Selfsufficientish.com

I was thinking about something lots of green people or environmentally interested people get into organic gardening, but you don’t get so many people interested in manufacturing things.

Even by government estimates it wont be that long before oil and gas run out and we are going to be in a much less energy rich world .

Now even if you believe that the future is going to be robots and hydrogen powered backpacks its possible that I’m right that the future may be bicycles local production of goods and food .

I was looking on eBay and they cant give away things like treadle sewing machines , now apart from the fact that these old machines are much more strongly constructed having all steel internal parts and are indestructible , they don’t need any electric therefore are cheaper to use don’t add to co2 emissions.

You can use them to sew leather and thicker materials than most modern electric machines , and unlike bikes they don’t make them anymore .

Anyway try if you have the space to save treadle sewing machines or hand operated machines although treadles work better , Im going to try saving them myself locally in somerset , at the moment people are scraping the machine even if working and using the cast iron bases as pub tables

Save just one and the future will bless you I feel , also you could consider setting up workshops making things using tools like the old treadle, workshop or small factorys that don’t cause global warming and resource depletion.

women who has a treadle powered business
http://www.antiquequiltdating.com/n...sewmachine.html

http://search.ebay.co.uk/treadle_W0QQfromZR40 no bids on any of them how many will end down the tip

you can have lots of other treadle powered tools jigsaws lathes grinders circular saws , you can get things like hand powered hammer drills I have one or hand turned bench drills

I am a hand powered lady! I inherited a machine from a relative and have never looked back - the only thing is I need a modern machine for is zig zag.

I have made everything from my daughters nappies and clothes to the baby slings that I sell as my main source of income on it, I have never owned anything that sews better!

Maybe when DD is older i can set up a heath robinson type hamster wheel to get her to power it!

NOW I relised what having kids was all about LOL!

Lorna x

I've got a hand operated one too... would LOVE a treadle machine but at the moment we haven't got the room..... maybe one day (just don't tell David!)

I had a smashing treadle machine I inherited from my mother but I had to leave it behind when I ran away from home, (another story!).
I now have an electric machine but it`s not the same at all

I hope to inherit one from Mrs Wombat's mum!

After looking at this thread I went onto Ebay Aus and found quite a few for sale, all over the $100 mark and some $2-300. Over here "old" = antique = $$$$$$$. There was one described as a "renovators dream" but that was $60.

clearly there is a different market here to there!

Nev

jonny2mad wrote:
I was looking on eBay and they cant give away things like treadle sewing machines ,

Not quite true. I think it depends where you live. I searched for a decent treadle machine for about two years, the trouble is you have to collect them 'cause they're rather heavy. After several bidding wars for local machines, I managed to find one in a charity shop - it was the second one they'd sold that week! They are regaining popularity and are even harder to get if you live where there is a big Asian community as they make a lot of their own clothes.

That said, a friend managed to get one after overhearing a conversation in a charity shop where a woman was offering one and the assistant said "they don't sell" . My friend approached the woman getting rid of one and said she'd be interested and would pay and then the money could be passed to the charity.

Another link about treadle machines, including an e-mail group

http://www.treadleon.net/

Wassail

Karen

I've got a vesta hand one. its beautiful to look at, and it sews beautifully for about 10 minutes after a service, then it siezes up again

I noticed that on american ebay treadles were being offered for sale for decent prices , I still think that they are a good deal as they are very well made and dont cost anything to run and dont add to global warming .

what people could do is advertise for them in local papers
I sort of collect world war two flying clothing and I found I got a good response a few years ago asking for flying clothing, I also advertised for wartime kitchen and gardening books and again got a good response .

our local free adds paper allowed you to have free adds for things you wanted so really I couldnt really lose .

I was wondering how much a treadle would cost to transport across the uk by courier

looking on uk ebay most seem to have sold for about £10 with a lovely one for £41
http://tinyurl.com/ym7lcl

TinyURL is your friend.

Bugger. The Proper Pic Police are back...

I have forgotten again how the heck to transform the word into the link.. Tis very nnoying. I know I had to remove one url, but buggered if I can get it to happen again.

Can't find the thread either. Can we sticky it somewhere?

Thank you muddypause never knew such a fine site existed will book mark it.

I went out today and bought a really nice singer sewing machine for £5 at a bootsale its 1911 and although not a treadle is one that was designed so it could be fitted on a treadle base ....and I have a singer treadle base that should work after I weld one of the sides .

singer treadle machines are still manufactured in india. all the local tailors here use them, in fact all my curtains, bedding and cushion covers were made by our local tailor using one, he has taken on two apprentices because of all the work i am passing his way, i have therefore just bought 2 new machines which cost £150 each new. if the cost of importing them wasn't so high i would have bought them on ebay!

Ive bought another three sewing machines including one singer treadle on ebay for £10.50 and a 1900 (£10) and 1917 (£6) singer from carboots all working fine .
I bought the two non treadles because they were left out in the rain and I felt sorry for them

Glad to know they are still making treadles in india

I also joined http://www.needlebar.com/bb2/index.php
very good site with advice on old sewing machines

My singer is electric powered, however it does have the option of fitting a handle and was built in the days when they were solid do anything machines, so much so that when I bought it I nearly gave myself a hernia carrying it home (10min walk took 45 min). I'm really glad I have it though as it has come in use several times. I'm currently too plague-ridden to get to work so out came the sewing machine and now my OH has the new bag I've been promising for ages.

pskipper wrote: I'm currently too plague-ridden to get to work so out came the sewing machine and now my OH has the new bag I've been promising for ages.

Lucky OH - do you have a pic of the bag??