AlZilla

I have an inexpensive, generic servo motor that got damaged in transit. The seller credited it back and told me to keep it. Once the replacement gets here, I'll get it off the machine and take it apart. The motor works but rattles and thumps. The tighter the belt, the louder. I'm thinking a damaged front bearing (the damage was a very hard shot to the pulley area that drove it through the styrofoam and cardboard). Also, how interchangeable are the control boxes? The wiring and pinouts of every one I've had my hands on is the same. I'm thinking maybe a higher rated box, say 750 watts, might be ok running a 550 watt motor?

For me, my big machine stitches the same in both directions. My 111Ws don't have reverse so either I do the turn around trick or leave long tails that I backstitch or tie off by hand. It all works.

I like that sewn on setup more than the snap. I haven't sat down with this project yet.

Run some stitches without thread in scrap or cardboard, too. It's an exact template of your current stitch length setup.

Yep, Goldshot Ron has it. Rookie 441 operator here and I've struggled with those backstitches, too. I've started figuring where 3rd stitch will end (4th hole), hover my needle exactly there and backstitch 3 stitches (drop the needle 3 times). Then, with the needle buried, drop the lever to forward and go. Seems to make a consistent decent stitch. I trim my tails with a pair of nail clippers. If there's any doubt, I use a pin or needle to drop just a little super glue in the hole where the cut tail pops through.

@Dawn Fiorelli You're not going to get any action this way. You should post a proper For Sale ad in The Marketplace. We will require a price, among other things, please review the rules posted at the top of that forum. You could post a question in the Leather Sewing Machine forum with pictures, if you'd like some help establishing a fair asking price.

Maybe motorizing the patcher will be all you need. If not, buy whichever machine will replace the most work for you. Sewing machines are a deep, expensive rabbit hole.

Of course, I had to run the numbers. A 30MM motor pulley, (2) 2:6 reducers and a 3.5" hand wheel gives a 1:31.5 reduction. 100 RPM becomes 3.2 at the hand wheel. 20 seconds per stitch!

Exactly, for a production machine that has to work when needed, that's the wrong choice. As a very cool old machine, it's exactly the right machine. I'd love to have it but I wouldn't be anywhere near $1200. Less than half that, to me. Others will differ. There just aren't that many people who collect large chunks of cast iron.

Welcome aboard. I'd love to do some upholstery and car seats, if I could discipline myself to focus. Even in my rural part of the world, the few who do it, make good money. What do you use for sewing machines? There are many sewing machine addicts here ... Please post some of your repair work over in "Show Off", when you can. I don't think we get much of that here.

Just replacing that reinforcement on the inside would let you restore the shape of the button hole. Maybe even carry it around to the front as a decorative element. Just ruminating, really. That repair is out of my meager skill set.

If you wanted a certain minimum speed, couldn't you just start the gradation at that point? Then have a smoother ride up to max?

Soon as I read "... reached up ..." parts of my anatomy sucked up into my abdomen. My beard is long enough that I tuck it in my shirt if I'm using a dremel or other spinny thing in my hands.

Will you ship worldwide? Or just US? We have members everywhere.

I've got a machine with a servo that does 100RPM startup and a speed reducer. Today I counted 14 stitches in 30 seconds. 50RPM would give me 7! But, I'm slow enough.

This is usually such a friendly place. He's made no secret that he's the marketing guy, not the tech guy. Would torque increase the same way speed reduces? As in 3:1 on speed equals 1:3 on torque? I'm definitely skeptical that a motor in this size range can achieve the same increase as 750 Watts with a 1:3 speed reducer.

I appreciate the rundown on airbrushes. I definitely learned some things, but for the few times a year I'd use one, I'm not buying, maintaining and trying to remember where I put, an airbrush. I'll post back here if I get passable results. Overspray and spatter might make me happy. Perfection is just terminally boring.

Thanks, @fredk. A plant mister is easier to get, too!

I like the effects that an airbrush can provide. The fade-in edges, etc. But have no desire for an airbrush. Had one ages ago and never again. But, could an atomizer or spray bottle be an alternative? I see small bottles sold for perfumes, essential oils and the like. Anyone tried it?

That armored tee-shirt saved you. Sucked up the energy of the spinning bit. EDIT: 7th grade wood shop teacher was missing a couple of fingers and had a scar on the same wrist, having almost lost the hand. Years earlier his necktie got caught in a wood lathe. Maybe that's why I don't have all the great war stories you guys do ...

Yeah, I knew somebody would spot that I burnished before I glued ... Normally, I would glue/sand/burnish. It also would have flattened that edge and avoided the little stitching hiccup on the back. Appreciate the comments ...

Yeah, mine also take a bit before that servo light blinks out. All of them. If I watch, they all flash "err 2". For me, "Off" means lights out. Especially on that 441 clone! EDIT: I forgot we were talking about those torque monster clutch motors. Absolutely, if that bad mother is spinning, it's "ON".

Thanks, guys. In the harsh light of pictures, it looks like I could decrease my presser foot pressure.

Have you looked at everything the thread touches and slides across to be sure there's not a burr somewhere? Come to think of it, have you looked to be sure the thread is feeding smoothly from the spool?

I think my next project is going to be fabricating a couple of hinges out of angle iron. It is a genuine PITA trying to work on this thing, flopping around on the bench ...