Rob2613

@Constabulary: thank you for your reply. I am only sewing tactical and outdoor gear using Cordura fabric and nylon webbing. I want to be able to do edge binding on the inside of bags, and on the edges of K9-collars with nylon binding tape. Ideally I would like to be able to use various right angle binders, depending on the thickness of the project. I am curious if there is a way to use my sewing machine for normal sewing and edge binding without canging the needle plate and feed dog…

Hello, I realise this is an old post, but I hope it is still active. I recently bought a Cowboy 4500, and I would (also) like to use it for edge binding. The Hightex dealer in Germany sells this moving binder for Hightex/Cowboy 4500 sewing machines. Does anyone here have any experience with this type of moving binder? Any information is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Rob (Netherlands)

@Uwe Thanks all for your help! I think I located the friction point. I have removed the inner and outer feet, and the machine runs as smoothy as can be expected of this beast of a machine. Looks like the previous owner installed some aftermarket feet that rubbed against eachother when moving the handwheel. I installed the original feet, but it looks like the outer feet don’t come down enough (at the lowest point there’s a small gap between the underside of these feet and the needle plate. Any video’s to set the inner and outer feet at the proper height? Pictures of the “problem”-feet and the height of the original outer feet…

@Northmount That’s smart. I will try a few more things to see where the friction is located, if I don’t succeed I will post a video via Youtube. Thanks!

@Uwe I put all the exterior parts back on the machine, but I have not connected it yet to the motor. I noticed that the machine is not running as smoothly as the 4500 in your video. When turning the handwheel, there seems to be some friction and a noise on a specific part of the sewing cycle. It feels like the friction is in the end of the cylinder arm, so above the needle. Do you have any clue what could be the cause of this? I tried to upload a video, but the size is too big to insert in this post. I did not remove the internal parts of the machine by the way.

@Constabulary: No worries. I have all the parts, I just took the machine apart to clean and paint the body. The bobbin winder is not working properly, so I might buy the bobbin winder you suggested. Thanks for the tip!

Thank you all for your help! I bought this Cowboy 4500 yesterday for $800. It seems to be in good shape, besides the worn out paint on the outside of the machine. Now I will clean it up and give it some TLC, and maybe paint it with Hammerite. Too bad I could not respond to your offers for used 205’s because of the shipping costs to The Netherlands. Once I am more skilled in repairing these big machines, I will search for a Adler 205 again. The picture is of the machine I bought…

@UweThanks again for your fast reply! I will go and check the machine tomorrowmorning. It even has a table attachment included, so could be a great deal!

My search for an affordable heavy duty cylinder arm machine takes a new turn. I went to check on a Adler 205-374 yesterday. Turned out the machine was in terrible shape. The cover on the left side of the machine and other parts were missing, and the machine sounded like it had not been oiled recently. So I ended up not buying this machine, and posting a search on local FB-groups. A few hours later I received a PM from a local saddlemaker offering a used Cowboy CB4500 for as little as €750 (about $800). According to the seller the machine has some wear on the paint, but is in good condition. What are your thoughts on this machine, compared to a Adler 205, and the price? Thank you again for your help!

Thanks again (for the tenth time I guess) for your very practical tips! What tools are recommended for dismantling the Handweel and the head from the table. And do you know the dimensions of the head (max height, width and length) so I can make a crate to transport the head without damage? I will definately post some pictures once I hauled this beast to my home! Too bad you are located in the US, I would really like to buy one of your table attachments for this machine!

Looks like I have a deal with the seller of a Adler 205-374! Now I have to start thinking about moving this beast to my place. I think I will disconnect the head from the table, and try to move these two parts to my car. Luckily this machine has a servo motor, so the weight of the table should be easy to handle. Does anyone here have an estimate on the weight of the head, and things to consider when moving this machine (besides not dropping it on my foot:))?

Thank you all again!!!

The 205-374 I mentioned is an hour drive from me. I will make an aoppointment with the seller to go and check the machine. Are there any specific things to check / test to get an idea of the machine’s condition or warning signs that the machine might be in bad shape? Thanks again!

@Constabulary Thank you for your help! Coincidentaly (is that a word?) I checked with Sieck yesterday. They replied that they did not have the shims in stock. I will give the other two dealers you mentioned a try tomorrow

@Uwe Thank you again for sharing your great knowledge about these machines. Your first class video’s about the 205-series are my inspiration to go search for this machine. Unfortunately the newer DA -models are way out of my budget (yet), so I need to get all the information I can get about the 205-374 to make a smart decision about buying one. Do you (or anyone else here) know of a source for these shims besides Weaver Leather, preferably in Europe? The shipping costs from the US to Europe are insane most of the time. And do you know if things like edge guides etc.that are listed for the 205-370, can also be mounted on the 205-374? Thanks again!