, women and children.  All the aprons are 100% cotton, reversible and machine washable.  Karen says she enjoys shopping for unusual fabrics when she and her husband travel around the country in their airstream trailer.

North Bedroom Upstairs

Linda Durrant's quilts and fancy purses are located in the north bedroom upstairs.  Host Jan will answer any questions you might have.

Linda's Sewing Studio 

Located over the red garage, take spiral staircase in back of the garage.

Friend Ellen will host the sewing studio where you can see where homeowner Linda Durrant sews, and see many restored vintage and antiques sewing machines.  Some of them will be for sale!

***

A message to my friend Ann in the UK:

Hi Ann, please drop me a line at my email address: mrs.durrant1@gmail.com.  I want to write an article about the beautiful hand crank machine I purchased from you, and I have a couple of questions as I prepare the article.  Bless you, and thank you for your help.  -Linda

Singer Model 12 Hand Crank Sewing Machine - c1886

The Singer New Family Model 12 hand crank sewing machine, c1886

serial number 7,132,396

I acquired from Hexham, Northumberland, UK

photographs by Paul

The very popular Singer New Family Model 12 sewing machines were produced for 40 years from 1865 at the close of the American Civil War, until one last batch of 100 machines were manufactured in 1902.  

Isaac Merrit Singer 1811-1875

painted by Edward Harrison May 1869

VISIT ME, WILL YOU?  OCT 27-28!!!

We are celebrating Isaac Singer's 207th birthday at our Halloween Weekend Victorian House Tour and Craft Show October Sat/Sun 27-28, 2018 (10a-5p).  We'll have all the old sewing machines on display--some of them for sale.  

You will enjoy the beautiful homegrown pickles and jellies, homemade bakery and treats, goat milk based lotions, soaps, balms, silver and gemstone handcrafted jewelry, loomed rugs, handmade chocolates--as in yummy chocolate turtles anyone?  Also, vintage patterned aprons, as well as queen size quilts and beaded purses, and much more--all available at our craft show. 

Great food by the Scandinavia Library Group, and tour of my 1893 Queen Anne Victorian home, and sewing studio.  Your $2 pp admission fee at the door goes directly to The Humane Society of Waupaca County.    Come in for a spell!  Plenty of Parking.

Here's a good read about the history of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, 

https://historymuseumsb.org/singer-sewing-machine-company/

Truth or Myth?  The Singer New Family Model 12 had black hand wheels to resist a metal luxury tax?  

At the top: Three Pillars--back to front:

1) presser bar tension,  2) needle bar, 3) upper thread tension

The Singer Model 12 is a Transverse Shuttle; its shuttle moves left to right.  Open left throat plate slide to access the boat shuttle.

Condition of the machine is excellent.  You don't see them often.  Very collectible.

Back side of the machine.  More details photos to show you later.

The gold acanthus leaf decals.

Defiance Hand Crank Sewing Machine - year 1906

Defiance Hand Crank Sewing Machine, manufactured by New Home in Orange, Mass. USA

I purchased it on Ebay.co.uk and received it September 2018, in time to celebrate National Sewing Machine month.  This machine came from Leicester, England.

distributed by W.J. Harris, London.  Defiance Serial Number 2621960, Style A made in 1906

Threading the front end--see photo below.   I don't have a manual for my 1906 Defiance.  Please let me know if you need additional info how to thread your Pan American (that is similar to my Defiance hand crank machine).

On top--is the leaf tension spring (regulates upper thread tension).  The thread travels from the spool through the groove in the leaf tension spring.  Tightening the thumb screw puts pressure on the thread restricting or loosening the upper thread tension.

3/4 Size Machine - bed is 6.75" by 11.5"

When I buy a sewing machine from England through Ebay.co.uk, directly after winning the bid I send message to the seller how I want to have it packaged to ensure it ships without damage.

Most sellers appreciate having the packaging protocol information.  I try, try, try, to put forth this information without hurting the feelings of the seller.  In the end I promise to submit a very nice written review, noting how well they packaged the machine to its safe voyage.

• Put machine and its wood base inside a large plastic bag and securely wrap with packing tape.
• Install hood onto the machine, then wrap the entire unit in bubble wrap and secure with tape.
• Place machine into a sturdy box lined with Styrofoam peanuts or panels (bottom, sides, top of the box), restricting movement of the machine entirely.
• Place first box into a second box and snug with twisted newspaper packing.  Secure box with packing tape.

As you can see--my Defiance machine was packed extremely well by the seller.  Bravo.  I submitted a quality plus review of this seller.  

During the auction bidding process on Ebay, I contact the seller with questions about dimensions, especially about the harp space and I am learning lots of new things about these old hand crank machines.  Definitely I want to know if the machine has its bobbin case or shuttle inside the machine if it is not shown in the seller's auction photos.  

There will always be sellers who don't have a clue regarding my questions, or where to look for dimensions, parts, or bits I want to know more about.   Each time I message back and forth with the seller, I thank them for their patience answering my questions.

Cleaning and oiling takes me several days to complete.

Removing the front end plate is one of the first places I look to clean and oil moving parts.