Adler Cylinder Arm 49-2 Any Info, Manual or Singer Equivalent

[FizzyWizzy]

Hello, I am a newby to leather sewing machines. I am buying an Adler Cylinder Arm 49-2 and would love more information on it. I have been searching the net but no luck. Looking to see if Singer made an equivalent. Looking for a manual. And looking for any opinions. I have attached a picture.TIA

[Constabulary]

Singer 18-3 is the equivalent

[kgg]

9 hours ago, FizzyWizzy said:

And looking for any opinions.

First off what are you planning on sewing?

This machine is a right handed machine rather then the typical left handed machine, parts are going to be expensive, if they are still available.

Looking at the photo it appears to have a clutch motor and for better sewing control you will need to replace it with a servo motor about $200 Cad.

What is the asking price?

If this is going to be your only or first machine I would look at other options.

What part of Ontario are you located?

kgg

[Uwe]

Yep, it appears that the Singer 18 class is very similar, and @Constabulary beat me to it and very likely knows more about it than I do.

I also would recommend staying away from this model as a first machine. It may be a great machine and all, but it’s such an oddball machine that you’re essentially on your own figuring it out. At the same time, it may be valuable in a collector sense, since it’s such a rare vintage machine.

Here’s a manual I found for the Singer 18 class:

class_18.pdf

The images below are the only manual I could find for the original Adler 49. Unfortunately the good soul who photographed them wasn’t very good at it, so the quality is rather poor. It’s also in German. But it may be better than nothing.

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by Uwe

[Constabulary]

its rather a light duty machine for the shoe trade f.i. for sewing shoe uppers. Its not that you cannot sew other things on it but that is what the machine was designed for. The bobbins are fairly small.

I have a Singer 18 brochure (see attachment). The Singer 18-3 or Adler 49-2 are quite the same as the Class 18 shown in the brochure with the difference of having wheel feed instead of a feed dog.

Let us know what you are planing to sew (material thickness, product....) so I´m sure we can recommend a machine for your needs.

Singer 18-22 Broschüre.pdf

Edited November 10, 2023 by Constabulary

[FizzyWizzy]

On 11/9/2023 at 7:05 AM, kgg said:

First off what are you planning on sewing?

This machine is a right handed machine rather then the typical left handed machine, parts are going to be expensive, if they are still available.

Looking at the photo it appears to have a clutch motor and for better sewing control you will need to replace it with a servo motor about $200 Cad.

What is the asking price?

If this is going to be your only or first machine I would look at other options.

What part of Ontario are you located?

kgg

Thanks. Appreciate the comment about it being a right handed machine. It has a roller foot and a speed reducer. The price is $700. It would be my only machine for leather. I have a Pfaff sewing machine and a Juki server. I am located in Bobcaygeon. 

[FizzyWizzy]

@Uwe thank you for all your info and the copies of manuals. 

 

[FizzyWizzy]

19 hours ago, Constabulary said:

its rather a light duty machine for the shoe trade f.i. for sewing shoe uppers. Its not that you cannot sew other things on it but that is what the machine was designed for. The bobbins are fairly small.

I have a Singer 18 brochure (see attachment). The Singer 18-3 or Adler 49-2 are quite the same as the Class 18 shown in the brochure with the difference of having wheel feed instead of a feed dog.

Let us know what you are planing to sew (material thickness, product....) so I´m sure we can recommend a machine for your needs.

Singer 18-22 Broschüre.pdf 1.06 MB · 2 downloads

Thank you for advising its design purpose and that it is not intended for heavier work. I was concerned about that but had not been able to find the pertinent info on the net. All of the comments have convinced me to not follow through with the purchase. Thanks.

I am wanting to make bags in particular. The cylinder arm seemed to be good for maneuvering around right corners and three dimensional objects. 

Tomorrow I will measure the leather I have and provide the range in this post. 

Thanks again. 

[kgg]

12 minutes ago, FizzyWizzy said:

The price is $700. It would be my only machine for leather.

If I was looking for an old machine that was an oddity I would probably consider purchasing it as a keep sake. If I was looking for a something that would be a main stay machine with inexpensive parts / attachments I would not consider it.

Without knowing what you are planning on sewing it would be hard to give any suggestions as to what machine would be able to do the task???? wallets, belts, bags, holsters, leather over 3/8" thick. Also what is your budget??

kgg

 

 

Edited November 11, 2023 by kgg

[FizzyWizzy]

21 minutes ago, kgg said:

If I was looking for an old machine that was an oddity I would probably consider purchasing it as a keep sake. If I was looking for a something that would be a main stay machine with inexpensive parts / attachments I would not consider it.

Without knowing what you are planning on sewing it would be hard to give any suggestions as to what machine would be able to do the task???? wallets, belts, bags, holsters, leather over 3/8" thick. Also what is your budget??

kgg

 

 

Bags is my main focus but also belts and smaller items like wallets. I also would like to use it for upholstery projects. I wouldn't be looking to go over 3/8" even with two layers of leather. And my budget LOL I was hoping under $1000 but I also realize that I want the right machine for the job so I had better increase that to $2000. 

[MtlBiker]

On 11/10/2023 at 11:58 PM, FizzyWizzy said:

Bags is my main focus but also belts and smaller items like wallets. I also would like to use it for upholstery projects. I wouldn't be looking to go over 3/8" even with two layers of leather. And my budget LOL I was hoping under $1000 but I also realize that I want the right machine for the job so I had better increase that to $2000. 

I don't believe that you'd only be sewing through two layers of leather.  Sure you may have an outer leather and a lining, but you're not going to leave raw edges (with exceptions) and you'll be folding the edges inwards to make them nicely finished.  That's four layers already.  Likewise if you're making leather straps, fold to the middle once, and then fold again... four layers.  I've had as many as six layers.  Now you could always also buy a bell skiver and thin down the edges, but that's another expense and if I do say so myself, also quite a learning curve.

I do a lot of bags, purses, totes, etc.  Leather and Cordura and webbings.  Small items I often sew by hand, depending on the item.  My suggestion to you would be a good cylinder arm machine with compound (triple) feed, as well as an aluminum flatbed table attachment for it.  I think that would give you the most versatility.  A flatbed table attachment came with my Techsew 2750 Pro, but it was so awkward and time-consuming to install and remove it, that I quickly stopped using it.  Then I bought an after-market aluminum flatbed table attachment and it attaches with ONE screw and can be done in under a minute.  If I'd have had that as my first industrial, very likely I would have never bought my flatbed Consew 206RB-5.

I see you're in Canada... check out the Kobe brand which is a really good machine.  I would have bought one if it didn't mean either a long drive to pick it up or costly shipping.  I bought my Techsew because they're right here in Montreal and I was able to pick it up myself.  Juki is another (although expensive) option but it's one of the best and is often copied by the clone makers.  Sometimes you can be lucky and find a good condition used one.

Good luck!