Phoenix

Naki Nik Naks 0006 – Phoenix –  February 2026

To find a better aesthetic balance in our spare bedroom we decided to make a 'same same but different' bedside table to match Genesis. Traceys design for Phoenix based on a more compact simple version that would still match.

We purchased this along with another industrial Singer machine from a farmer in Taranaki. It had sat untouched in a barn on the farm for decades. Originally the model 66K sewing machine, serial Y7948111, was 1 of 100,000 made at the Singer Kilbowie Clydebank Scotland factory (1884 -1980) in 1923.

This Singer model is a heavy-duty antique cast-iron domestic sewing machine produced from 1902 through the mid-1950s and often referred to as the Model 66 "Red Eye", with peak production occurring in the 1910s and 1920s. It is known for its distinctive decals, which feature gold, red, and orange "eyes" in a pattern that resembles Lotus petals.

It started with a total strip down of everything to the smallest possible components. The wood prep was a total sand by hand starting with 80 grit and working down to 180, with any damaged laminate simply smoothed out at the edges as opposed to trying to repair and replace. Not wanting a large imposing end product we cut down the drawers to a single drawer for each side and only used the main lid cover from the original cabinet to give a narrower profile. The wooden decals detracted from the clean look we wanted so off they came to give the wood grain underneath better visibility. We used the same redwood stain we had used on Genesis, producing a different outcome possibly from the difference in origin of the timber. Again we finished with several coats of clear gloss acrylic varnish.

The cast work we attacked with metal brushes and soapy water before applying coats of CRC rust converter and primer. We liked to look at this stage so, like with our previous build, went with it.

Any screws or bolts were cleaned up and again hit with rust remover / primer and reused. We did not have to use any new screws or parts at all.

The end result really speaks for itself. We did add new draw knobs as a point of difference and to match the other bedside table.

Name: Phoenix

Catalogue Number: 0006

Date of completion: February 2026