shoepatcher

Normally there was a clutch type mechanism on the balance wheel that could be pressed to engage the drive on the line shaft. I think they were S.D.A. which stood for Singer Driving Attachment?? Help me here Bob Kovar. glenn

I would try a 7x23 needle. That is what Adler 220 and 221 machines use and they are of the same class as the Singer 144, 145. Yours is a SV machine and Singer Rarely published info on those machines glenn

Check with Bob Kovar at Toledo Sewing. glenn

See if you can get a picture of the brass plate on the machine . it will tell us a lot about the machine's stitch length, lift, safety clutch, 4 motion drop feed vs. skiff feed. tec. glenn

Gary, Let me check my stock at home and see what I have as to both. IF you are looking for the Adler parts, they will be more expensive than the 29-4 parts. The last couple of days have just been crazy at work. I am still working on my shop and had hoped to complete it before I retire in 4 weeks. No such luck. Everything is so disorganized right now. glenn

GPaudler, The early 29k's were made at the Kilbowie plant in Scotland when the 29 1thru 29-5 were made at the Elizabethport plant in New Jersey. In 1923, the 29-4 was dropped and all shoe patchers in America were shipped in from Kilbowie and were "K" models beginning with the new 29K51-56 series. All K models were made at that plant. I have Adler leaf springs like you are looking for. The 30-1, 5, 7 all use the same spring as the newer 30-10, 50, 70. A 29-4 spring is almost identical to the Adler since Adler copied the shoe patcher from Singer and re-designed some of the parts. when they came out with the 30 class. In fact, Adler made a 29 class shoepatcher before they came out with the 30 class. glenn

contact Pilgrim Shoe in Massachusetts and ask for Harris, the owner. glenn

I would say #138 on top. You can use it in the bobbin but the bobbin will ot hold very many feet of thread. glenn

Singer used a lot of odd ball threads on screws and nuts. They wanted you to buy it from them. However, when they no longer make the oddball screws and nuts, you are forced to go else where. Fortunately, Juki copied a lot of the Singer screw and nut specs in their machines so you can find replacements on a lot of screws and nuts but not all. The one thing Juki has never printed up is a general screw and nut book to show you all that is available You must do like Uwe and find them in specific parts books. glenn

Stor, the part number is SS535. College sewing in the UK carries the part. I think it is $2.35 pounds. It is a clone piece but should work. Glenn

Hooksetz, There are no generic throat plates for Adler shoepatchers. I have looked for years and want to build some for sale when I retire in a few months. Not all parts for the 30-1, 5, 7, & 15 are still available. I have been told a throat plate for a 29-4 will fit an Adler 30-1. Believe it or not, I have never tried one to see if it will fit. I hope to remedy that in the near future. I have a lot of genuine Adler replacement parts and screws available. Throat plates are not one of them. glenn

Finally found my 1900 29K parts list. The 29K8 was set up to sew waxed thread. It had a heavier tension spring on top and in the bobbin case to handle the thicker thread. It also had a different throat plate. Other than that, same as the 29K1. By the way, your machine is missing the stop screw in front to lock the feed foot as to direction! glenn

Stor, I have and original parts list for the early 29K's from 1900. Let me see what it say about the 29K8. We know it was built at the Kilbowie plant. glenn

send this question to Steve at Gateway Shoe Company. I think he can help answer your questions. glenn

Thank you. Great work on the history and emblems. I retire in 2 months. This machine is on the shelf for restoration. Unfortunately, so are about 50 other shoe patchers! glenn

Scarlett, If you are in the US, I would call Weaver Leather and ask to speak to Allen Burkholder. He is the best man I know to work on Adler 205-370's since he has been working on them for over 20 years and rebuilt 2 of them for the company I work for. He knows the machine cold.. glenn

Give Shoe Systems Plus or Gateway Shoe a call . Gateway is in Illinois I believe and Shoe Systems is in New York. Both deal in Shoe repair equipment and should be able to help you. Also, Harris at Pilgrim Shoe which is in your home state. Glenn

First of all, machine as a single needle is not threaded correctly. As it comes off the tension discs, it goes over the little pin. Put the thread under the pin. I would look at getting a single needle thread controller and take up spring instead of the double ones that are on the machine. I plan to pickup a used 767-65-FA-273 long arm Adler. I want to convert it to a single needle machine so I know what you are going thru. glenn

Indi, Send us a few pics of some sewn items so we can see what might be the problem. glenn

Send us a few pics of the machine. It is probably a clone of a name brand. that way, we may be able to get you a manual. glenn

Setting the stitch length to the correct length of stitch is not that hard. There are two set screws in the stitch length indicator wheel. Loosen both screws and you can rotate the stitch length wheel. Set the machine itself to 5 stitches per inch. Then loosen the wheel and rotate until the number 5 shows up in the hole indicator. Now the stitch length will correspond to the number in the hole indicator. That number may not be true so always check your stitch length on scrap. The Singer 111W152-157 were all walking foot machines. Fun to work on. glenn

I would buy the Pfaff. Generally speaking, it usually is a smoother machine. If you can sew on it before purchasing, do so. I have had Adler, Pfaff, Juki and Singer. I still believe the Pfaff are the smoothest machines. Bobbins are the same size in the Pfaff and Singer machines, bigger in the Consew 206. The ultimate choice is yours. If you get the Consew, that means getting a table, stand, motor, drawer, thread stand and light. More money there. Just my opinion. glenn

Grey. That was probably the original color. I always try to match the originally color when restoring a machine. glenn

It has to do with restoring the "figure 8" on the end of the bell crank. The lobes wear down on each side and that causes the stitch length to shorten. If someone is a competent welder, the lobes can be welded up with a Tig or Mig Welder and reground with a Dremel and you are almost good as new. I have 30 plus bell cranks from Adler and Singers that have to be welded and reground on the lobes. That is a project for when I retire. That is normally the only thing to go wrong with a used bell crank. glenn

Check out Miami Sewing machine web page. The have a lot of reconditioned and rebuilt machines and are in Florida. glenn