Free Singer Sewing Machine and Cabinet

The cabinet and Singer sewing machine, (the sewing machine works as far as I can tell, I don’t sew) were given to me. The cabinet was in rough shape to say the least. The only solid wood in the whole thing were the legs and the front panel. Everything else was particle board (MDF), veneered on outside with what appears to be something like formica, but not quite. The MDF was beat up, scratched, chipped and in one place the burn mark from an iron was apparent. I sanded the legs and front panel down to bare wood and refinished with Minwax “Old Maple”.

I replaced the MDF sides and back with some pieces of 1X12 Pine I had laying about. The side and back panels come out with four screws each, so if you know of a better, inexpensive wood to use. I’ll try it. I sealed the pine with Minwax sealer for soft wood and put the same “Old Maple” finish on the pine panels. As you can see from the picture, the original wood looks good, but the pine looks like crap. Both sides are about the same. The back piece of pine was real clear and it didn’t splotch but is a lighter shade than the legs. Even after a third coat to the back panel.

I’ve still got to do the two top pieces (one folds out to make a working table) and the fold out piece where the sewing machine sits. I’ll get more pictures of that later. I am going to try to find an inexpensive piece of wood that will come close to matching the original wood in the legs and front panel. If anybody has any ideas, I would sure like to hear ‘em. You may notice in the picture what looks like a run in the finish on the front panel. Actually it isn’t. It is a very deep scar or in the wood that I could not sand out. It was much worse when I started than it appears now.

I welcome any and all ideas and help.

-- When asked what I did to make life worthwhile in my lifetime....I can respond with a great deal of pride and satisfaction, "I served a career in the United States Navy."