Wednesday, January 9, 2013

It's a sewing Machine

I stopped in the auto parts store last night after work.  I needed some windshield washer fluid for the Chariot.  While there I remembered the poor feed dog lifter roller that has been sorely neglected as I recovered from some sort of nasty Rhinovirus.  (I concluded that it was not FLU, but I was pretty wiped out.  Unlike Peter, I will not post photos of me from my sick bed.  He is much better looking, even when down with the flu. http://malepatternboldness.blogspot.com/2013/01/sewing-machine-discipline-youre-taupe.html. )

"May I help you Ma'am?"

"Oh Yes, " as I stepped up to the counter thinking, ok I could be his mother he can call me Ma'am.  "I need some Automatic Transmission Fluid."

""For What Vehicle?" and I did detect a very bored smirk.

"A sewing machine."

"What?" (There ya little smarty pants, I showed you.)

"Yes, and get me some acetone to go with it.  I am making a home made penetrant to use on all those 70 year old nuts and bolts and screws.  Reportedly this is the best.  Better that LW and Kroil.  You mix it 50/50."

"What do you do?"

"I restore old sewing machines."

"Wow, we've never heard of that.  We are going to try it out right now."

And I paid for my purchases and left.  Happy that I could teach those young whipper snappers something.  



3 comments:

  1. I've finally started restoring many of the machines I accumulated over the last year and have all these bottles/tubes of oil, alcohol, grease and all sorts of smelly stuff. What are your favorites for all the cleaning, unsticking and shining... procedures? Have you tried the acetone/ATF mix yet?

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    1. For cleaning I really like Tuff Stuff upholstery cleaner. It foams up the dirt and wipes away nicely. Then I shine it up with Mother's Carnauba Wax. I also use Dr. Woods Almond oil soap.

      I am not so sure about this mix. It doesn't look as if the two make a true solution. It's rather colloidal. I guess maybe ATF for Chryslers isn't the right kind. Steve told me he has some ATF and I will try that this weekend. Work the rest of the week.

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  2. I took a a machine in to an autoparts store to get a paint match. I love how amazed they were.

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