Hey Everybody,
I've been a 'lurker' in the shadows here for a few years and have learned a ton of stuff. The openness & generosity of you folks is amazing.
I have a Pfaff 145 (high lift version) flat bed sewing machine I got from my Dad. Try as I might I just could not master the clutch motor when sewing thicker leather. I would try to feather the clutch to slow things down and it wouldn't punch through the leather, or I'd engage the clutch enough to punch through & it'd be a runaway train. I changed pulleys on the motor (3.5" to 1.5") and on the head unit (3.5" to 5.5") to try to slow things down & increase torque but the change was negligible to me. This was probably more of an operator issue than a machine issue but the result was still a machine I could only use on thin materials.
What prompted me out of the shadows was my experience with Bob & Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines.After searching threads here about Pfaff & servo motors, I called Bob at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. He talked me through all of the features & benefits of servo motors, installation tips, etc. He answered all of my questions and took quite a bit of time with me. I ended up ordering the Family Sew FL-550 motor and received it in Atlanta in 2 days!
Man, what a difference! Power to spare and I can now sew 3/8" thick leather with complete control! I can stitch sooooo slow too! I keep finding myself sewing stuff just to sew stuff (I have burned through a good share of my scraps).
Major props to Bob & Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines!!