Adler 205-64

[cdthayer]

Has anyone ever put a handcrank knob on an Adler 205-64 and sewn with it by hand crank power?

CD in Oklahoma

[cdthayer]

Does anyone think it's an option to hand crank one?

I have one that I'm going to try to clean up and just want to use it for repairs. I won't be using it for production.

CD in Oklahoma

[J Hayes]

I see no reason you cannot hand crank it. I handwheel all of my machines in the tight coners. I would set it up so you can add a motor though, at some point you may want one, hand wheeling is slow but it is still faster than hand stitching. I've seen pictures of them driven by bicycle cranks too.

[cdthayer]

I see no reason you cannot hand crank it.

Thanks for the input, J.

Since much of my sewing is repairs, I tend to do a lot of hand wheeling with some of my other machines too, although they're all either electric motor or foot treadle powered. It doesn't appear that many here on the forum have intentionally set up an Adler for hand operation, but I keep thinking about the Boss machines that are hand-operated stitchers, and wonder about the practically of my idea.

I don't plan on doing anything to the machine that would inhibit converting to electric power later on, but I don't think that I need a motor for the time being. I have a hand-operated bobbin winder that I think can be modified to accompany the machine. I will see if I can come up with some type of clamp-on hand wheel knob for a crank handle so I can avoid drilling and tapping the existing wheel. If not, I'll see how it goes just hand wheeling the wheel rim.

I'll also have to set up something for a presser foot lift, probably using a chain and foot plate. All of this depends on getting the machine freed up and operational again. Any tips that you can think of would be appreciated. Thanks.

CD in Oklahoma

[pcox]

If it is really stuck I have the best luck with a 50-50 mixture of acetone and ATF.

[cdthayer]

Thank pcox.

Yes, it's really stuck. As soon as I find a tray large enough for it to fit in, I plan on giving it an oil bath with sewing machine oil and let it set for a while. Then I'll start removing the commonly removed things and see if anything wants to start wiggling. If I don't get any movement, I may try your suggestion.

I like to bathe rusty machines in SM oil before I ever touch them with tools. It helps keep from damaging things.

CD in Oklahoma

[gordond]

I picked up a Adler 205-64 in a job lot recently.

It was jammed stuck solid- I would have placed $ on betting that something was broken inside the machine.

I just happened to have some triflow ,removed access panels and dosed the parts inside.but ATF/acetone ,Kroil, and the other brews all work [ATF & brews are much cheaper though]

Initially nothing -- then realised the sticking part was the presser foot height mechanism [fine threads rusted solid]..this cleaned up and a redose and away it went.

as you said, it will take a bit of feel ,wiggling and listening to where the issue is.

[samthedog]

Hello CD, I think the 50/50 of acetone and automatic transmission fluid is the best solution. It penetrates quicks and gets into all the nooks and crannies. You won't have to soak the machine. IIf it's anything like my Adler, you will have the plastic oil injection ports leading to all the bearings and contact surfaces. Get yourself a good quality high pressure pump oilcan and give the ports a squirt.

Time is your friend here and just take it slow. I would also be prepared to replace all bearings as once siezed, they will never run right again and cause vibration through all the shafts.

I'm probably not telling you anyhting you don't already know....

Paul.

[cdthayer]

I picked up a Adler 205-64 in a job lot ....jammed stuck solid.....the sticking part was the presser foot height mechanism [fine threads rusted solid]....

Thanks Gordon, I'll watch for that.

.... plastic oil injection ports leading to all the bearings and contact surfaces.....give the ports a squirt. ....replace all bearings as once siezed, they will never run right again and cause vibration through all the shafts.

Paul.

Thanks Paul. This is the first one of these machines that I've tried bring back from the dead. I know I'm going to get educated once I get into it. I haven't started on it yet. I've still got a Singer 111G156 waiting for a part on my bench. I'd like to get that one going before I tackle the Adler. I'm going to have to come up with a larger drip pan to set it in before I start too.

I doubt that shaft vibration will bother me much if I hand crank it, but I hadn't thought about that possibility for future powered operation, so thanks for the information.

CD in Oklahoma

[Jimbob]

OMG.....!!!!!

Who would do something like that to such a beauty of machinery with the name ADLER on it.....shame to the last keeper of this jewel !

I certainly would bring it back to working condition and use the heck out of it....these 205's are beautiful machines.....and a hand crank is no problem....just think of the cobbler machines...they all have a hand wheel on it and can be operated smoothly. I have a hand crank on my Singer 99 and others....works well. Now ya all go and oil bath these Adlers and make em work again!!

[cdthayer]

Double post

Edited November 27, 2013 by cdthayer

[cdthayer]

It set outside for a while before I found it. I started soaking it with sewing machine oil yesterday, and I'm already getting a slight movement at the handwheel plus nearly full travel of the stitch lever. The needlebar and feed dog moves with the stitch lever. The bobbin case pops out, and there was no bobbin in there with thread on it to soak up and hold water, so there's not much rust in it at all.

A few more days of soaking and I'll start removing parts to clean them. I'm hoping the hook and race surfaces are not too bad. I'm going to need a bobbin and a needle clamp for it.

CD in Oklahoma

[cdthayer]

A great day in the bikeshop yesterday! The rusted-up, bound-up Adler 205-64 broke free!

After having had only a tiny bit of movement while turning the balance wheel back and forth each way since back in November, I had been giving it a gentle tug on the balance wheel every few days as I let it set soaking up sewing machine oil. Every once in a while, I would give it another shot of oil.

I was fiddling with it again yesterday, trying to decide where to disassemble it to separate the upper and lower shaft assemblies and get serious about freeing the machine up. And since I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it just one more brisk tug on the wheel before taking parts loose, I gave it my best.

Suddenly, I felt it give a little and there was about a quarter of an inch of movement. With increased excitement and vigor at rotating the wheel back and forth, the movement increased to an inch, then a couple of inches, and then after about an hour of it spitting out rusty oil and drinking more fresh oil, the big boy was turning over smoothly full-travel! The reverse mechanism is also moving full-travel. Yea!!!

It was quite a workout for both of us (as my triceps are reminding as I type this), and I'm just thrilled to pieces to have it moving freely. I wound down the afternoon session by cleaning and replacing the few parts that I had removed to get oil inside of the mechanisms. I still need to put the hook and race back together, but I'm leaving it off for a while to spin the machine more and be able to clean out the end of the cylinder arm if it burps out any more rusty oil.

With the machine now freed up, I can turn my attention to drilling the broken lever out of the foot lift assembly and start ordering parts and supplies. I need to replace the needle clamp and get some bobbins and thread coming for it. I haven't cleaned up the tension assemblies yet, so I don't know what I'll need there. Anyway, maybe it won't be long now before I can do a test-sew with it.

CD in Oklahoma

[Constabulary]

Awesome! When you are dome with the mechanical issues I would give the machine a new paint job. Probably light gray or silver...

[cdthayer]

Thanks, but I'm planning on keeping this machine and I like the "scars" that old well-used machines seem to have. I worked hard to get my own "weathered look"and figure the machines did too or they would still look like new.

CD in Oklahoma

Edited February 6, 2014 by cdthayer

[cdthayer]

I got my list of parts that I need. Some of them are available new, and some will no doubt have to come from a donor machine. Parts needed for Adler 205-64:

Qty) Part Number Description

1) 005 00 231 3 Needle Clamp (bis 1991) (Nadelhalter)

1) 992 00 426 0 Needle Clamp Screw (slot) (Zyl. Schraube)

2) 020 00 201 0 Bobbin (Spule)

1) 367 15 027 0 Bobbin Spring (Kegelfeder)

1) 105 11 004 0 Tension Release Pin (Bolzen)

1) 105 13 008 3 Shaft (w/cam?) (Lufterhebel)

1) 204 13 001 0 Plate (Auslosehebel)

1) 893 99 149 0 Shoulder Bolt (Fl. Kopfschr. M4x5)

Also, does 277 thread work well top and bottom in this machine?

CD in Oklahoma

[Trox]

I use diesel. U can use a truck hand wheel knob and clamp it around the edge of the machine hand

Tor

Edited February 15, 2014 by Trox

[Constabulary]

If the shoulder bolt is a regular M4x5 screw you should find them in hardwares stores - if they have metric screws. This is no special screw if it is a metric thread.

Bobbins and the bobbin spring should be easy to find IF you have the early type hook and not the later larger one.

As far as I know the 205 used 2 different types of hooks. The earlier (smaller) hook is the same one they used in the Singer 45K.

[cdthayer]

Thanks Trox. I’ll take a look at a steering wheel spinner knob (a PeterBilt that I drove years ago had one), but I think I want something that sticks out about 3-times as far, so I won’t be hanging my wrist on the center hub. I’m still wanting to go clamp-on though, but I may have to make my own.

Thanks Constabulary. Bob Kovar is looking into parts for me. I dug around in my parts bin and found a temporary needle clamp that shouldn’t hurt the needle bar until I get something else. Most of the other parts have to do with the automatic tension release, so if they’re not available, I’ll rig up a manual tension release on it. I don’t think any of the missing/damaged parts will prevent the tension assemblies from working properly.

I’ll get a photo of my hook assembly and post it so you can help me determine which hook this one has for sure. I still have to put it all back together.

CD in Oklahoma

Edited February 16, 2014 by cdthayer

[cdthayer]

Here are some photos of the hook on my Adler 205-64. The spring inside of the bobbin case is one that I found in my parts bin, and may not work properly, but I might give it a try until I get the correct one.

I’m going to have to modify the temporary needle clamp that I thought might work in a pinch, before it actually can work. I hope I can find something else before I go to the trouble though....

CD in Oklahoma

[Constabulary]

this is the newer and larger size hook. I don´t have parts for it but since you are in touch with Bob Kovar I´m sure he will help you. The spring is just for pushing out the bobbin, it makes it easier to pull it out. The older hooks don´t have this spring.

[cdthayer]

I may have listed the wrong parts then. I gave Bob the serial number, so maybe he can save my bacon if I did get it wrong.

CD in Oklahoma

[Trox]

Hello, the Constabulary is right. They changed the hook size in this machine to the new 204/205 hook. That means that you can probably use a Juki spring if you have too (its the same hook there too). They aren't expensive with DA either, if you cant find it let me know and I can take a look in my Adler part drawer.

Tor

[tat2]

Adler 205-64 is by far the best sewer I have ever used. I thought about making the hand cranking option to when we kept having power outages. I see room to make the hole and to bolt the handle on without being an issue...

[cdthayer]

I want to try some kind of a clamp-on hand crank. I have a couple of ideas, and I’ve been keeping my eye out for the parts that I need. I’ve put this machine rehab project on the back burner for a while. I have some other projects that I need to do, plus, I need to come up with the “fundage” to buy my parts. It’s been a slow winter at the shop this year.

CD in Oklahoma