Uwe Posted December 5, 2015 Report Posted December 5, 2015 (edited) You should seriously consider using it as an unrestored historic decorative piece. It would look great as it is in the right setting and your friend would admire your sense of decorating. The problem with gifts often is that the people giving them expect to then see them when they come visit. I personally would not soak it in kerosene (sounds like a very smelly fire hazard,) I'd leave it outside all winter and spray salt water on it occasionally to really get some patina going. Turning it into a shiny AND functional machine may neither be feasible nor in it's best interest. Edited December 5, 2015 by Uwe Quote Uwe (pronounced "OOH-vuh" ) Links: Videos
Members TinkerTailor Posted December 5, 2015 Members Report Posted December 5, 2015 pb blaster is mostly kerosene. old farmer trick to clean parts and unseize bolts. Quote "If nobody shares what they know, we will eventually all know nothing." "There is no adventure in letting fear and common sense be your guide"
Uwe Posted December 5, 2015 Report Posted December 5, 2015 (edited) So when people say "soak it in kerosene" they mean "spray this kind of stuff all over it", and not "fill a big vat/tub with kerosene and submerge your sewing machine in it"? Maybe my imagination just got a little carried away. Edited December 5, 2015 by Uwe Quote Uwe (pronounced "OOH-vuh" ) Links: Videos
Members Darren Brosowski Posted December 5, 2015 Members Report Posted December 5, 2015 It is rough but if you REALLY want to restore it then it can be done. Bobbin winder is easy to find (says he who sells them) but the presser foot tension spring is harder to find - I have made some but they are expensive. The presser foot lift adjuster is easier to make. These types of jobs are never impossible as long as you want to do it and are not so worried about the true cost. Quote
Members gottaknow Posted December 6, 2015 Members Report Posted December 6, 2015 I love restoring old machines, but it's not practical in a factory unless it's very rare and special application. I do have a few waiting for that reason. I've rebuilt some for private parties, including a couple for folks here. I love the process. If that machine were mine, I'd stick it in a tub of kerosene for a few months and see what was left, then decide. Regards, Eric Quote
Members sandyt Posted December 6, 2015 Members Report Posted December 6, 2015 What is the kerosine doing? Besides degreasing. Does it disolve rust? Or stabilize (conserve) the rust?? Quote
Members Colt W Knight Posted December 7, 2015 Members Report Posted December 7, 2015 Im too impatient to drown the thing in kerosine for extended periods of time. I would just blast it with some none damaging media like crushed walnut hulls. Quote
Members TinkerTailor Posted December 7, 2015 Members Report Posted December 7, 2015 What is the kerosine doing? Besides degreasing. Does it disolve rust? Or stabilize (conserve) the rust?? I believe part of the idea is the kerosene will soak into the pores of the cast iron, and both help get out the deep grease as well as protect it. Mostly i think it is that kerosene or diesel are both cheap solvents, so completely dunking a machine that is all gummed up and rusted is the least labour intensive and cheapest way to start a resto and loosen everything up without damaging anything, which can happen with blasting and pressure washing. Quote "If nobody shares what they know, we will eventually all know nothing." "There is no adventure in letting fear and common sense be your guide"
Members gottaknow Posted December 7, 2015 Members Report Posted December 7, 2015 Tinker is correct in his assessment and best use for kerosene. It's a down and dirty first step in a preparing a rusted machine for total disassembly. It's not the cure-all for what ails the machine in this thread. You better bring your big boy pants,several pullers, emery cloth, brass punches, dead-blow hammers, and a bunch of other stuff. Actually a fun process if you're not in a hurry. Regards, Eric Quote
Members TinkerTailor Posted December 7, 2015 Members Report Posted December 7, 2015 Rust is never good, but plenty of old machines are fine. Some look rusty, but really are not at all. They just have a thick layer of dust and old oil that has turned to cement everywhere. This crap can be very abrasive. Moving the machine while it is there can cause huge damage to bearing surfaces. Spray on lubes do not have the contact time that is required to loosen this stuff. The only choice is the dip........If you do work like this frequently, having dip buckets are the way to go. I have an icecream bucket with a spaghetti strainer in it full of degreaser for soaking small parts. If you spray it on its gone, if you dip it, the fluid last much longer. You just leave whatever in the bucket and reuse it until it is real nasty, then take to disposal. Back in the day i used to get poorly painted plastic model cars at garage sales and thrift stores and then soak them in brake fluid for a couple weeks to take off the paint, worked great. Repainted them up nice. Didn't work on glue thumbprints on the windows though.... Quote "If nobody shares what they know, we will eventually all know nothing." "There is no adventure in letting fear and common sense be your guide"
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