Wyowally

After some experience with filthy horse blankets, I charge almost double if they aren't clean. The cleaning after takes more time than the repair, and that filth goes everywhere.

The bouncy check spring issue is all related to size and type of top thread, and EXACTLY where the bobbin case tab is positioned by the bobbin case opener. IF off just a little, the upper thread will hiccup as it passes by the tab when being pulled up, but not really stopped. Just enough to make the spring bounce. Until recently I was trying to measure opener clearance precisely. Now I set it by watching the thread as it is getting pulled past the tab, with stitched material under the foot, cover open, turned by hand. Works for me.

Most of the brakes are adjustable or modifiable for when they engage and how much they engage - with a little effort. Others on this forum might have the best ways of doing that. They can be set to stop movement especially if wanting to stitch slowly. Adjusted that way, it won't dead stop things if stitching fast though.

Now I am wondering how change the eccentric or the linkage coming from it could have changed the timing. The timing was very good when the presser foot quit lifting. Puzzled.

Spent a little more time. There are some adjustments procedures hidden in a couple of the manuals available today. What I have discovered is there are relationships between the eccentric, the big head pinch screw linkage, the lifting bracket position, the bottom clamp the flat spring pushes against and the two feet positions and action. I actually got both feet lifting decently. Somehow, without touching the hook timing, it is now way out. I am leaving it all alone for a while!

I'm more frustrated than embarrassed, so here goes. I got this machine a few years ago and totally went through it, including priming, painting and proper decals. It was and is a great machine and I learned a lot. I got a lot of that learning help right here, thank you! Fast forward : I have done several projects each year since, as I am a hobbyist, not a production guy. A few days ago the presser foot quit lifting. I'm sure I did something wrong, left a screw loose, etc. I got my manuals out, re-visited Uwe and YT, checked this forum for history. I spent four hours this morning trying to get it back The puzzle to me is understanding mechanically what even makes that foot lift at all. It is obvious that the mechanical linkage raises the center vibrating foot - not obvious to me at least what raises the presser in each cycle. I have adjusted the eccentric and the vertical travel. I don't know where to set the small block that the tip of flat spring rides on. I have moved it up and down quite a bit. Likewise the topmost clamp guide thing - not sure where to set it. It appears its only function is to guide and keep things straight. The clamp screw on the back that holds the tension release mechanism on - is it supposed to be tight, or loose enough for the presser bar to move inside? If it is supposed to be tight, where on the presser bar should it be? I have a new replacement eccentric but never got into removing the main shaft. The old one works, but it was missing a set screw - not the major one that pins it to the shaft, but one of the pair that "locks" the adjustment. I hope that's not too much information. Thanks!

It won't hold up sewing leather any better than that Elna you were considering. 7 oz. chrome tan it might swallow for a while, but eventually it won't be happy and you won't be either.

No. That is a nice and respected vintage machine - but still just too light duty for what you want to do. My wife owns one, and it is well designed and manufactured. I suggest spending some time reading the threads and posts on here, particularly Wizcrafts post in this forum on the type of machines suited to sewing leather.

Oh, I think it is legit. As a very successful owner of one of these things, I've spent a lot of time getting mine right and trying to help others. There are many people with limited leather and sewing experience who buy them hoping they are a shortcut to getting away from hand sewing, or will help them get started on the cheap. There is a lot of frustration and disgust expressed by those hoping for plug and play. I believe our poster is legit and sincere, and just trying to tap whatever resources can be found to get it going. Success depends on the person and attitude, willingness to learn and listen and spend the time it takes. Many machines have been dumped or trashed. Others have been turned into smooth working motorized acceptable units by those with a lot of patience, money, and ambition. I haven't gone that route - mine does the limited non-production work I want without trying to make it something it is not. I try to follow advice from a friend - "just stay in your lane". !

I get scraps from a saddlemaker friend frequently. I made some cartridge holders, and learning the loops for different size cartridges is challenging. What I did find out - and should have known - is that you've got to be careful about long term storage. Some of the chemicals in the leather will start corrosion on brass cases. It takes a while, but will start sucking the copper out of the brass. Not good!!

I actually bought a new replacement eccentric just so I could understand how they're designed to work. Never had to install it though.

I use that Coats thread that was posted with a price earlier. That's about twice or more what I pay, BTW. $3.79 a spool if I buy 3.

I commend you for your approach and attitude about learning. I'm sure you will progress quickly. The advice you get from the regulars here is spot on! I know from my own experience. You found the right place - I see so much misinformation and bad advice in some of the FB groups that I just shake my head, now that even I know better.

I did get aftermarket decals. Not exactly original, but close enough for me.

They do have a little foot that comes down the back of the presser foot and helps pull material somewhat, so that makes them a little more capable vs. the plastic shell price leaders being sold today. Still, they are what the others on here have told you. There is a "vintage Pfaff sewing machines" FB group that is pretty active. It is discussed there. They have manuals in their Files section too.

I am smiling because it seems that there are no real adjustment instructions. If it kicks out when you don't want it to when sewing nothing out of the ordinary - then tighten it up a little. If it still kicks out, tighten it some more. If it doesn't kick out when you break a needle or get one of those multiple thread tangles around the bobbin/hook - loosen it up some and hope it works. At least that's what I have found out so far. YMMV.

I never asked for specifics on the actual adjustment in that thread. I do have it cleaned, aligned, and lubed and it does disengage with what I think is adequate force after that and backing the adjustment screw way off. Just find it sort of amusing that the manufacturers who will specify something like "0.35mm clearance" have provided an adjustment without actual adjusting instructions. For this machine I will set it so it trips when a #25 needle hits 1/2" of hard veg tan when trying to force the needle through with the hand wheel. I'll report in this thread on that experiment.

I got the Adler 167-gk373 working pretty well after all the feedback from you folks. Thanks! I think the safety clutch was the culprit - not releasing easily or as designed. I have searched here and elsewhere on what the trip settings should be - as in if there is a need to adjust, how to do that. Is there an actual torque number, or is it more a ballpark range sort of thing? Maybe back it way off to the soft side, then if it trips too easily when just sewing on tough material with big needle and thread - tighten it up a little? Or put a block of wood under the needlebar (without needle), then adjust to trip when turning with the handwheel with what seems like too much force? I hope that explains my question. The machine mentioned did have the clutch locked up, so the needlebar moved in the clamp, the screw tips got hardened and polished to where the clamp wouldn't hold well when doing normal sewing. Fixed that. Thanks again.

Interesting data and manual if indeed that's the OP's machine. IF it is, the manual says that thread tension will be released when the thread trimmer does it's thing. The cable is related to that trimmer, and is part #36 in the listing, calling it a "thread tension release wire". IF it is the machine, the wire doesn't come into use until the trimmer is used then. Now if I could just learn to sew.

What Wiz says for sure. I was dealing with a similar issue on a different model not long ago. Just for giggles I hand threaded a #23 leather needle with 138 bonded nylon. Then I put the needle butt down on my bench and pushed a couple pieces of 4 oz. veg tan down on the needle point. It took a LOT of force! After it went through I pulled it back a little and put another thread through the loop. Then started pulling the needle back up while holding the leather down. Again, it took an amazing amount of force to pull the needle, loop, and "bobbin" thread back up and into the leather. There is a huge amount of friction - I think the forces involved are much more than at least I was aware. What it all means to me that if the needle is not large enough for the thread, then the thread will suffer. 92 bonded nylon with the same needle was a much better match.

45 mm. It takes a different belt of course. I measured carefully and guessed belt size with the counter guy at my auto parts store. Made a lucky guess. Pulley from AMZ.

Don, thanks! I also thought the socket head screws seemed out of place. I might pull one and check the thread pitch and type just for curiosity. I try to get all the original adjustment info I can, but still rely heavily on you, Uwe, Constabulary and others. I had my upholstery buddy come over and test run this one with various materials, speeds, forward/reverse shifts and all. He gave it his seal of approval. It is fun to watch a pro!

I studied this clutch in depth today. What I found: Both shafts have a flat that one of the pair of set screws is designed to engage. I found no marks or information that told me which screw of the pair to engage the flat with. The four screws are identical. Looking at the clutch and rotating, I put the screw in the upper hole when the other one is exposed below it, on both sides. What I found for adjustment is a screw visible through one of the holes in the outer collar when it is disengaged!! I was able to adjust. Although there is huge potential for changing the timing by selecting the wrong screw to engage the flat, either side, I got lucky and my installation didn't change timing. The timing must be checked for sure though, because it will change if the screws that engage the flats are changed around. It is working well, and I am pleased with the disengagement torque. The picture shows the adjustment screw visible through the outer collar - the hole is normally filled by the engagement ball, so if you start looking for any adjustment location while the clutch is engaged (like I did) you wont find anything. I never found a book or manual reference showing exactly this.

Quade and Glenn, thanks for your input. I have it working very well right now - but still puzzled. Quade, I think your suspicions about the clutch components slipping on the shafts and cutouts may be correct and I'll check that today. Not sure about flats or cutouts and want to know. I think in order for things to get out of time and needlebar height change there had to be some force involved that setscrews couldn't hold back. I started at the belt pulley and made sure screws and setscrews were tight. Before, I had re-engaged the clutch, but it had taken more force than I thought it should. I loosened but didn't back off all four setscrews in the two clutch components and oiled the balls and mating surfaces thoroughly. Then just snugged the screws and forced disengaging and engaging and spun the two around a number of times. Tightened the screws and did the same. It works much better . Don't know if there is a torque spec, but it seems reasonable now. Went on towards the hook, making sure screws were tight and lateral movement was proper. Popped the gearbox cover knowing timing was way off. Discovered too much backlash movement in the hook gear. Timed it for hook needle alignment with needlebar 1.75mm rise, then made sure shaft to hook gear backlash was minimized without binding. Re-set the needlebar height to specs. I wonder if the tips of those screws don't get smoothed and hardened after several cycles of jamming, needle breakage, etc. I'll check that. Made sure the case opener had proper clearance when moved to the right. It was a little too fine, not quite the gap it should show for heavier thread. Sewed perfectly after all this. I still want to know more about what can happen if the clutch doesn't turn loose when it should - but I'm pretty sure I may not ever. For now the previous owners, Bubba and his pipe wrench, thread jams and broken needles are all likely suspects in causing the timing changes I discovered. If I make any discoveries after checking the shafts for cutouts I will let you know!

I have not seen the adjustment in illustrations on this one. It consists of two mated pieces held onto each shaft by two large allen head setscrews each. There are two spring loaded balls engaged when running. Uwe Grosse' video "Adler 67 Safety Clutch and Hook Timing" shows one at 37 seconds in just like this one. His has 4 slotted head screws, mine are allen. No obvious adjustment possibilities.