New Life For An Old American

Sometime before I bought my house in 1994 I picked up a rusty old cast iron sewing machine base from an antiques dealer.  I wanted to turn it into a table with the top made from an old sewing table top I had found covering a hole in the basement of my last rented house.

There is a yard marked out on one edge of the table.

First I needed to glue them back together.

So glad I collect furniture clamps!

Then I sanded and spray painted the frame.  It had been sanded and painted over 26 years ago, but has sat in my damp basement all that time and needed an update.

After assembly.

I sanded and sealed the top and tested it for size.

I had to add support to the bottom of the table top as it had a tendency to bow, and I needed something to screw the base to as the table is only 1/2 inch thick.  Cut and mitered the ends of some 3/4 stock and glued and screwed it to the bottom of the table.

Clearly, I need more clamps!  But the extra weight did the trick and solved the bowing problem.

Finished after 27 years!

Here is a picture from an auction of an original American with its machine intact.

I'm finally getting to all those projects I've accumulated over the years.  Stay tuned for more!