Beener

I have always found that brake fluid soaked in overnight causes me way less hassle on the hands and nose but does just as effective of a job.

Looks to be a 31-15 without looking to hard at it but you can run the serial number.

I found a local source for needles today as well, so I will add a youtube video of the machine in action shortly.

Thanks so much for all the help. I found a local guy who stocks needles for both my machines!! a bit pricey, but after shipping and hassle, I would rather give my money to support the small local guy.

Hey Crew. I haven't posted a bunch in the last few years, as I had some babies and my life kind of has been pretty busy. I just finished the cleaning and restoration of a Singer 31K15 with table and motor that I am pretty proud of. I reveal a few tips in the blog post as well, so if you want to read as well as look at the pictures, please do. http://www.sooiwasthinking.com/my-blog/we-should-restore-a-singer-31k15-industrial-sewing-machine Ben

hey everyone, I need some needles, bobbins and bobbin holders for my Singer 29K58 and my Singer 31-15. Is there someone in Canada who carries such things and if so, whom???

Wow, ok thanks. I wasn't really with you at first, but I am now. So, would you carve some foam to be the bas for the form fitting seat, them cover it with masking tape and paste as the base for the pan? Once I have the pan, I would imagine that the seat would be similar to a custom bike seat? Anyway, I think I am on the same page, as I would be worried about the seams of anything that was not supported. The tooled leather cover over a fibreglass pan makes way more sense. Thanks

Actually, I was thinking about it today and it would be very similar to a three legged camp stool. Infact, that really all this seat is in the first place on out of leather instead of rubber.

Ok, so I will probably be publically flogged for posting this here but I need some opinions and I know that this is the area best suited to getting the answers. I have a 1956 NSU Prima scooter that I will FINALLY get to finish restroing this summer. The seats are peculiar and don't really have a pan to speak of. The standard, off the shelf seat is really a rubber sock type contraption that "hangs from the seat frame. There is a fairly large suspention spring under the seat frame so the idea is that the rubber really is just a big sling to hold your back end. How would I make a nice carved leather seat sling for this type of seat frame and could I just make it like all others and lace the top and bottom together as if they were over a pan, but not really? Does anyone really understand what I mean other than me? Here are some pictures to help...

Ouch, that really hurts a 29K58 owner who uses and loves his machine like crazy. I guess to each his own really. I have torn apart, reinforced and re-sewn more figure skate boots with a 29K than I care to imagine and haven't had any problems. YES, I really liked my Claes as well, but it was about a bajillion dollars compared to the 29K and they seem to work just as well as each other dollar for dollar. (BTW, figure skate boots are constructed of multiple layers of leather and lately thermal plastic)

I too would be interested in model numbers. Thanks

Yeah, I was only going to do this once on this machine, so I decided to get a little crazy. Yours looks like it will be a great restoration. The 70 looks like it is in close to the same shape as mine was when I started. Good luck and if you need anything, let me know.

I did pretty much the same thing that you do to polish plastic or jewelry. Start Course, end fine. A course scotch brite pad to get the rust off, a 220 grid sanding spounge, then 00 steel wool, it has an abrasiveness (if thats a word) of 2000 grid I believe. To polish it right up I have a turtle wax polishing compound that is slightly less abrasive then standard rubbing compound. You can still see a scratch or two, but it dones shine like new. The Singer badge plate is usually put on before the end shelac is applied, so you need to get the old scelac off first. Popsicle sticks or a wood scraper work great at scaping it off without scratching or gouging the service. Once it's off, I use brasso on it and it comes up nice. If there is rust on the model plate, it goes threw the same process as the rusty parts and then polished. I then paint on clear nail polish (my wifes, not mine...mine is too valuable) to keep the shine sealed in. Otherwise, you have to polish both plates monthly and who needs all that work. Thanks. Ben

Hey everyone, I just finished the restoration on the 29K58 base and head and actually had a chace to marry them up and take pictures last night. Haven't sewn with it yet, but I am sure it won't be a problem at all. Enjoy...

That's excellent work. Here is my question though. My grand parents had a few of these stools when I was growing up and I haven't been able to find a pattern for the actual leg set-up. Is that something I can find on the net somewhere??

No, sorry the head actually just needs the bare metal parts on the head polished back to bare metal and a coat of wax and it is good to go. I am going to leave the finish alone on the head because the decals are not bad and I don;t want to take away from it's value by doing something that will effect the way it looks now. It has a little history that needs to be save regardless of the paint chips and scratches. The wax will make it look fantastic without a whole bunch of work anyway.

I am ok in that respect. I have those all printed and bound already. I sent you an email with all the info.

Well this particular machine cost me $200.00USD and I had to drive 2 hours to go pick it p. Freight would have been ridiculous, so i went to get it myself. $200.00 isn't a bad price for this machine but because it's old and it's Singer everyone on the net wants to charge a bazillion dollars for them. I have seen them on craigslist and kijiji for around the same money and sometimes in the $500.00 dollar range. As for restoration, brake fluid was used to strip and it worked awesome, if you want more info, send me a PM. For paint, I knew I was going to use this machine almost daily, so I figured that I would just use basic canned Rust paint. If I was going to actually restore this for lookie lookie, I might have opted for automotive canned paint or even had them powder coated but I would drop something on it and chip it and then be super upset that I wrecked a few hundred dollars worth of paint. This way I can just touch it up every once in a while and have it be done. I have pictures of another 29K that one of the members of the restoration group that I belong to did if you need anymore inspiration but I can't post them because they aren't mine. Let me know if you want to have a look...

It's funny, when I sent out the message on the other email group I belong to asking for anyone with a 29K to let me know because I was interested, I didn't really expect much, but I did get a lot of responses. More than I though I would anyway. I only persued this lead and got the machine and base for a decent price. I am sure there are more out there, as it is a strictly Treadle machine oriented group, not a leatherworking group. Could probably track down another base and maybe machine if you want.

Sorry everyone, thought I would just toss in a little brag topic. I have just finished restoring the base on my newly acquired Singer 29K58. The irons were very rusty and covered in several coats of touch-up paint, so they were stripped completely and repainted. Got the whole thing completed on the week-end and actually mounted my machine and treadled for a bit. I have no needles or thread yet, but that's on the way, so I will be sewing in no time. I have work to do on the machine head yet, so no pictures of that until I'm done. Please enjoy...

It's not Ontario, but Manitoba and they ship anywhere in Canada. Warkov Safeer in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Of course, as would be the rule, I just ordered some to replace this one and Badger's brilliant idea paid off, so now I will have spares for when my magnetic swiffer tool doesn't net any results. Ben

Thanks very much for all the info.