Restoring a cast iron base. How far?

July 17, 2023 2:44 AM

I picked up an old Singer treadle seeing machine base at a yard sale last month. My original plan was to take it apart, make it left hand drive, and make a small lathe. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize I'll never do this. So I'm going to make an end table out of it.

I have a nice piece of butcher block (24x24) for the top, but I'm asking about the base.

It's got some surface rust, and the pedal is a little bound up. I figure my three options are:

Just brush it up with a brass brush, maybe the patina will look OK. Lube the moving parts so it works smoothly.

Brush it, then hit it with some POR-15 rust converter. It'll give it a nice black finish.

Strip it down to separate pieces, remove the rust, paint and reassemble. I'm a little nervous about this, because cast iron bolts are a royal pain to remove, and sometimes break.

posted by Marky to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

Best answer: Less is almost always more in these situations, let it wear its age as much as possible and whatever you do won't itself look dated in ten years.

That's a serious answer to your question but an equally serious answer to a question you didn't ask is please consider if the machine deserves this treatment. A 1948 Singer is my everyday (well maybe every month or two) sewing machine, they are wonderful machines and I'm actually on the lookout for a good condition treadle model. If it's complete and in good nick please don't.
posted by deadwax at 3:41 AM on July 17, 2023 [4 favorites]

Best answer: I have a cast iron sewing machine as the base for a bathroom counter & sink. I painted it black and it looks great. The machine was taken by someone who rehabs them, a great, rare find. I have a 2nd base that I plan to use as a small desk; the machine was already one. I'd use the rust treatment. Rust is pernicious and I don't love the look. Disassembly is such a pain that, in my life, it would lie in pieces for a long time.
posted by theora55 at 8:33 AM on July 17, 2023

Best answer: They make special polish for cast iron stuff like this called stove blacking. Use a wire brush to get the rust off and then apply the blacking over top. It will dry down and protect the metal from rusting. I wouldn't bother with restoring the treadle if it's just going to be a table.
posted by ananci at 1:02 PM on July 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. And don't worry, no sewing machines were hurt in this project, I just bought the base.
posted by Marky at 11:49 PM on July 17, 2023