AlZilla

The executive summary at this point is that I believe the noise is in the bearings, but taking it apart and reassembling it quieted it down by more than half. My current theory is bearing damage and the case was torqued out of alignment by the beating it took in transit. I've taken it apart and examined it to the best of my ability and tools. I find nothing with excessive runout out or bent out of detectable shape. I took high res photos to look for cracks and found none. I've ordered bearings which arrive tomorrow. I need to get an appropriate puller as all mine are automotive type. The bearings are 15mm id, 9mm wide and 32mm od. 6002-rz is the part number and they're available for a few bucks each on Amazon. I'll upload pictures of the disassembly for the next hapless adventurer. Further updates when I get around to swapping the bearings.

Well, I for one love it. I have about 3 dozen domestics. The short answer is sewing machine oil and cotton swabs. The longer answer is at Quilting Board Forum, the 3rd post down. Especially the decals. They're not silvered like so many are, so be delicate and keep it away from direct sunlight. Also, don't carry it by that handle as it's not really meant for that. EDIT: My attitude is conservation, not restoration.

You should probably go read Wizcrafts experience posted above. Looks like he got 346 though it but only after a fashion. Might want to pick his brain directly with exactly what you want to do before spending a lot of time and money.

Hey @NancyLou, i moved you over to Leather Sewing Machines. I know it doesn't seem quite right since you're not sewing leather, but Help Wanted is for people wanting to find someone to do a job, essentially. I don't know why it required moderator approval. We'll keep an eye out for your next post and see what happens. The big screw you mention holds the opener that pulls the bobbin case back to allow the needle thread to pass around the bobbin. Clear as mud, I know. I don't think any of mine are all the way forward, so it could be out of adjustment. Also, the thread being under the lever that holds the bobbin in place isn't remotely correct. Let me go see if I can find one of Uwe's phenomenal videos about how to set that case opener. EDIT: 48 seconds from Alexander Dyer will do the trick, too:

Yeah, and the resistance is right there at the top as that flat spot comes across. Good for you being cautious, most people just force things. To me, it looks and sounds like normal operation. There's a video somewhere of Leather Machine Co breaking in new machines. They run them for several hours straight in an oil bath. Another poster here said he does something similar with his new machines.

Hi @Charles_Bandolero Per the Marketplace Rules we also need pictures and your shipping info or if it must be picked up and where. We'll appreciate prompt compliance. Good luck with your sale!

I can definitely see the advantage of laser engraving letters on leather instead of trying to keep stamped letters straight, uniform, etc. Usually laser engraved leather that I've seen is burned/blackened on the bottom and I just don't like the look. Is the fact that yours isn't blackened just advancing technology and/or technique? I could see a laser in my work room if I can avoid Cajun blackened cow hide

However, if I have 2 stitch lines of equal length, the same spi and the same strength of thread, they have the same breaking breaking strength. I can see the argument that the saddle stitch might be more durable in the face of 1 broken thread. But 2 seams of the same length, same thread, same SPI and length should be equally strong. I'm not campaigning against the saddle stitch. I just don't see the persistent argument that it's "stronger". I think it's the same.

Probably because that's what I could find in the sizes I wanted. I've never had any problems I've blamed on a poor quality needle. My complaint is why label them with confusing, made up designations?

This is how they're listing them. Seems a company like Organ would know better. On the other hand I suppose I can see lazy people calling them "135x17 leather points" and just expecting the great oracle to figure out what they mean.

I've always seen that 135x17 is the fabric and ,135x16 are the leather. Well, this is how the 135x16s I just bought are labeled. I'm just bellyaching ... I sent the first set back because I didn't see the 135x16. Oh well ...

I'm wondering if the minimum speed issue is to decrease heat. I've read that 300 is where heat dissipation is adequate (maybe for sustained operation?). Possibly 200 is banking on the user not staying at 200 for longer periods? I've also noticed that some of these cheaper motors have actual cooling fins on the outside of the body, where others just have undulations cast into them. My current motor with a 100 rpm minimum start speed has the cooling fins on the case. I'll have to start noticing if there's any correlation. Also, based on my recent disassembly of a cheap servo, the fan built into the end is just flat paddles running next to the closed end of the motor. No circulation at all. I think a small computer type fan blowing on the motor housing would really up the cooling game. It's on my to do list, even though with my low volume of sewing, I don't think heat is going to be an issue.

And maybe there's a distinction between brushed and brushless.

The top thread on a machine stitch saws back and forth something like 50 times. Remember that the tension arm way up at the top of the machine is letting it get pulled around the bobbin each rotation and then yanked back up. I was surprised when I first heard it. You are correct about the bobbin thread having an easy time of it. I'm glad this post finally got some traction.

Oddly, most everything I've seen about the cheaper servos is that they lack torque in the low end. I don't know ...

Those are very informative charts. I'd really like to see the same data on lower end servos.

On the other-other hand, these digital servos suffer from low torque at low speeds. With enough reduction we can run the motor a little faster, where it might be a little happier and still have decent torque. If the machine will stand up to the torque of a clutch motor at 1700 rpm to 3400 rpm, I doubt even a torque increased servo is going to damage them. Now I need to go find out the torque put out by those old clutch motors. EDIT: So the rated torque of the clutch is about the same as the servo (which makes sense). But the giant spinning mass of that clutch motor has got to pack a pretty healthy wallop.

i used it today with the current 65mm motor pulley and it hand wheels just fine. If it's any different with the 30MM pulley, I'll report back.

I ordered the same one you did. I couldn't find one for a 3L belt. If it's a problem, I'll just throw a round leather belt on it. I ran that machine for several months on one.. They work fine. I think the narrow pulleys are intended for those round rubber belts you melt together. PU, maybe? There are also narrower V belts. I'll make it work.

I've wondered how much torque increase we get from speed reducers. Is it inverse to the speed reduction? Turns out it is. If your speed reducer provides 1:3 speed reduction, you're getting a 3:1 torque increase. (The following assumes a start up speed of 100 rpm at the motor) But, even though you can put a 30MM (basically 1.18 inch) pulley on your motor against a 3" hand wheel and end up with a final decrease of 1:2.5 (39 rpm) and corresponding torque increase, you're still better off throwing a 1:3 speed reducer in the middle. Adding the typical 2"/6" speed reducer to the above gives you a speed reduction and torque increase factor of a whopping 7.58. Most of what I've read indicates that servos want to run at or above 300 rpm for cooling. The setup imagined above with the speed reducer would be around 40 stitches per minute at a 300 rpm motor speed. (it's not only imagined, it's bolted onto my 111W153, patiently awaiting the 30MM pulley) duck.ai provided confirmation about the torque increase. Now properly credited, here's what it had to say: Understanding Torque and Speed in Pulley Systems Torque and Speed Relationship In a pulley reduction system, torque and speed have an inverse relationship. When the speed of the driven pulley decreases, the torque increases. This is due to the mechanical advantage provided by the pulley system. How It Works Larger Driven Pulley: If the driven pulley is larger than the driver pulley, it will turn more slowly. This results in increased torque at the output. Smaller Driven Pulley: Conversely, if the driven pulley is smaller, it will turn faster but produce less torque. Calculation of Torque The torque available at the driven pulley can be calculated using the following principles: Torque Multiplication: The torque at the driven pulley is multiplied by the ratio of the diameters of the pulleys. For example, if the driven pulley is twice the diameter of the driver pulley, the torque is effectively doubled, while the speed is halved. Practical Implications This principle is commonly used in various applications, such as: Automobiles: In low gear, the engine speed is high, but the wheels turn slowly, providing more torque for acceleration. Conveyor Systems: Slower speeds can help manage heavy loads without slipping. In summary, in a pulley reduction system, as speed decreases, torque increases, allowing for greater force to be applied at lower speeds. Sciencing aimsindustrial.com.au So, until someone comes up with a servo offering 7X more torque than current offerings and running at a minimum 50 to 100 rpm, torque increasing speed reducers are king.

I have no idea what the market is for saddle bags but pricing is a constant problem for the hobbyist turning pro. Price them to pay yourself a fair wage, make a profit on materials, cover your overhead and turn a profit for the business. I'm definitely interested in how this goes for you.

Remember the excesses of the 90's when the kiddies discovered all the things they could do could inflict on us with HTML? Don't do that ...

I did wonder ....

Pfaff says 134-35 needle system: https://www.pfaff-industrial.com/en/portfolio/sewing-machines/flat-bed-heavy-duty/pfaff1245 You'll then need to select a size to match your thread: https://tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html And then research the many different points available to decide what kind of look you want your stitches to have (scroll down about half way): https://www.techsew.com/us/blog/needle-buying-guide.html

Just what you'd expect, a paragraph with the heading tags I copied and another paragraph of me blathering about the tags. It might have to do with post count. Maybe the software doesn't let s user enter raw HTML until a certain threshold. I wonder if @Johanna knows off the top of her head? EDIT:I went through and deleted most of that back and forth, it was just clutter. I left enough that Johanna can see what we're talking about. It's ok here in Feedback and Suggestions.