My restored Champion

[JTknives]

well after a ton of work and even more elbow grease my old champion stitcher is clean. man she look like a million bucks and to thing i onley payed $200. she has lost some paint but thats OK. I'm probably not going to repaint her because i think she looks great now that she is clean. man talk about a ton of parts, i had not worked on it for a week or so and then i was like man where did all these parts come from. but with out further adu i give you some before and after shots of my new old Champion Leather sewing machine.

here is the before shots, this is what it looked like when i picked it up. the whole thing was covered with grease and wax that had dirt and crap mixed with it as well as some mud hornet nests. so it was a pain it the butt to clean. it was completely froze up when i got it and would not turn over at all.

now here it is after tons of hours of taking things apart and cleaning them. looks good i think.

[Luke Hatley]

Great looking Machine.....Now let us see some stiches..

[JTknives]

Great looking Machine.....Now let us see some stiches..

I first need to get some good thread but i dont know what i should run through for knife sheaths. I was thinking like a number 5 size linen thread. i would like to use a liquid wax though.

[dirtclod]

You did a fine job cleaning it up !! Now the $64.00 question would you do it again ? :-)

As for thread sizes i would use a 6 cord linen thread instead of 5 Cord it is a pretty durn big thread. I had a American straight needle machine several years ago. It's similar to yours and i used 6 cord on it for everthing i made. You need to get some wax strippers to go in the pot if you don't have some already, or i guess it uses them anyway. Their a rubber plug that goes in the pot to strip some of the wax off of the thread so you don't have mess on what your sewing.

[steveh]

very nice job on cleaning up your machine and bringing it back to life.

[particle]

Wow! That thing looks like it'd sew through a Buick!! Nice job!

[ryano]

Looks really great! Super job! I did notice one piece that needs brazed or something. The thread looper is almost wore through.That's a nice looking foot too. Did you make it?

Edited November 5, 2009 by ryano

[ryano]

Oh can you please share in your processes of cleaning it up? I am going to be doing the same thing to a Champion wide throat really soon.

Thanks!

[JTknives]

Looks really great! Super job! I did notice one piece that needs brazed or something. The thread looper is almost wore through.That's a nice looking foot too. Did you make it?

have noticed that i am going to need braze that as well as the other swimg arm by it. yes i did make the pressure foot, i wanted somthing a little wider and with and open front so i could see where the needle was going.

[Techsew Ron]

wow, heck of a job!

cheers,

Ron

[ryano]

Did you get it sewing yet? I did notice that your bottom thread is not correct and also the placement of the bobbin case, which should place itself when the machine turns over. That's if it doesnt bind the machine.

Edited November 12, 2009 by ryano

[ryano]

Did you get it sewing yet? I did notice that your bottom thread is not correct and also the placement of the bobbin case, which should place itself when the machine turns over. That's if it doesnt bind the machine.

I stand corrected on the placement of the bobbin case. It is clocked correctly in the last picture of it.