Hello all,
Well, I have finished refurbishing the machine. I ran it properly for the first time yesterday after a thorough oiling and greasing. I was really surprised how well the machine cleaned up. Roger is absolutely right - if they are old and metal they can probably be recovered.
The enamel paint is a bit shoddy - I don't think that the factory took as much care in the finish of industrial machines because there are runs and imperfections in the paint that are clearly original!. I have used T-Cut to clean and shine the enamel and it actually looks worn but clean and tidy. The face plate had lost a lot of paint so I cleaned the rust back to shiny metal and gave it a coat of clear satin lacquer spay to preserve the look of it but to stop it rusting again. Other than that, the shiny bits cleaned up really well. The tensioner discs had a coating of surface rust but, after reading a few posts here about cleaning metal parts (thank you) I used Autosol and fine wire wool and the chrome turned bright and shiny again. Some other metal parts were left in natural finish and were rusty. Again, wire wool and Autosol and then a soft cloth and a thin coat of oil and they look almost as good as new. All the squeaks have disappeared after oiling, the bottom bevel gears have now been greased and it hums along when i press the treadle. I was not surprised to find that Grandad kept the machine very well maintained. Everything had clearly been well oiled in the past and things like bearings all seem to be fine, which is surprising for an 83 year old machine that is, according to the manual, capable of 3,500 stitches per minute. The pre-war electric motor (now earthed and re-wired) seems to run really well - its actually very quiet but the clutch and belt make a bit of a racket - I think I can sort the belt joint clicking as it passes over the balance wheel and will tickle the clutch a bit.
My Mum, who remembers Grandad sitting at the machine most evenings making things for people, is really pleased to see and hear it running again. I will figure out how to post pictures in the next day or so and post a few. Thank you all for your advice and encouragement. It was a spur of the moment agreement to take Grandad's machine 20 years ago but one that was meant to be I guess (like Rubywishes recent 201 coming to live with her!)
I spent a happy half an hour cleaning pins and presser feet and a funny chrome accessory that the lower bobbin could fit into, all of which I found in the metal drawer that hinges out from under the table - all Grandad's old things, along with his chalks and machine needles. They are all now back in the drawer where he left them.
My next job is to work out how to actually use it!!! - I am determined now to use the machine as often as I can.
regards to all, Stew