# Hobbies 1920 A.1 Saw - Advice and information



## Mort (16 May 2021)

My original post was removed this morning as it suggested I was selling something, and though that is my ultimate aim, I cannot sell something unless I know what it is I am selling and what it's value is! 
Sorry if I was not clear enough with my original post, so to simplify,
What is this?








- Is it from 1920 or is that the model?
- Are there any manuals available so that I can see what is missing?
- Where best to sell?

I am not interested in this type of thing, I inherited it and just want it to go to a good home.

Being asked by an admin to list in the "for Sale" section is fine, if only I had the correct privileges to post in those channels! 

Thank you for any information I can get. And please can the admins not remove my post until I have actually got the information I need.


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## AES (16 May 2021)

1st thing I would suggest you do is contact member here scrimper. But I see that you're new here, so I'll send him a private message (they're called "Conversations" of this site) to alert him to your post. Scrimper is VERY knowledgeable, especially on Hobbies machines.

I can see from your pix that you have a Hobbies treadle "fret"/"scroll" saw, and the DO have some value, but how much I have no real idea.

I'll be sending scrimper a note right after this and no doubt he'll contact you via your post (above).


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## Mort (16 May 2021)

@AES thank you for reply and your help. I will look forward to hearing Scrimper’s know how.


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## AES (16 May 2021)

My pleasure mate. I've sent the message to scrimper but of course I don't know when he'll next visit UKW. But at a guess I'd say you're likely to be in contact with him within the next 24/48 hours.

Cheers


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## scrimper (16 May 2021)

Thanks to AES for making me aware of this post.

Mort, as you are probably aware it is a Hobbies A1 treadle fret machine. The A1 was introduced in 1899 and was in production until around 1967.

Your machine is a later model I am sure because it is blue, most of the early ones were Black.

It is difficult to put a value on it as it depends what people are prepared to pay. These machines are not practically rare they are frequently offered for sale on ebay and go for little money.

Sadly yours is in poor condition and I feel you won’t get much for it, they sell on ebay for as little as £2.00 of as much as £70 (rare and only if in decent condition) the average sort of price they go for is between About £5 and £20. Many offered don't get any bids.

It is a shame but sadly there are not many people who want these old machines nowadays.

I have done a Youtube video on the Hobbies A1 if you want to find a little more of the machine.



Sorry I cannot be the bearer of more positive news for you.


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## AES (16 May 2021)

Thanks to scrimper for the answer above (you have more info than I do John).

@Mort: Pity in a way - I mean that as a machine like that (but black) was the first machine I ever used so I've always wanted one. That was still in junior school, so I was about 10 years old, so it must have been about 1955!

But as I live in Switzerland II guess the cost of shipping it would be more than whatever you could get for it elsewhere mate.

Never mind - I haven't really got the space for it anyway.


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## Droogs (16 May 2021)

I did post my regrets this morning about it being a bit far for me to take as it would be ideal for some semi precious stone scrollwork I need to do for my latest project. From the earlier thread i gathered the OP was keen to mve it on fairly quickly and it would be a while before I would get a chance to collect it.


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## AES (17 May 2021)

Droogs said:


> I did post my regrets this morning about it being a bit far for me to take as it would be ideal for some semi precious stone scrollwork I need to do for my latest project. From the earlier thread i gathered the OP was keen to mve it on fairly quickly and it would be a while before I would get a chance to collect it.




Ah, OK Droogs. I didn't see Mort's "original-original" post, just that he referred to it being removed. If it's too far for you ("just up the road in Bonny Scotland") then it's definitely too far for me! I do fancy an old Hobbies treadle machine one day though.

Just FYI, when you say "semi-precious stone scroll work" do you mean some sort of jewelery?

Though it irritates me a bit, I have been watching that jewelery making thing on the box (and "The Repair Shop") and I'm always surprised to see them using jeweler's (hand) saws and wonder why they don't use a scroll saw (with metal blade). 

How's the kitchen coming on mate?

Cheers


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## Mort (17 May 2021)

Thank you all for your replies and advice. 
@scrimper no need to be sorry you have been the Bearer of very informative news. At least now I have a better idea of what I have. Looking at those pictures you posted and your excellent YouTube channel (You are close to converting me to woodworking!) mine is missing quite a few parts so understandably this would not be worth much or appeal to someone who does not want the restore challenge.
A brief history on how I got this (for those who missed my original post), my Grandad bought it from a Market stall in Saffron Walden in the late 1980's. He was a engineer by trade, he did his apprenticeship at Ford Motor Company in Dagenham and worked there during WW2. He was a tinkerer and model maker in his retirement. He made a few dolls houses, wooded castles and even a replica of the Cutty Sark from wood (need to find a photo). He passed away in 1992 and when my Nan downsized her house my grandads shed was cleared out and I was given the Hobbies saw.
I neither have the time, skills or interest in restoring this. I am a IT Engineer, and spend enough time fixing computers to try and find time to restore a Treadle Fret machine.

@AES I visited Switzerland many years ago, and though I would love to go back I don't think I could pack this in my hand luggage! 

Again thank you all for your advice, I will decide what best to do with this. I hate to throw things away, but I also hate having things getting in the way that I have no need for.


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## scrimper (17 May 2021)

Mort said:


> Again thank you all for your advice, I will decide what best to do with this. I hate to throw things away, but I also hate having things getting in the way that I have no need for.


Please don't throw it away, I hate the fact that over the years many old historic machines have been scrapped. Somewhere there is someone who would be glad of having this machine even in the state it is in, even if they wanted it as spares. Looking at your pictures it appears that most of the machine is there and it could be brought back to life. 
Do you not know of someone who you could simply give it to them rather than scrap it? It would be a great shame for it to be destroyed.


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## Droogs (17 May 2021)

Hi @AES,
no I have some Lapis Lazuli, various marbles and some quartz and Amolite that is to be inlaid as elements of the Perrigrine Heathcote picture for the tambour Junkers wing desk that is my current project. The desk will be the shape of the JG38's wings as that is the plane in the picture, the plinths for the desk will be J87 wheel cowling insipired and hopefully most of the surfaces will be a corrugated (Ju skin) and venneered

An A1 style saw will give me much better control when working the stones and also keep the slurry mess away from my EX21

re kithen - the floor goes in in a fornight and I am currently hard at it making the lower cabinet carcasses.

Sorry to high-jack the thread @Mort

If you could find out how much it weighs, i may be able to arrange a courier to collect if you are willing and we could arrrange payment or charity donation or something


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## AES (17 May 2021)

@Mort: As scrimper says, it would be a great shame to throw it away. And as I've said, though it makes no kind of economic/logistics sense at all, I'd take it off your hands like a shot.

Like scrimper says, can't you find someone to give it to? I appreciate your concerns about having "stuff littering up the place" (you should hear my wife on that subject!) But if you look at some of the other posts on here generally, you'll find quite a few people who do a lot of rebuilding of all different types of machine. First because it's a pity to throw (potentially) good machines away, and 2nd, for often quite a small outlay in money (but OK, quite a lot of time too) you often end up with a machine that's LOTS better than most of the stuff that can be bought today. PLUS the satisfaction of rescuing something yourself.

Just my "twopeneth"!


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## AES (17 May 2021)

Droogs said:


> Hi @AES,
> no I have some Lapis Lazuli, various marbles and some quartz and Amolite that is to be inlaid as elements of the Perrigrine Heathcote picture for the tambour Junkers wing desk that is my current project. The desk will be the shape of the J38's wings as that is the plane in the picture, the plinths for the desk will be J87 wheel cowling insipired and hopefully most of the surfaces will be a corrugated (Ju skin) and venneered
> 
> An A1 style saw will give me much better control when working the stones and also keep the slurry mess away from my EX21
> ...




Again as Droogs has said, sorry to hijack your thread Mort.

@Droogs. Glad the kitchen's coming on OK. That Junkers "picture" is going to be great by the sound of things. Again just as a matter of interest, I bought my wife something in lapis lazuli for her last birthday (she loves it). How hard is it/what blade would you use to cut it? (No, I'm NOT thinking of attacking her last birthday present)!


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## Mort (17 May 2021)

Don't worry all, I will not just throw this away or scrap it. Is there a donate page?


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## Droogs (17 May 2021)

There is a for sale/wanted section in the main forum list. This is where free items go as well just state FTAGH in the description title. I do hope someone near you is able to come and get it


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## Droogs (17 May 2021)

@AES it's not a blade but a diamond coated wire. This is where the ability to take non pinned blades is a must. In the old days it was a bronze wire and fine sand along with a lot of elbow grease. The diamonds make it much easier esp as the pieces are sliced to only 1.5mm thick






20m 0.25mm/0.42mm Coping Saw Blade Cutting Wire for Diamond Emery Jade Stone Glass : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools


Shop 20m 0.25mm/0.42mm Coping Saw Blade Cutting Wire for Diamond Emery Jade Stone Glass. Free delivery on eligible orders of £20 or more.



www.amazon.co.uk


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## powertools (17 May 2021)

You can download the instructions and parts list from this site:-









Museum: Books; How To Assemble HOBBIES A1 FRETMACHINE


How To Assemble HOBBIES A1 FRETMACHINE Courtesy of Paul Womack comes every Fret workers and Scrollers desire: the assembly instructions and parts list for the famous Hobbies A1 Fretmachine. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean we call these Treadle Scroll Saws. Same difference. Download...



www.toolemerapress.com


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## AES (17 May 2021)

Droogs said:


> @AES it's not a blade but a diamond coated wire. This is where the ability to take non pinned blades is a must. In the old days it was a bronze wire and fine sand along with a lot of elbow grease. The diamonds make it much easier esp as the pieces are sliced to only 1.5mm thick
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ahh, OK. Thanks for that Droogs, it looks like another slippy slope that I could get interested in and slide down! (NO! Still trying to finish - and write up - the MG pedal car).


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## Mort (17 May 2021)

I have insufficient privileges to post in the for sale forum. Need to have made 25+ posts in forums, and 3+ in the Wanted section. 
Looks like it's good old eBay then.


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## scrimper (17 May 2021)

Mort said:


> Don't worry all, I will not just throw this away or scrap it. Is there a donate page?


Have you not got a little corner you could hide it away in, one day you may regret getting rid of it. There is an old saying that *"if you throw something away you will need it next week"* that saying is 100% true, it's happened to me many times. In a recent video I made (Copying stand) from old enlarger parts which was on the 'pile' to be scrapped I was very grateful that it was still available, some weeks earlier I had decided that it was junk and not needed.

*Another saying is that there is no such thing as junk, it is just stuff in the hands of the wrong people!*


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