Conversion of White 77 to Treadle

I have commented on the list a number of times about how much I like and respect the White Family Rotary machine design. This design continued in production in one form or another from about 1895 through the late 1950’s, when white moved their operation to Japan and began importing typical Japanese clones of the Singer 15.

The final version of the White FR was the Model 77, a real tank of a sewing machine, and the only one I have encountered that had separate stitch length controls for forward and reverse. It is a marvelous machine, and not only the last development of the FR, but also, I believe the last of the friction drive machines. As much as I love the FR mechanism, I have never been a fan of the friction drive, which is quite smooth, but lacks the power of belt drive.

I have had several 77’s and always lamented that they were not readily convertible to treadle operation. Well, Rick and Susie down south do some very imaginative things (see their hand crank Featherweight!). Rick sent me this material on converting a 77 to treadle:

Hi Captain,

Bet you can't guess what I've been up to this after noon. After you made a post on the 77 I remembered we have one of those. Went to the SM recycle center and retrieved it.

Here's what I did. Took the wheel cap off, & drilled it in center for a 3/8" NC bolt.(slightly larger hole). The bolt is a round head with the square base, I call them carriage bolts. Put the bolt in the hole & gently tapped it through the hole until the square base seated itself nicely in the cap. then I took a pulley from an old WW & reversed it so I could get the clearance for the belt. Then I put a 3/8" self locking nut on it. It looks odd but it works well.

Neat reverse on this machine. Hope this helps.

Rick & Suzie

Hi Captain,
Bet you can't guess what I've been up to this after noon. Any
way
after you made a post on the 77 I remembered we have one of those. Went
to
the SM recycle center and retrieved it.
Here's what I did. Took the wheel cap off, & drilled it in
center for
a 3/8" NC bolt.(slightly larger hole). The bolt is a round head with
the
square base, I call them carriage bolts. Put the bolt in the hole &
gently
tapped it through the hole until the square base seated itself nicely
in the
cap. then I took a pulley from an old WW & reversed it so I could get
the
clearance for the belt. Then I put a 3/8" self locking nut on it. It
looks
odd but it works well.
Neat reverse on this machine. Hope this helps Rick & Suzie

Rick did a nice job, and shows how to put a really great old machine back into service as a people powered unit. I have had several but let them get away. Now I will be on the lookout for another so I can do this too!

The Captain