econojames

Thanks everyone. I mentioned the long stop time only as proof that the bearings probably weren't bad, not because I thought it was a defect; I wasn't very clear about that. Wiz, I thought about that too, but the pedal already has about an inch of play (measured at the top of the pedal, where the toe goes) before the clutch starts to engage, so I haven't touched the adjustment screw. I guess the upholstery shop liked a bit of pedal leeway as well. The setup seems pretty good for me as-is, and I'm going to try to make it work as soon as my new needles get here. Cheers! James

Thanks for your reply, dikman. I think you're right that's it's running okay. The motor takes several minutes to come to a stop after being turned off, which I should have mentioned earlier. I'm a little overly cautious by nature, and I think the "noise" may be merely an unfamiliar, but normal, sound. I also should have mentioned that I'm completely new to the world of industrial sewing machines: maybe the noises that alarm ME are the ones that YOU all stopped hearing years ago. Thanks again.

Hi, everybody. First off, a big "thank you" to all of you on here who are so generous with your knowledge and advice. This place is an example of how useful the internet CAN be (and it's only coincidence that I'm posting this on Cyber Monday, which is a good example of a POOR use of the internet, but I digress). I spent a lot of time searching threads and reading on here before I bought a used Chandler 067-GK373 from a local upholstery shop. I might have paid a little too much, but I don't see them for sale around here much if at all, and it sews well. It needs a few small bits, and I bought a 2"pulley and new belt from Keystone to slow it down a bit (1/2hp, 1750 rpm). I'm getting a feel for feathering the clutch. I think I'll like it just fine. (Special thanks to Uwe for your timing video, with its magnificent music and, dare I say, choreography: my machine came with 135x17 needles instead of the specced 134/35, and your video showed me that as long as it was adjusted to work with them, I am good. Good thing, too - 135x17's are a lot easier to find). 1. My only (minor) concern is the sound of the motor. To my ear, it sounds a little "scratchy", but it's a quiet sound. There's a strong steady hum when it's running, and the motor runs strong and smooth, but there's this quiet scratchy sound. Normal? Brushes? Bearings (I oiled the port above the shaft, which didn't change the sound)? Just sew and don't worry about it? I know the advice of a lot of you will be to ditch the motor and get a servo, but I've already spent quite a chunk of money on the machine and frankly I'm kind of intrigued by the challenge of mastering the "feather". People used these for decades, and I'm a traditionalist/retro-grouch, so I at least want to try it (you can all remind me of these words when I post in a few months asking servo questions...). 2. If the sound indicates that I need a new motor, does anyone on here have an old clutch motor in good shape - say, one that you took off in favor of a servo motor - that you would be willing to sell to a newbie for cheap or even for just the cost of shipping? I know these must be sitting in piles somewhere... Any advice is welcome, and again, a big huge thanks to everyone. This is a great place. James