Adler 5-37 Only Bottom Feed? (Ser.nr. 30265)

[sandyt]

Hi you guys,

I already own a few heavy leatermachines but the only thing I am missing is a machine with an arm for thick leather.

Now I came across an Adler 5-37. With treadle stand. So no motor. I got a manual from Trox about Adler class 4 and 5 but I am not certain about this perticular one. Does it only have bottom feed? I would like to have a double feed machine. I called the old Lady but she can not answer my question.

Somebody any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Sandy.

adler 5-37 voorkant.bmpadler 5-37 zijkant.bmp

[CowboyBob]

I'm almost certain those will only sew to 1/2"

Bob

[sandyt]

I guess that would be enough for me Bob. 3 Layers of 4mm (0.16'' ?? have to get me a conversion chart mm-->inch) will be probably max. The only thing I am not sure about is the feed mechanism. I guess I will have to take a look at the machine myself. It's a two hour drive thoug. Stupid sewing machines;) .

Sandy.

[CowboyBob]

Sandy, I forgot were you live,1/2"=13mm. This machine has a hopping foot that lifts up & travles foward as the needle goes in the leather,as you sew thicker you need to turn the screw in the front in more so it will clear the leather,the problem is the thicker you sew & more lift you need the foot can hit the bottom of the needlebar unless you put in a longer needle.

Take your 16mm of leather along & try it out.

Bob

Edited August 24, 2011 by sewmun

[amuckart]

For a machine in this range, you might want to look for something with a roller foot.

1" = 25.4mm Attached is a spreadsheet (libreoffice .odf format, zipped) and a PDF of conversions in 64ths of an inch (a leatherworker's "oz") to mm and in 48ths of an inch (a leatherworker's "iron") to mm with common thicknesses highlighed and noted for easier visual searching.

Leather Thickness Conversion.pdf

Leather Thickness Conversion.ods.zip

[Trox]

HI Sandy,

Why do you not ask me about this? I have the same machine.. It is a 5- 27 not a 5 -37. I am 99 % sure Adler did not make that sub class. It is like Bob said bottom feed with a jump foot. It is made for leather work and this feed system work much better on leather than a roller foot (I have both systems) mine sews 14 mm thick leather, but I have modified the machine with a V belt, strong motor and speed reducer. Up to 12 mm stitch length, from size tkt 20 to 6 polyester thread.

This is a very good machine, but parts are hard to find. It uses the same shuttle as your class 4, and you can get new Japanese shuttles for them to. Other parts will (normally) not break. Look at page 13 in the manual, about the " Mitghende Nähfuß " Send me a PM or a email for more questions.

Trox

.

Hi you guys,

I already own a few heavy leatermachines but the only thing I am missing is a machine with an arm for thick leather.

Now I came across an Adler 5-37. With treadle stand. So no motor. I got a manual from Trox about Adler class 4 and 5 but I am not certain about this perticular one. Does it only have bottom feed? I would like to have a double feed machine. I called the old Lady but she can not answer my question.

Somebody any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Sandy.

adler 5-37 voorkant.bmpadler 5-37 zijkant.bmp

[Trox]

The above thread sizes is metric.

Trox

[sandyt]

Thanks you guys!!

Sewmun: This is an American Forum so I have to adept. Amuckart helped me out with the conversions.

Amuckart: Thanks for that great chart. I printed it out and keep it next to my pc.

trox: I knew you had a machine like that. But I didnt want to be too annoying. You helped me out alot already with that adler i Bought.

This machine sounds great too. But it isn't realy cheap (350 euro's). It's on a treadle stand so I have to buy a motor, some pulley's, v-belt and a frequency converter.

But next week I will have a look at the machine. If she can drop the price a little bit, the machine is my new toy.

We will see.

So thanks alot you guys! I will post it if I bought the machine.

Greetings from Holland,

Sandy.

[Trox]

Hi Sandy,

It is no trouble for sure; we are all here to help each other. You have been lucky so far, but you cannot expect to get every machine free Sandy. This is a cylinder arm machine, much more popular and harder to find. 350 Euro is not expensive; I have seen them priced four times as much. Remember it is not only leather workers who want them, many Horse people want those machine too repair their tack. I see the hand wheel is modified and turned on the machine; I had planned to do the same on my machine. I would love to get a close up photo of the groove in the hand wheel.

Trox

Thanks you guys!!

Sewmun: This is an American Forum so I have to adept. Amuckart helped me out with the conversions.

Amuckart: Thanks for that great chart. I printed it out and keep it next to my pc.

trox: I knew you had a machine like that. But I didnt want to be too annoying. You helped me out alot already with that adler i Bought.

This machine sounds great too. But it isn't realy cheap (350 euro's). It's on a treadle stand so I have to buy a motor, some pulley's, v-belt and a frequency converter.

But next week I will have a look at the machine. If she can drop the price a little bit, the machine is my new toy.

We will see.

So thanks alot you guys! I will post it if I bought the machine.

Greetings from Holland,

Sandy.

[sandyt]

I have been looking at that wheel a few times but didn't know what was 'wrong'. Now you are mentioning it I see it! Haha...

When I go there I will make a picture of the groove.

If my boss pays in time I will have a look this weekend. If not, the next weekend.

I guess it's quite the same as the Adler 105-25 isn't it?

I know (have read) for you guys 350 euro's isn't realy expensive but I gues the prices over here are a bit lower?

Very very few people in Holland sew by themselves.

I think one of the 'problems' is that the houses are small, 'big' houses are rediculous expensive in Holland so people don't have much space to store such machines.

There is an electric Adler 105 for sale now for 'only' 500 euro's. Looks realy nice.

If someone is interested give me a PM for that link.

Sandy.

[Trox]

Hi Sandy,

Yes it is the forerunner to the 105-25, Is has some improvements, but it is very similar. The 105 has a bigger bobbin, the take-up lever is on the front, but most important you can still get parts for it. Nevertheless, they perform the same, the steel quality might be better on the old one. I have a never Adler 204- 64 needle feed, (same as the 205 but flatbed). The old class 5 is a much better sewing machine than the newer 204. Better built, better quality on parts, it performs much better to.

Many people who have the 204 or 205-64 needle feed brag about how good they are on leather. I do not think so, they do not like to sew uphill or down hill (increase or decrease thickness); it is no good for that. However, that is no problem for the 5-27; it jumps right up or down. The stitch looks uniform and good to. The only problem is the markings the feed dog makes on the backside of the work. To avoid that you must buy a triple feed machine and drop the feed dog down (or with a special needle plate like the Chinese “441” leather machines have)

500 Euro for the 105 machine is a very good price, they sold a 105-64 private here for 2850 Euro last year. I know of one to, a 105-25 for sale in north Sweden for 390 Euro. But it is a 2000 km drive from me. And I am not buying an other leather machine if it is not an upgrade, it must be a 205-370 or a 411 clone. The Chinese machines affect the prices; you get much for the money there.

Trox

I have been looking at that wheel a few times but didn't know what was 'wrong'. Now you are mentioning it I see it! Haha...

When I go there I will make a picture of the groove.

If my boss pays in time I will have a look this weekend. If not, the next weekend.

I guess it's quite the same as the Adler 105-25 isn't it?

I know (have read) for you guys 350 euro's isn't realy expensive but I gues the prices over here are a bit lower?

Very very few people in Holland sew by themselves.

I think one of the 'problems' is that the houses are small, 'big' houses are rediculous expensive in Holland so people don't have much space to store such machines.

There is an electric Adler 105 for sale now for 'only' 500 euro's. Looks realy nice.

If someone is interested give me a PM for that link.

Sandy.

[sandyt]

Hi Trox,

What do you mean with drop the feed dog down? Like taking it out so it has no function? Or let the feed dog push less hard by making the needle plate thicker?

2000 km is a hell of a drive for a machine!!! Haha.

Sandy.

[Trox]

Hi Sandy,

The height is adjustable, set it to the same level as the needle plate or a little under. It still helps, but it will not make those ugly markings. On those 411 Clones, you get special needle plates that cover the feed dog.

I am an old truck driver but 2000 km is far, especially when you have a similar machine at home.

I drove steady route on Holland for two years, Oslo- Holland once a week. My forwarder in Holland was a company called Rutex in Alpen an D`Rein (many years ago). I have been everywhere in your Holland and a like it very much. By the way, I’m sure we have bigger houses and space in Norway, but my house is full of machines to.

Trox

Hi Trox,

What do you mean with drop the feed dog down? Like taking it out so it has no function? Or let the feed dog push less hard by making the needle plate thicker?

2000 km is a hell of a drive for a machine!!! Haha.

Sandy.

[sandyt]

Oke Trox, now I get it.

Rutex logistics still excists by the way. I realy envy and admire international truck drivers. I could never drive that far. Once I drove 1000 km to Germany on Holiday. I will never ever do that again. I guess my old and rusty 82' Range Rover doesn't have the right seats for that distance haha..

If sewingmachines was my only hobby I would be oke with the small house. But there are a few way to big planetary mixers and meat mincers here and there also. They al compete for space! And than there are the fishing rods...................... and...................

I realy have to cut some hobbies down because the sewingmachine hobby is getting to big.

sandy.

[Trox]

I still exist, This was some 20 years a go. I Can still drive 1000 km in my old volvo 245 for a sewing machine/ leather machine with out sleep, no problemo.I think it because of where I was born we had to drive 300 km to the next town. In Benelux there it is no spaces between citys. This weekend fishing trip is about 600 km drive, It is normal for. I also have fishing for a hobby, mostly fly fishing for trout. But also sea fishing from boat. What is a planetary mixer? and meat mincers? I do not know.

Trox

.

Oke Trox, now I get it.

Rutex logistics still excists by the way. I realy envy and admire international truck drivers. I could never drive that far. Once I drove 1000 km to Germany on Holiday. I will never ever do that again. I guess my old and rusty 82' Range Rover doesn't have the right seats for that distance haha..

If sewingmachines was my only hobby I would be oke with the small house. But there are a few way to big planetary mixers and meat mincers here and there also. They al compete for space! And than there are the fishing rods...................... and...................

I realy have to cut some hobbies down because the sewingmachine hobby is getting to big.

sandy.

[sandyt]

Took a day off today to have a look at the machine. I Just couldn't wait for tomorrow. I bought it. It sewed realy smooth. Spare needles and bobbins.

I already bought all the stuff to make it electric powered, but now I don't know if I want to mess with it. I like the looks off it some how. It's not it's original stand. This one also misses the footlift lever. I don't mind.

Here's a pic of the groove you mentioned Trox. I guess its made for a V-belt. Or the leather belt is to small. It falls right in. A v-belt fits perfectly.

Also bought a Frabona sole stitcher. Didn't have this one yet.

Anybody interested in an Adler 20-2? He also had this one for sale. 500 euro's. Good price I guess? PM me for more info. Also a few patchers.

Sandy.

I forgot. A planetary mixer is a machine to kneed dough, whip cream, or mix batter. A meat mincer is a machine to make minced meat. For making sausage and meatballs and such.

Edited September 2, 2011 by sandyt

[sandyt]

I'm sorry. Pics are a little to big.

[amuckart]

Frobana/Gritzner are neat machines, built like clocks. Useless for anything other than outsoling shoes but quite good at that if you can get needles for them.

[Trox]

Hi Sandy,

Congratulations with the new machine.

About the belt groove; it must be flat in the bottom for a V belt, this one looks like it is.

It is not easy to see on the pic. The original grooves are V shaped, without a flat bottom. A V belt will twist it self upside down in it.

I have that problem on my machine, but I have used the V belt for a long time and it is still fine.

I need to have much tension on it to keep it in the groove, and I am afraid the machine bearings will wear out. That is why I want to make a new groove live yours.

Adler never stops to amaze me, when I think I know every model they produced. An other one always turns up. This sub class 5-37 is not in the list of subclasses in my class 5 partlist or in the Dürkopp Adler export list of sewing machine classes.

I have never been able to find a complete inventory of all the machines they made. Even of the modern 205 and 204 machines, it keeps popping up new sub classes all the time, subclasses who are never mention any place. I think a lot was lost in the WW2, but after war, it is the same story to.

If anybody have any information about this please share it with us.

Thanks

Trox

That class 20-2 is a bottom feed with low lift, sewing only up to 16 mm thick according to my information. I guess it could be modified the same way that Sewmun explained about the Singer 7 class, it still would not be a good leather machine.

Sandy is you a chef or do you produce food for sale? Or do you just have to many kids feed?

Trox

[sandyt]

Used such machines for knife sheats and dress belts once in a while. Nowadays I use other machines for that but I Like to 'collect' those small machines. I like to see all the moving parts to work. Junker sd28 and the Pearson #6 are my favorite so far. Needle and awl machines are very cool to watch too.

By the way, needles are pretty easy to find overhere? 4 or 5 euro's each. They are short and strong so they don't break easily.

Sandy.

[sandyt]

Hi Trox,

The grovve has a flat bottom. See the pic.

I know what you mean with that twisting of the v-belt. I had the same problem with that adler 4 flatbed I bought. But it only happended a few times in the beginning. Now it doen't occur anymore?? Don't know why. It needs a lot of tension alright.

Don't know if you already know this, but that Frobana outsole stitcher takes the same bobins as the adler's I have. Shuttle looks almost the same too. It looks like the Frobana shuttle is grinded down a little. I will give it a try once to fit the frobana shuttle in the Adler. Just for curiosity.

What is the general use for those BIG Adler 20's? They are huge! I guess you could call them 'semi' long arm.

I am not a chef. Only have 1 son. BIG one though!!!! Eats definitly for 2. But I don't make large quantities with those kitchenmachines. Those machines are just another hobby, just like those sewing machines. For instance, I have a hydraulic sausage stuffer wich can take 20 kilo's of meat. But I never put more than 4 kilo's in it., haha.

Sandy.

[Trox]

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for the pic, what is the measurement of the groove? You cannot machine too much of the hand wheel, it is not that thick. I do not want to weaken it, I want to make a small groove, but the groove for the speed reducer is for a 9 mm belt. It has to be the same as that. A other solution is to buy a new pulley

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=26086&st=0&p=164598&hl=+tractor%20+supply%20+pulley&fromsearch=1entry164598

Or buy a Cowboy mega flywheel http://www.tolindsewmach.com/cb-acc-pack.html and make it fit the class 5.

I do not want to use a tractor pulley and damage my exiting hand wheel, But use a 205 /204 wheel or a mega wheel would be the best thing. The mega wheel have larger diameter and will add torque in addition to having the right groove.

So you bought the Frobana machine to, Is It good for something else than shoes? I did not know it had the same shuttle, I know nothing about that machine. But I guess it because that Adler 5 / Sing. 45K shuttle was the industry standard in that time. Just as the big shuttle used in Adler 205 and Juki 441 is now.

About the Adler class 20, who is the same as Singer class 7 was used for the biggest jobs in canvas. Tents , awnings and parachutes. Big industrial buffing wheels etc. This one has a small hub, the bigger ones have 40 mm lift. Some of the 7 class had alternating pressers like the 7-33, and was used by saddlers for harness work. Some was modified as Sewmun (Toledo Bob) told us. http://www.duerkopp-adler.com/export/sites/duerkoppadler/commons/download/download-text-attachments/hist_kl.pdf and http://www.industrialsewmachine.com/webdoc1/used/used-brochures/7class.htm

By the way, I did a Google search on Toledo Bob to find his web site. Just for fun, I wrote “Toledo Bob” instead of Toledo industrial sewing machine. And I found “Toledo Bob and the rusty Zipper blues band“, maybe Wizcraft and Sewmun have started an industrial blues band, Ha Ha. I know that Wizcraft has played in a Blues band and he always refer to Bob Kowar as “Toledo Bob”

Trox

Hi Trox,

The grovve has a flat bottom. See the pic.

I know what you mean with that twisting of the v-belt. I had the same problem with that adler 4 flatbed I bought. But it only happended a few times in the beginning. Now it doen't occur anymore?? Don't know why. It needs a lot of tension alright.

Don't know if you already know this, but that Frobana outsole stitcher takes the same bobins as the adler's I have. Shuttle looks almost the same too. It looks like the Frobana shuttle is grinded down a little. I will give it a try once to fit the frobana shuttle in the Adler. Just for curiosity.

What is the general use for those BIG Adler 20's? They are huge! I guess you could call them 'semi' long arm.

I am not a chef. Only have 1 son. BIG one though!!!! Eats definitly for 2. But I don't make large quantities with those kitchenmachines. Those machines are just another hobby, just like those sewing machines. For instance, I have a hydraulic sausage stuffer wich can take 20 kilo's of meat. But I never put more than 4 kilo's in it., haha.

Sandy.

[sandyt]

The groove is 10mm wide. The depth is 7mm. The wheel still looks strong enough. I only now realize that the grooves on that Adler 4 ftatbed are for round belts and all the grooves on the Adler 5 are all for v-belts.

All of my upholstery machines have those very big pulley's. I buy them at ATD. They are fixed with the taperlock system. Works very easy. No need for drilling or whatever. costs about 50 euro's. Without the matching v-belt.

I only bought that Frobana because I like that machines mechanism and it was pretty cheap wil new thread. I payed 50 euro's. The thread alone is 22 euro's overhere without shipping costs. You could use those machines for dress belts and pouches and stuff. Just as a lot of people use the the junkers and pederson's for. Only these needles are cheaper and easier to come by overhere.

An Adler 20 with 40mm lift sounds great. Don't realy need it but I would sure like to play with one sometime!

Maybe the band hired Toledo Bob to replace the rusty zipper!!

Sandy.

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for the pic, what is the measurement of the groove? You cannot machine too much of the hand wheel, it is not that thick. I do not want to weaken it, I want to make a small groove, but the groove for the speed reducer is for a 9 mm belt. It has to be the same as that. A other solution is to buy a new pulley

Or buy a Cowboy mega flywheel and make it fit the class 5.

I do not want to use a tractor pulley and damage my exiting hand wheel, But use a 205 /204 wheel or a mega wheel would be the best thing. The mega wheel have larger diameter and will add torque in addition to having the right groove.

So you bought the Frobana machine to, Is It good for something else than shoes? I did not know it had the same shuttle, I know nothing about that machine. But I guess it because that Adler 5 / Sing. 45K shuttle was the industry standard in that time. Just as the big shuttle used in Adler 205 and Juki 441 is now.

About the Adler class 20, who is the same as Singer class 7 was used for the biggest jobs in canvas. Tents , awnings and parachutes. Big industrial buffing wheels etc. This one has a small hub, the bigger ones have 40 mm lift. Some of the 7 class had alternating pressers like the 7-33, and was used by saddlers for harness work. Some was modified as Sewmun (Toledo Bob) told us. and

By the way, I did a Google search on Toledo Bob to find his web site. Just for fun, I wrote "Toledo Bob" instead of Toledo industrial sewing machine. And I found "Toledo Bob and the rusty Zipper blues band", maybe Wizcraft and Sewmun have started an industrial blues band, Ha Ha. I know that Wizcraft has played in a Blues band and he always refer to Bob Kowar as "Toledo Bob"

Trox

[Wizcrafts]

I don't play in a Blues Band. I play in Country/Western bands.

[Trox]

Ha ha, sorry Wiz for bad jokes. Thanks Sandy, could you please post a pic of those ATD pulleys?

Or send me a PM. What diameter is those, is it something I could use on my class 5, would they fit?

Thanks

Trox