Replacing the drawers/frames on the Singer treadle

This is somewhat of a random post...but if what I have to say helps anyone else with their treadle table, then it was worth it!

We talked about the machine last week. I've done even more work since, and she shines like the sun now. What a beautiful workhorse.

Then I told you about the wood cabinet, and all the work I did to it.

I still need to talk to you about the cast iron base, but since I just did this part, and it's fresh on my mind, I thought I'd share.

When I got the table, it was missing the drawers.  It had the drawer frames, but no drawers.

On eBay, there's a plethora of old treadle table parts.  There's drawers aplenty, and the asking price isn't always that affordable.  I was in a hurry, so I did the best I could on price, to order what I needed.  I looked at all the cabinets on ISMACS at all the cabinets that Singer made for this model, and found the cabinet I have and tracked down how the original drawers would look.  I needed two sets of double drawers.  The originals had wooden knobs, but knobs are fairly replaceable, if you aren't too picky.  Anyway, ISMACS is a great source of information on antique and vintage sewing machines.

I ordered a set of drawers, double left and double right.  There are sides to the drawer frames.  The outside of the frame looks like this -

The difference is the vertical pieces meant to be on the inside of the frames have a flat edge, but the outside has the extra grooves on it.

However, apparently the drawers were a different size from my original ones, and didn't fit.  Bummer!  I've been impatiently waiting on these drawers for days!

But - and I'm glad to say there's a "but" - I ordered a set with frames and hardware as well.

So I decided to give it a shot uninstalling the old drawer frames, and reinstalling the new ones.  There's 4 screws that hold each drawer frame to the treadle table top.  Mine were flathead ones. You'll find them up here.

Sidenote: this picture clearly shows the original lock mechanism, which was opened with a flat key.  Or a screwdriver, depending on who you ask. :)

 I used a long screwdriver to unscrew those and unhook the side metal pieces from the treadle frame.

They screw into the 4 holes on the top of the drawer frames.

PS - this is a pic of the two types of drawers next to each other. The new drawers were taller and had a different lock - a square versus the slot in the original table.

I took the drawers out of the new frame, and lined up the screw holes, and tried putting in screws.  THE SCREW HOLES ACTUALLY LINED UP, IN THE SAME PLACES! So I just reversed the process, and screwed in the new frames, added the drawers, and put on new knobs.  I have the metal hardware sets to attach the drawers to the treadle frame, but they needing some cleaning first.  Those just screw into the bottom of the drawer frame, so you don't have to remove anything else. They're the little cast iron or metal hook pieces, 2 hooks per side, 2 screws per hook.

All done!

Isn't that awesome!?

So if you need to replace some drawers, you may have more wiggle room than you thought.  You could even venture into trying a THREE drawer system...be daring!  I don't guarantee anything will fit and work for you...but it COULD.  Here's the finished product:

You can actually see the little metal hooks that stabilize the drawers, level with bottom of each side of drawers.  They really do make the drawers more stable.

I love the glass knobs!  I found them at World Market, by the way. They have them online too.

Having completed the table makes it feel less like I have a sewing skeleton in my house.

Next up:  How I ungrimed the cast iron treadle parts, where to oil the treadle pieces (hint: anywhere that moves)and the piddly little things I had to do to make mine work just right.

Proof that it works, you ask?  Why, here's the quilt I started sewing right before I got married. 9 years ago.  Unfinished objects anyone?

I just have to trim up the edges and bind it now.  What do you think, 2 years?

Have a great one!

Jess