For more torque, I need what?.....

[Beanwood]

I'm stil playing with my Brother LZ1-B651.

It does 12mm zigzag, and it is not designed to sew big thick and heavy stuff.... However I need to close off 'loose ends' of webbing, and that works really well by zigzag stitching them onto another piece of webbing .

From time to time though it get's stuck, so I need to increase the torque somehow, as well as slow the speed.

I've made and installed a 6" to 2" speed reducer, and it's now slow enough, but still doesn't have the punch I need to push through several layers of webbing.

It has the original clutch motor, so I'm inclined to think installing a servo motor is the way to go - is that right or am I wasting my time? If it's right, is there much difference between a 3/4p or 1hp motor?

I'm UK based, so will need to go with something from over here, rather than the forum sponsors/contributors.

 

[Constabulary]

Make sure the V-Belts are tight enough and do not slip. But anyway - servo motors are the best option nowadays.

I run my Singer 111G156 with a 750W servo and small pulley and with a 1:3 speed reducer and it punches trough 10mm thick Mil Spec cotton webbing at slow speed - just saying...

Back then I bought my JACK servo from College Sewing in the UK.

Edited February 3, 2023 by Constabulary

[Beanwood]

25 minutes ago, Constabulary said:

Make sure the V-Belts are tight enough and do not slip. But anyway - servo motors are the best option nowadays.

I run my Singer 111G156 with a 750W servo and small pulley and with a 1:3 speed reducer and it punches trough 10mm thick Mil Spec cotton webbing at slow speed - just saying...

Back then I bought my JACK servo from College Sewing in the UK.

Perfect  thanks - I'm just musing on adding that £140 to my order, and didn't want to commit that cash until someone confirmed I'm not talking rubbish 

I guess I was just trying to be cheap, and go for the 550W ...

[cynthiab]

If your LZ1 is a Chinese clone of the sailrite LZ1, the working parts/castings are very weak. I have hade to replace a ton of parts in mine ( with sailrite parts) so that when I tighten a screw it dosent strip out ( I'm not that strong) or when I sew through tough stuff the mechanics don't snap. 

Just my experience... 

[Beanwood]

Thanks @cynthiab no it's not a clone - it probably predates the Sailrite by quite a few years, and is Japanese made, so is tough as old boots.

 

[dikman]

To be honest I'm not sure that you would notice that much difference between a 550w and 750w motor if you use a speed reducer too. Having said that, if the price difference isn't too great by all means get the 750w.

Speed reducers - you can get very slow speed, with gobs of torque, by varying the pulleys in the reducer, but at the expense of top speed. On one of my machines I fitted an 8" pulley in place of the handwheel, a 2'" on the motor and between them a reducer running a 1 3/4" and a 4". A bit extreme, perhaps, but I could get 1 stitch every 2 1/2 seconds! My favourite method, if possible, is to replace the handwheel with a large pulley and a small one on the motor, I find this is a fairly simple method to use.

[DonInReno]

A 3:1 reducer and servo motor is a good combination.   I’ve had a small servo with 3:1 on a standard size hand wheel and wished it would sew a slightly slower on the low end so went to a 7:1 reducer and that was a little too much.  I really like larger handwheels and think it’s just perfect combined with a 3:1 and small pulley on the servo.  

[Michiel]

20 hours ago, Beanwood said:

I'm stil playing with my Brother LZ1-B651

Is this similar to the brother LZ-B652? (The early sailrite)

That is a very nice zig zag machine

With most zig zag machines the hook is too early at the left sticht and late at the right stitch

the hook of this machine goes a little bit faster when making the right stitch and slower on the left one (you can see the mechanisme at work on the underside of the machine)

its very helpful with this 12 mm stich

it doesnot have the walking foot

but i know this machine and the new original sailrite:

the vintage brother has much more quality

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Michiel

[Beanwood]

2 hours ago, Michiel said:

Is this similar to the brother LZ-B652? (The early sailrite)

That is a very nice zig zag machine

With most zig zag machines the hook is too early at the left sticht and late at the right stitch

the hook of this machine goes a little bit faster when making the right stitch and slower on the left one (you can see the mechanisme at work on the underside of the machine)

its very helpful with this 12 mm stich

it doesnot have the walking foot

but i know this machine and the new original sailrite:

the vintage brother has much more quality

 

Thanks @Michiel - I mistyped in my original post - it's actually a TZ1- B651 - very similar indeed to the B652.

As you say - no walking foot unfortunately, but it's very solid, and parts are still readily available.

 

[Beanwood]

7 hours ago, DonInReno said:

 I really like larger handwheels and think it’s just perfect combined with a 3:1 and small pulley on the servo.  

Looks like I'm on the right track then. How do I get a larger handwheel - is it literally just finding a larger pulley, and usnig that as a wheel