Hello all. I have been trying to get on this forum for weeks. Apparently I could not activate my membership for some reason. Now on and am truly interested in this topic. I started fretwork in the 40s, when I was 12 yrs old. I am now in my eighties. I had the Hobbies Weekly on order for delivery through my local newsagent, in the late forties, fifties and early sixties.. I could not afford a Hobbies fretwork machine in the mid fifties and made one from an old Singer sewing machine that I had given me. I arranged a spring attachment below the table to pull the blade down to complete the stroke. It worked really well. Of course it was only a very short stroke, so it would take only very thin wood. I could not afford wood, so I used to go to a local warehouse, (in Lancashire), where they blended tea, and get tea chests. They practically gave them away, being glad to get rid of them. I finally got a second hand Hobbies Little Gem, in the late fifties, which I still have and am using again in the hope that it will strengthen my wobbly old legs! lol. I have overhauled the machine many times over the years and have even made parts myself. I have bought new pressed steel arms, blade clamps and belts. The last belt I bought was for a Singer sewing machine ans was much thicker than the usual fret machine belt. I made my own wooden drive arms from good hardwood. To answer one question: there should be a saddle both top and bottom on the upright at the back of the saw throat. Without them the upright will gradually cut into the pressed steel arms. I made my own from suitably gauge stell. I opened up the existing saddle and flattened it. I then scribed around it on the replacement steel. then bent it into the shape of the existing saddles. They have lasted for years. recently I needeed to replace the leather drive belt. I went on to the net to find a supplier and spotted a video on youtube, "How to mkake a drive belt for a treadle sewing machine. I recommend anyone who has a treadle fretwork machine to find and watch this video - it is brilliant. I have done as the video instructs and have good drive belt for coppers. I hope that this post will be of use to some of you ande that you are not too bored with my reminiscing. Warmest regards to you all, John.
