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.
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?
ReplyDeleteFor 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.
DeleteI 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.
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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