Uwe

I have two Durkopp Adler 268 post bed machines, one single needle and a double needle. They are among the nicest post bed machines I’ve worked on (The Pfaff 1295 is just as nice.) The DA 268 is a very good design and generally easy to adjust and maintain. Common wear parts like feet, hook, etc. are readily available OEM and aftermarket. Throat plates and feed dogs are harder to find for post beds in general, mainly because that type of machine is so rare. Some internal parts like the main shaft are becoming increasingly hard or impossible to find new for these machines. Make sure the machine is complete and serviceable. I’d also recommend looking for a second parts donor machine. Just a few new OEM parts will cost you as much as an entire parts donor machine that can supply dozens of good OEM parts.

Binding is tricky business and often frustrates even experienced craftspeople. For the Adler 269 class of machines, synchronized binder parts are available. Synchronized binding means the binder moves back and forth synchronized with the feed dog, making it easier for the feed mechanism to pull the tape through the tape folder. You’ll need four different part sets for synchronized binding on an Adler 269 class machine: 1 Swivel arm that connects with the feed dog 2 Tape folder that mounts on the swivel arm 3 Special feed dog and throat plate 4 Special binding feet One of my favorite parts suppliers is Kwok Hing, based in Hong Kong. You’ll need to create an account on their website to see pricing and place an order. My orders generally arrived within a week to ten days. My experience with KH has been very positive over the years. 1 Swivel arm (Need to verify with KH this is compatible with 269) : https://www.khsew.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1845 2 Tape folder (KHF2/3/4 or KH66, check with KH which suits your needs):https://www.khsew.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=747 3 Feed Dog & Throat Plate: https://www.khsew.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1881 4 Binding feet: https://www.khsew.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1882 The KH66 is a single-fold tape folder that I think would work well for leather tape. The OEM parts may also be available directly from Durkopp Adler, but will likely cost more than what you paid for your entire machine. This video shows the synchronized binding setup in use on a modern Durkopp Adler 869:

The staggered stitch line is due to the point style of the needle you’re using. That white stitch line in the brown leather is actually what many people want. Leather needles come with different point styles, each suited for a particular application. Experiment with different point styles and pick one that works for you. The picture below shows a few common point styles. The linked Groz Beckert brochure has more detail. The video below explains how that bobbin case opener works and how to adjust it. Loops on the bottom are often due to top thread snagging somewhere as it makes it way around the bobbin case. The video shows a different machine, but it has a very similar hook and bobbin case opener design. Aim for more precision when you describe your problems and use annotated photos when you can. Remote debugging is tricky enough under the best of circumstances. A picture with an arrow pointing at a screw is much more precise than “the screw ... in the bobbin area”. Most phones allow you to edit photos to quickly add arrows and text.

Yep, that’s WAY too much play for sure. Since that movement also moves the feed dog in your video, I suspect the problem lies in the feed driving mechanism or linkage. I suggest opening the covers on top and rear of the machine. Turn the handwheel to bring the needle bar to max front or rear position. Note all the parts that move when you flip the reverse lever up and down. Something in that chain of linkages may be broken, missing, loose, or worn. These are supposed to be very taught linkages with little play. Take video snippets of these internal linkages as you move the needle bar by hand like you did in your first video (lighting may be tricky.) Perhaps it will become clearer why these linkages move when they shouldn’t. Don’t loosen the screws in the thick plate on the rear of the machine. That’s actually a structural plate for a hinge mount that is central to the whole feed mechanism. If that structural mount plate is loose, it will definitely cause problems. On the Adler 67 design the feed movement for top (needle bar rocker frame) and bottom (feed dog) are “connected” via the feed driving shaft for the feed dog on the bottom of the machine. Note the two clamps in the picture below. One is a linkage that comes down from the eccentric feed mechanism rotating the feed driving shaft to move the feed dog. That in turn also drives the second linkage that goes back up to drive the feed motion of the needle bar rocker frame.

This is how your needle should be oriented and threaded:

I made a video some time ago that shows roughly what your hook timing should look like. I don’t have that Adler 269 anymore, so I can’t make any more videos.

Your machine is a copy of the Durkopp Adler 269. Use the Adler 269 service manual to adjust your machine. Make sure you use the correct needle system (System 134-35) , otherwise you’re really wasting time adjusting hook timing. Get ready to take some clear close-up photos or better yet, videos. Here’s a link to all the Durkopp Adler manuals for your machine: http://www.duerkopp-adler.com/en/main/Support/downloads/index.html? action=search&prop0=%2Fcommons%2Fdownload%2Fpublic%2F269_valid_till_May_2017%2F&prop1= Sometimes the documents on manualslib.com load faster: https://www.manualslib.com/a/adler+269.html On this machine design the hook timing is indeed adjusted from the rear/right end of the hook driving shaft. Also, the TechSew 2750 is a copy of the Juki LS-341, which is a totally different machine design. Don’t use those manuals to work on your machine.

The short answer is: no. The longer answer is: yes, technically you might, but chances of you finding all the required parts are near zero and they would likely cost more than what you paid for the whole machine. Better to buy an H3 or H4, and then sell your H2. Also, try not to bring ancient topics for a different model back from the dead. It’s okay to start a new topic if you have a new question for a different model.

The letter in the Singer model names indicates which factory the machine was produced at. You can find more information on that here. There are scores of discussion topics on the Singer 111 class of machine here on LW. The Singer 111 class has at least a dozen different sub models, with the Singer 111W155 being the most popular among leather workers for various reasons. It’s best to continue Singer related discussions in a separate topic - this topic is about the Pfaff 545.

If I had to choose between 4-motion feed dog and reverse, I’d go with reverse, but that’s just me. Consew 225 and Singer 111W155 class machines are nearly identical designs and, in my opinion, not really an upgrade to the Pfaff 545 you already have. Yes, 4-motion feed dog is nice to have but lack of it is not the end of the world in my book. Depending on your projects, you may never even notice that the feed dog isn’t dropping down. You likely WILL notice if the machine doesn’t have reverse when it comes time to lock stitches. You may also notice not being able to change stitch length without removing the material. Lots of people happily use sliding feed dog machines like the Pfaff 335 and Adler 69 class of cylinder arm machines for all manner of projects that don’t involve binding. Many users are surprised to learn that the feed dog doesn’t drop down on those machines. The only time my Pfaff 335 really gave me trouble feeding material due to the feed dog movement was while sewing a multilayer project that had “steps” on the bottom, which the sliding feed dog would snag on. Of course lots of people also happily use machines that don’t have reverse and they may never need to change stitch length mid-project. Exactly which features are important to you is a matter of experience and personal preference. I’d recommend getting the machine you already have working nicely and just start sewing with it. That’s the only way to really find out if the sliding feed dog interferes with your projects. Don’t get hung up on precise stitch length and feed dog movement. You can always upgrade later on and you’ll likely make much better informed decisions after gaining some hands-on sewing experience with a really nice machine.

The twice-per-handwheel-turn tightness/friction points to something that moves or rotates twice for every full hand wheel rotation. The hook area is a key suspect since parts move twice for handwheel rotation. I’ve worked on machines where the large hook driving gear was not centered very well with the smaller gear on the hook’s shaft. It’s possible to adjust hook timing correctly even with the large gear being off-center with the small hook gear. Since you slide the large gear sideways to adjust hook timing it will end up being slightly off-center most of the time. A problem may arise if the large gear is far off center relative to the small gear. If that’s the case you can separate the gears and adjust the tooth meshing by one tooth to get the large gear to run better aligned with the hook axis. Running the large hook driving gear near the gear’s edge may cause tightness because of imperfection of the gear teeth near the edge. It also takes just a little bit of dirt or grit stuck between the teeth of the hook axis gear to cause tightness or friction on every hook rotation, or twice per hook driving shaft rotation. Some oil and a (dedicated) old toothbrush do a nice job of cleaning gear teeth. Dirt stuck in the mechanism that drives the bobbin case opener is also a suspect.

The screw they're talking about is accessible after removing the cover on TOP of the machine. Loosen the screw shown in the photo below to adjust the needle position front-to-back relative to the feed dog hole. After you loosen the screw you can push the needle bar by hand front to back to the correct position. Tighten the screw well after adjustment. Test movement and alignment by hand before using motor power.

I looked for more info on this. As it turns out, the correct needle position for no movement when flipping reverse lever is neither BDC nor hook-timing position - it's in between. The manual linked below contains some service instructions at the end: Pfaff 145 545 User Manual.pdf The screenshot below shows the relevant feed driving section from that manual The feed driving eccentric is shown this picture. You can loosen both set screws and rotate the eccentric on the main shaft to adjust the timing of the feed driving motion. Your non-P machine will not have the eccentric on the left, which controls lifting motion of the feed dog. This video goes over how the walking foot lifting motion should be adjusted. Yours looks pretty good as it is:

Thanks for that video - nicely done! I really don't see anything obviously wrong that needs to be remedied. The feed dog definitely does not move up/down. But it has a pretty good front-to-back movement - try to measure that if you can. I have a feeling it actually moves more than 6mm. Then the real world decrease in stitch length may have to do with how much the material may slip during the stitching. Sometimes the act of pulling the knot tight also pulls the material forward a little if it's not held in place securely. Your current feet and feed dog have a fairly small footprint. Be careful not to run the machine under power with the throat plate removed (bad things may happen if the bobbin case rotates freely). Also make sure you align the tab of the bobbin case in the cutout under the throat plate when reinstalling it. My recommendation would be not to obsess over the exact maximum stitch length for now. Just get the machine sewing as well as you can. Then you can fine tune things one step at a time. One candidate may be the eccentric that generates the feed movement - it may not be perfectly "centered". Normally, when the hook is in hook-timing position, moving the reverse lever should NOT move the needle at all. I had one machine recently where that was the problem. I had to rotate the feed eccentric on the main shaft to center it with the hook timing position. I'm leaving on a camping trip shortly, so I may be offline for a while

Congratulation on your Pfaff, they are generally really good machines. The model letter code of your machine does not include a “P”, which indicates that your machine does not have a four-motion feed dog. The feed dog only moves front to back, but not up and down. This feed mode is often found on machines intended for binding operations. The feed dog does not drop down to get out of the way as it moves towards the front. Friction from the feed dog rubbing against the underside of the material as it moves towards the front may cause the material to slip a little and shorten stitch length. I’d recommend doing a stitch length test with a piece of cardboard or thick paper, and without top thread. You can print out this template to make it a little easier: http://docs.uwe.net/slg.pdf You can also just measure the how far the needle moves front to back as you flip the reverse lever up and down. Turn the hand wheel until the tip of the descending needle is level with the throat plate. Then move the reverse lever up an down. Put a ruler next to the needle to measure how far the needle moves. This measurement is the max stitch length the machine can produce with current adjustments. If the stitch length on paper is far below the 8mm target, you may need to look into timing of the feed movement. For example, if the needle penetrates the material before is reaches the very front of its feed movement, it will also shorten stitch length. Get ready to take some clear close-up photos or better yet a video of your machine’s feed movement.

Just my 2 cents: The Pfaff gets my vote by a pretty good margin. Key parts like feet, throat plate, hook, thread tension unit, etc. are all readily available from various vendors, both OEM and good quality aftermarket. A properly adjusted Pfaff is a thing of beauty and a joy to use, in my experience.

For me that Gumtree link points to a domestic Janome serger. Please copy/upload some pictures directly here, so that we know what you’re looking at long after that original link becomes useless. It may already be too late for that.

Durkopp Adler once made a set of parts specifically for making purse straps like the one you pictured https://sew24.blogspot.com/2012/09/sew-luxury-leather-bag-handles-with.html?m=1 Unfortunately, the Durkopp Adler 205-370 machine went out of production over ten years ago and may not fit your budget even as a used machine. Copies of the DA 205-370 are still available for purchase for around $3-4K.. Regardless, it’s a good reference point for the type of machine that would be perfect for that particular task, Anything else will be a compromise. Purchasing ready-made straps may be the way to go.

I just ordered that bracket from Ebay to evaluate it out on my Juki LS-341. I’ll report back in a month or two.

You may no longer have the original needle bar in that machine, who knows. If it is some cheap aftermarket part, it may just not be to spec or the needle hole is a tiny bit off center or angled. One way to check for that is to loosen the needle bar clamping screw and rotate the needle bar. Observe the tip of the needle as you rotate the bar. If the tip of the (new, unbent) needle moves in a circle while you rotate the bar, then the bar itself is faulty and needs to be replaced. I strongly advise against trying to move the position of the upper casting, little good can come from it. It may not be possible at all due to registration pins, and I strongly suspect that part was never intended to be adjusted once it left the factory. If your needle bar and needle are indeed perfectly concentric and there’s nothing weird about your feed dog, then revisit checking the position of the rocker bar frame as @Constabulary suggested earlier. The right surface of rocker bar frame pivot point needs to sit flush against the casting. A bunch of linkages may need to be loosened or disconnected in order for it to move sideways at all. Normally this is done with most of the head disassembled when you install the rocker bar frame without anything else connected to it. That is really the only way to adjust the needle position sideways a tiny amount, and only if everything else is indeed perfect. The sideways needle position is normally never adjusted after the machine leaves the factory, mainly because it’s not really “adjustable” due to the design of the machine. You can only fix an incorrect installation of the rocker bar frame.

Nice work on that custom binder! Fairly often none of the commercially available binder options are quite right for a particular task. Making specialty binders is big business for some companies like Atlanta Attachment Company and others. Being able to make your own binder is priceless. Since the TechSew 2750 is a clone of the Juki LS-341, this binder kit I found on Ebay today might be an option too, for those less handy in manufacturing their own (and for those not worried about items coming from Wuhan, China.) Here are some screen shots of that binder since the link to Ebay will expire soon. For the successor model of the Juki LS-341, the Juki LS-1341 (also TechSew 4800), Juki offered synchronized binder kits like the one shown below.The swiveling binder plate hooks into a hole in the feed dog to follow the feed movement. I don’t know if these kits are backward compatible with the Juki LS-341 class machines. The kits run about $400, I believe.

The sewing equipment with the “E” number refers to various available combinations of throat plate, feed dog, and presser feet. You can find the detail in the parts manual starting on page 98 https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/wp/wp-content/partsbooks/Durkopp_Adler/Durkopp Adler 291%2C 292%2C B291%2CB292.pdf Here’s a screen shot from that section of the manual.

That bobbin case opener can cause a bind if adjusted incorrectly (or if you run the machine without the throat plate installed), and it will break if it gets stressed too much. I made a video some time ago that shows the function of the bobbin case opener on a different machine (Juki LS-341). Your Adler 67 has a nearly identical bobbin case opener design. Hopefully it will help you understand what this part is supposed to do and how it can bind, cause problems, or even break. This video shows the removal of the hook on an Adler 167, which is nearly identical to your Adler 67, just with.a larger hook. You obviously already did this part. I’m just adding the video again for others who might view this post in the future. Once you get your bobbin case opener replaced, you can use this video to check and adjust hook timing.

Yay, I’m glad to hear you got it resolved!

thanks for that video! It looks to me like the front to back movements of both feed dog and needle are just about right. It’s the up/down movement of the feed dog that’s not right. I’d recommend rotating the feed dog lift eccentric to have the other set screw seated inside the groove. It’s possible that both the feed lifting eccentric and hook driving gear have the wrong set screw inside the groove on your machine. The difference is that the hook driving gear can be adjusted to make it work correctly in either position, since you can “disconnect” the large hook driving gear from the small gear on the hook shaft by sliding them apart to rotate the hook into the correct position before re-engaging the gears. The feed lifting eccentric on the other hand can only work correctly in one position relative to the groove on the hook driving shaft. Remove each set screw entirely, one at a time, and inspect the tip. Make sure that the set screw that will rest inside the groove has the pointy or domed tip, the other should have a flat tip. Make sure you tighten the set screw inside the groove first, before the other one. The second screw on each gear with the float tip that rests on the rounded part of the shaft just adds additional holding power to the gear to make sure the main set screw inside the groove doesn’t easily wiggle loose. Since you disassembled the shaft, you may also have inadvertently re-installed the feed lifting eccentric backwards (flipped 180 degrees around the vertical axis) which may be a problem if the eccentric isn’t symmetric relative to the groove. I’ll have to look at my machine in storage to see which way the feed lifting eccentric is oriented on my machine.