fibersport

What kind of motor does it have? Clutch motors 'MIGHT" be able to be lubricated, servo motors most likely not. Does it run smoothly and quietly? Again, some info on it might help.

Wondering if your linkage is set correctly, you might just be turning the motor on but not moving the lever down enough to actually speed it up, that might explain why it runs without a belt but not when you install the belt - no load vs. load on the motor.

Is the motor the same voltage and frequency that you have at your outlet? Here in the USA most home electrical is 120 volt 60 Hz, I'm not sure what it is in Israel, just make sure you have the correct motor.

I'll just throw out a thought that popped into my head while reading this - any chance you're feeding the thread off the bobbin on the wrong side? I have no knowledge of your machine but would think a reversed bobbin would affect tension which could then possibly tear the thread?

could be for a needle positioner or possibly a small LED light, can you find the instructions as they should say what it's for.

I'm not familiar with the Juki line but my Pfaf fit right into the opening that had my Singer, I do believe the openings are pretty standard although you might have to tweak things a little.

Correct, anything in that list that says H3 will work. I see you're in Europe so I would think the metric system might be the popular size to find. I use what I think is Singer size numbering, 14, 19, 22 etc. I bought mine from https://www.ebay.com/str/cutexsewingsupplies but you might be able to find something more local as I don't know if they will ship to you. Again, feel free to ask questions or send me a private message if you wish.

Yes, the needle is a 134-35. The size will depend on the material and thread you will be using. Determining what all the needle numbers mean is a learning experience. The length is critical to having the machine in proper time. I would read up on the machine, there is a lot of information out there even though the machine is no longer made. They are still great machines though. Here is the breakdown of the letters of your machine: H3 = top feed lift 5.5mm, fabric clearance 11.0mm, C = medium-heavy materials, L=leather, M=safety overload, N=6mm stitch length max. The belt length is based on the pulley sizes and distance between the pulley centers. If you are going to add a servo motor, you will need to change the belt length. You can use possibly a round extension cord to measure for the belt length, it should be close. If nothing else, possibly take your existing blet to a car parts store and compare. If you want a needle positioner, you will need to get a digital servo motor. There are analog servo motors but they will not work with a needle positioner. I can't tell you if the needle positioner will work with the Pfaff 145 but it will depend on the diameters of the adapter and the center of the balance wheel. I have a Pfaff 545 which is very similar. I too installed a servo motor but went with an analog model with the smaller 45mm pulley. It really allows great control of the needle, so much so I don't feel the need to use a needle positioner but that's just me. Good luck with your machine, I have a lot of information on these machines as I'm new to it too. Let me know if I can help -

Can you explain what benefit there is to the four motion feed of the feed dog. I have a 145 and have replaced it with a 545. Would love a 1245 but I have to stop somewhere ....

Since this was such a popular p[ost, I thought I would give an update. I decided to take the plunge and upgrade my existing servo motor to the Consew 550-1 analog servo motor from Cowboy Bob. I also took Wizcrafts comment and ordered it with a 45mm pulley. I received it yesterday and disappeared to the basement for the evening. I couldn't install it with my speed reducer without drilling holes in my table to I decided to try it motor only. That required a new belt so I picked that up this morning and got it all put together. I have to say it gives me the ramp up speed that I was looking for. It's nice and slow which allows me to back tack at the start and not really feel like I need 3 hands to get things started. It's nice and quiet but it does seem to have a little less torque than what I'm used to - granted the other servo motor I had started at a higher speed and really could not be started slowly. Overall I'm very happy with it. Down the road I may reinstall my speed reducer just to see if that helps with the start up torque. For now though, I'll concentrate on enjoying nice smooth starts. Next on the learning curve is using the max speed settings to see how that affects things. Thanks to everyone for their comments and sharing their experiences.

I agree that the circled part isn't the issue, that is what the bore of the bearing sits on, if the bearing is turning on that there's a big problem. Also, I don't think the flash on that end cap or end bell is causing it, look at the distance from the bearing to the armature.

Is your belt too tight? A sightly loose belt with help absorb shock and vibration. How about a bad bearing in the motor?

If you do a google search for "pfaff 1245 adjustment manual" you will find a link to a section on the pfaff site https://www.pfaff-industrial.com/db-downloads/technicaldoc/justieranleitungen/1200/ja_1245_1246_10-15_en.pdf/@@download/file/JA_1245_1246_10-15_EN.pdf that has the manual. I know it's for the newer 1245 but I used it to adjust my 145 and 545. Follow the steps in order and you should solve your problem.

Honestly it seems everyone is really proud of their sewing machines due to the current economy. I would look on facebook marketplace, there are a ton of machines listed. I would think you can find a decent machine complete with a table and motor for around $500, many are listed for much more but then they are still listed after many weeks and will take some dealing to get them down. Keep in mind this is only my opinion ....

It really sounds like it's related to the cogged belt. After time, rubber and plastic do wierd things. I would bet the teeth are all gummed up with sticky palstic/rubber, whatever the belt is made of. I would try to get a little silicone spray on the teeth, but I think a better solution is to replace the belt after claeing all the teeth on the machine.

Again, I'm not looking to maintain the slow speed, only to have a slow ramp up speed,

It's a Pfaff 545. I already have a servo motor on it but it's a few years old and probably a low end one. I'm not looking to sew at that speed, I just don't want to have the motor start turning at a high speed for the first few stitiches. I built a speed reducer that is about a 5:1 ratio which really helps, I'm just looking to see if I can make it any better in terms of a slow ramp up speed. The higher the max speed setting on mine, the less control I have on my ramp up speed. It's like anything else, the less you spend the less you get, so my less expensive servo motor gives me less control.

Yes, that's the one. I'm still on the fence over the digital and analog motors, or do I just sit tight and live with what I have - decisions decisions ..... I really think all would be fine, I just need to dive in and spend more time sewing, if only my job didn't require that I be there every day! Thanks again for your input Wiz -

Got some interesting information tonight from Reliable. I was told that the Quietsew 6000SM has a minimum speed of 500 rpm. Different pulleys are able to be installed as well but the needle positioner will not work with different size pulleys. I guess the benefit of the 6000sm might be the controllable startup speed. It would be interesting to find out the minimum speed of the Consew 550 (and clones).

Great find and really nice looking CJ too! Since the RB-5 is still being made, couldn't you just buy a new feed dog and plate? It sure would be easier, and I'm one for doing everything myself. By the way, I'm giving you a Jeep wave, I've got an '84 CJ that will be getting new seat covers soon as my first real sewing project!

Exactly. I built a speed reducer and would loose some benefit using a 60mm pulley. However, I would try the motor without a speed reducer first to see how I like it. If it's not right, I can add my speed reducer and or look for a smaller pulley.

From what I can find, the original pulley on the Reliable/Sailrite motor is 60mm, I am currently running a 45 or 50mm pulley. Sailrite specifies that you should not run their motor with their "Monster pulley", not sure if it's because of weight or diameter. I do know that the Sailrite motor comes with a small diameter toothed pulley so I would think going with a smaller grooved pulley would work as well.

Has anyone installed a smaller drive pulley on a digital servo motor and if so, were there any issues?

GerryR - as they say (not that I would), many ways to skin a cat. I think your method would be great for a system that is run full time as it sounds very robust, it sounds like it would be at home in an industrial environment. Right now, I don't have the time to devote to yet another project putting everything together for the drive system - I like to tinker but I'm more mechanical than electronic, but still I like your approach.

Gump - that's what I'm looking for, however my eye's aren't that good, I would probably sew through my finger! Your comment reminded me of a video I once saw of someone changing a fan belt on an old VW beetle with a screwdriver when it was running. I've been doing some reading up on the Sailrite Workhorse, they too say that you can basically go stitch by stitch when starting up or in intricate areas. Any idea what the minimum speed might be of your motor, I can only find range and a maximum but not a minimum. Maybe because you can't really measure the minimum as it's ramp speed is variable so they just say it starts out at 0?