Silvershadow Report post Posted March 21, 2023 Hello. I’ve been checking this forum for some time and found some use full information. Not long ago I found this machine (Pfaff 138) and gave it a complete teardown, a full clean and completely serviced it. As you can see from the picture, I also made it ‘portable’. I found some servo motor from China, instead of using an under table motor. I just had to make some modified foot pedal to operate it. I know it does not look perfect, but more unique and to be honest, I like it. For me, it looks super and I also tried some sewing with it and to be honest it is a very good machine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silvershadow Report post Posted March 21, 2023 Ok, when sewing with regular (thinner) thread, everything was ok, upper and bobbin tension was ok, but… when I tried sewing with thicker thread, then I run into a problem. I was using second bobbin case for use with thicker thread and had some problems regulating a bobbin tension. Then I noticed some difference of a thread route from the bobbin case and pass the rotary hook. When getting up a bobbin thread from bobbin, then the thread take a route B. But when some sewing was done, then it changed to route A. Because I had some tension problems, I thought that it was the problem the thicker thread ‘brakes/jams’ between a space of a rotary hook bracket, but as you can see, there is enough space. So, my question is, could somebody be kind enough to help me figure out which thread route is correct, route A or route B. Thank you and regards, Rok… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Quade Report post Posted March 22, 2023 (edited) I like your setup. I wondered how those integrated servo motors worked. I installed a "Worker-B" from Sailrite on the back of my Singer 211. Similar design goals. Your portable table looks terrific. Most machines seem to have an upper limit to the size of the thread they like. My Juki DDL-5550 doesn't really like much > Tex 70 or so. It'll sew but the tension is never perfect and it doesn't seem happy about it. With Tex 30-50 it works great. I wonder if you're running into something similar with this machine? When you use thinner thread, the thread you say works well, which route does it take? I didn't think this was something you normally needed to worry about. That the machine should route the thread correctly when you pull the bobbin thread up. Edited March 22, 2023 by Quade Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silvershadow Report post Posted March 22, 2023 Hello. 'Quade' thank you for your compliments I tried this motor and it works super, power is 750W, max speed is 4000 rpm (I use 600 rpm), has many settings, needle stop (up/down), light,… Could use a lower 550W but the price difference was not so big, so I went for bigger one. About the ‘table’, I used a Minitec profiles for stand and for the top, I completely did everything myself. Motor is fixed to a machine shaft, but it is blocked with a wooden wedge bellow, to fix it from turning. As you asked what happens with thinner thread, it doesn’t matter which route it takes. But, with thicker thread there is a problem if it takes route B. I did some research and found that the route A should be correct. I tried with two different bobbin cases (type A and B – see from the pictures) and when using type A, then with thicker thread problem appear in the place marked in pictures. In my opinion, only solution is to use type B bobbin case, when using thicker thread (I mostly use Gutterman thread thickness 100 and 40). Regards, Rok… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonInReno Report post Posted March 23, 2023 On 3/21/2023 at 7:56 AM, Silvershadow said: Because I had some tension problems, I thought that it was the problem the thicker thread ‘brakes/jams’ between a space of a rotary hook bracket, but as you can see, there is enough space. Thread may be getting caught there even though there’s room on the two sides. There is a little lever that should just nudge the bobbin case about the time thread is passing that gap so it isn’t pinched on the one side with no clearance - just adjust the lever so it creates equal gap on the two sides. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silvershadow Report post Posted March 23, 2023 Hello. 'DonInReno' I don't really follow you... Do you mean adjusting the hook bracket up and down like shown in the picture? Because setting left / right is not possible on this bracket. Also if you can see from the picture, this is a thicker thread and it looks like there is enough room all around this bracket - just in my opinion, but I could try re-setting it. Regards, Rok... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
