Antique Sewing Machine Restoration - Silver Backed Decals

[@DonnaMSchmid]

Geez, it's amazing what you can do nowadays -- with the right knowledge and the right technology! Thanks for making videos like this, Wayne... Your knowledge will be available for use even long after you (and I) are gone!!!

[@philmickey7247]

Patience and skill! Thanks!👍

[@wayneschmidt490]

Thank you! That's one of the great things about KZbin. It stores knowledge for the long term.

[@wayneschmidt490]

@@philmickey7247 You're welcome! And thanks for the comment!

[@mjremy2605]

My god, what amazing restoration work. Astounding! Technology is so wonderful. But even with machines to aid us, art restoration is an art unto itself and there is so much of you invested in the piece. I do furniture restoration as a hobby. I am grateful that quality still exists in craftsmanship like yours. Very labor intensive but very perfect.

[@wayneschmidt490]

Thank you!

[@moschettiflavio3635]

I'm tedious as heck about being precise while restoring something, but Jesus man! This pushes the bonduaries of tediousness

[@wayneschmidt490]

You got that right! Someone needs to come up with a stronger word like turbo-tedious to describe doing this. After restoring several dozen machines, many of which took a lot more work than this one, I'm beginning to think I'm seriously in need of therapy. 🙂 Thanks for the comment!

[@crazygeorgelincoln]

Great stuff. This info also really helpful for typewriter restoration also.

[@wayneschmidt490]

Glad to help, and thanks for the comment!

[@mnelson9057]

Amazing, thank you. Your videos are the most interesting!

[@wayneschmidt490]

Thank you for commenting! Although this video is almost a year old, I'm just now starting its restoration. I got sidetracked with several other machines that needed work more. I hope to have this one done in the next month. Wish me luck! I'll need it. These decals are taking a lot of time to recreate.

[@mjremy2605]

Wayne, please recommend the sealers you use for: 1. Backing before transfer. 2. Top coat after decal is placed on the sewing machine. I would greatly appreciate knowing that. I am assuming the final sealer on the sewing machine can be oil based polyurethane as it is very durable but... maybe this will eat up the plastic decal and I have to use lacquer? I prefer to only use a poly based sealant as it resists scratches and degradation over time. The laborious parts of this are: Cutting out the decal twice. I wonder if there is a computerized way one could cut these intricate designs by machine similar to a CNC router machine? Filling in the color degradation from old photos. It should also be possible in Adobe to color fill all colors in a pattern automatically? We definitely also need to use a finer hand tool than a mouse. There should be some artist pen-like tools for fine hand control of computer artwork. The fact it is outlined with black is good. That means the computer can be directed to color fill even with shading gradients of color, each section that has the same color in the pattern. That would really be something! I am slowly investigating this. We have to find a way to recreate these old designs in a time-saving way, with no compromise on the gold effect or intricacy of design. I wonder how Singer did it in the old days? How did they create these in a mass produced way? Anyone know?

[@wayneschmidt490]

The clear coat I use is Duplicolor acrylic enamel clearcoat. The following video about testing a wide range of clear coats explains why: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2aXaKCFqbKiq9k Even with Duplicator, I use the very-light-sprays-first technique to further reduce the chance of blistering. The original designs were not decals. They were lithographed transfers. In this process the design is printed on release paper. allowed to dry, then released with water tand then applied onto the machine. This way only the paint is transferred to the machine. The artwork isn't sandwiched between layers of clear.. This greatly reduces their thickness eliminating the edge ridges that can make decals obvious. CNC machines could be used to hasten the cutting, but those cost so much few people could afford them. Thank you for writing and good luck with your efforts!

[@adumont]

Amazing! 😮😮😮

[@automotivedyi1984]

Beautiful

[@wayneschmidt490]

Thank you! By the way, is the image icon for you channel a 1956 Bel Air?

[@angelcastro3129]

Hello Wayne, First thank you for this video, I have seen another in which gold leaf was used to back the transfer paper on all the areas that were gold on a Singer Sewing machine. I am curious if you had tried using silver leaf instead of spray paint and if so what was the result?

[@metro3520]

Hello. Very good work. I want to make you a query. I am restoring New Home machines, but I can't get the decals. I've been trying to draw them but it's quite difficult. Do you have the New Home decals? Thank you so much.

[@wayneschmidt490]

Unfortunately, I don't have any decals for a New Home machine. To the best of my knowledge, there aren't any available on-line. Your only hope is to make your own, which this video shows how to do. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

[@wayneschmidt490]

If your machine's decals are all gold, without any other colors, you may want to try making 24 carat gold leaf decals. The following video shows how to do that. It also provides more detail on howe to the an image of whatever artwork you have on your machine and clean it up in a photo processing system like PhotoShop. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIGunp6OjNmEo7s Good luck!

[@metro3520]

@@wayneschmidt490 Excellent, thank you very much for the information. Unfortunately the decals on my machines are almost gone. In any case, with photos from the internet, and the little that is seen of my machines, I will try to reconstruct the decals. Thank you very much for the help.

[@jill552]

That was interesting.

[@dunhorsemom]

I have an old Damascus grand that needs new decals. I was considering gold leaf…this looks like it could be better. Did I miss info in the actual products you use? Thank you!

[@wayneschmidt490]

Hi, Dunhorsemom! Thanks for writing! The decal paper used was Sunnyscopa Waterslide Clear Decal Paper for INKJET Printers from Amazon, the silver paint was Spaz Stixs Mirror Chrome and the clear coat can be almost anything, but I used Dulpicolor Acrylic Enamel clear coat. The decals, actually transfers, used on Damascus Grands were some of the most detailed and complicated ever made for a sewing machine. While not the gaudiest, they have great depth of subtle shadings that would be very hard to recreate. I've search on-line and couldn't find anyone selling decal sets of them. If you're planning on making your own, I sincerely hope the ones on your machine are in good enough condition to start with. I checked out the videos on your channel. The one of the dogs was cute. I never understand how they can enjoy running in snow without something the protect their feet from the cold. The one with the two ladies talking in the stables looked like a segment from a Hallmark movie. May I inquire what it was? Thanks again for commenting!

[@dunhorsemom]

Side note: I know m not the only person looking for Damascus decals. If you decide to tackle them I know there is a market. Small, but likely enough to at least pay for your labor.

[@TheTonialadd]

Thank you! This is exactly what I’ve been searching for.

[@wayneschmidt490]

You're welcome, and thanks for commenting!

[@cyncyn747]

@Wayne Schmidt have you ever left the silvered decal on machine and then put a new one on top? Just curious.

[@wayneschmidt490]

No.I always repaint the machine black before decaling so any remaining artwork would be covered. Thanks for the comment!

[@pat5431]

Thank you for the nuclear glow paint tip.

[@wayneschmidt490]

You're welcome, and thanks for the comment!

[@bruhjun]

Wonderful video friend! Did you print the decal using an inkjet or laser printer? Thank you for sharing! 🙏🏽

[@wayneschmidt490]

I used an inject printer. Thanks for writing!

[@bruhjun]

You’re a saint! Thanks again bud :) Keep up the great work!

[@jdhtyler]

I guess it would be better not to use shellac over the transfer ? would the alcohol cause problems. Super results. With the curly part at the top would it be worth leaving extra support the delicate top, something similar to airfix model spruce to reinforce during application and then remove after. Just a thought. I have applied decal to cars with soapy water once you use a credit card to squeeze out the water your STUCK with the results.

[@wayneschmidt490]

That's a very interesting question. I've never shellacked a decal. I only used it once to shellac gold leaf applied directly to a machine. I'm out of shellac right now, but have some of the denatured alcohol, which is the solvent in shellac. I'll try some on the decal and see what happens, then let you know. Thank you!

[@jdhtyler]

@@wayneschmidt490 In the UK we have purple methylated spirit, The dye does leave a slight residue, it is years since I made and shellac. www.wickes.co.uk/Methylated-Spirit-500ml/p/113503 all the best

[@wayneschmidt490]

@@jdhtyler Thanks for commenting!

[@wayneschmidt490]

Sorry! I missed the second half of your comment. Your idea of a temporary support for narrow decal sections sounds like a winner. While preparing for the video I practiced several times and twice that narrow curly part broke off at the base. I considered cutting it off and treating it as a separate decal, but your idea is better. I'll work on it. Thanks!!!

[@shymyria]

Do you know f any one that dose this work ..I don’t have the equipment to accomplish this task..and have 1926 Greyhound “R” by new home that needs the front Greyhound “R” decal that is the only one mostly missing and cannot be touched up using the gold paint method I’ve watch in you other videos ..would appreciate any input on the desperate situation…thank you

[@wayneschmidt490]

I wish I could give you better news, but I don't know any way to restore the decal other than making it yourself. Considering the amount of work required to create one, even if you approached a company that does this sort of work, they would want hundreds of dollars at the very least to make one. Sorry.

[@shymyria]

Thanks for the reply…I will practice till I get it right …it will be a adventure in learning a new skill

[@anitajuliana5649]

Me gusta esta maquinita Machin pero sin esos adornos que lo que hace es distorsionar la atención para lo que se requiere que es coser yo le pondría correa motor pedal estas piezas vienen juntas y manos a la obra tengo una negrita que la pinte de blanco y va rumbo a Venezuela querida chao y gracias por el vídeo chao

[@wayneschmidt490]

¡Gracias por escribir! Entiendo lo que quiere decir con que las calcomanías desvían la atención de la máquina, pero mi objetivo era una restauración históricamente correcta para que la máquina volviera a tener el aspecto que tenía cuando era nueva.