Monday, November 19, 2007

Operation: Machine Rescue

Meet Minnie: A 99K from Kilbowie, Scotland

Minnie joined the fleet from Kennewick, WA, on November 17. She was outside in an open trailer with a sheet of plastic for protection from the weather. It was pouring down rain and she was keeping company with a Free brand treadle in an oak #5 cabinet. If I had the space for both machines and was sure I could restore the Free, I would have taken both machines. The lady who listed them on craigslist did not have room to store them inside. But, my Subaru could only hold one cabinet and I knew this sweet 99K would easily clean up to make a nice hand-crank for sewing blocks for the 2008 TOGA in Seattle.

Below, you can see some of the dust and rust that had accumulated on Minnie. I still need to do a bit more cleaning but Minnie is sewing smoothly and handwheel operates easily. I just need to order a hand-crank and spoked wheel plus a spool pin from Cindy Peters.