Wednesday January 5, 2005
I love old things. Which is good, because one day I will qualify as old myself - not quite yet, thank you very much. Old houses. Old friends. Old forests.
I own an old sewing machine. It was a momentous acquisition 25 years ago. I spent more than I could have conscienced otherwise because it was also a way to remember my grandmother. It was her bequest to me that financed the purchase. In all those years it has been in for maintenance or repair only once.
Yesterday my reliable machine stopped stitching. Not just not stitching properly; not stitching at all. I have been finishing up a Christmas gift for my son and daughter-in-law and, with only a teeny bit left, Murphy has struck. Or rather a critical plastic gear has broken down.
I had thought the poor thing needed some dusting out and oiling. It was in the process of doing this today that I discovered the part that is preventing the successful completion of a stitch. While I am happy to have figured it out and happy, too, that the part is fairly smallish, I am not so about the fact that getting parts for this particular Old Thing will probably take some time.
I wonder if I can rent one for a day? Hmmm...
If you're up for a little legwork, you might be able to take that part to a metal shop and have a new one milled. It's often easier and cheaper than finding replacements.
Posted by: Mike Hoye at January 5, 2005 03:41 PMThe project in question will be satisfactorily completed regardless, so there is no emergency.
Since it's a plastic (more specifically: nylon) gear I won't mind waiting for the right part from the manufacturer, actually. My current unemployed status means the waiting won't start until I am able to flip that bit.
Thanks for the suggestion though!
Posted by: janice at January 6, 2005 10:32 AM