Adler 205-64

[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

[cdthayer]

Well, a lot has happened to my Adler 205-64 since my last post in February. I have it sewing today! Not bad stitches starting out, and it never missed a one! That lets me know that the hook is good (and without being able to try it before spending some major bucks, I was worried), so I’m a happy camper.

Here’s what is going on with my handcranked Adler 205-64 so far:

1. I went with Trox’s suggestion on using a suicide knob clamped onto the rim of the balance wheel. I think it will clamp tight enough to work without damaging the wheel or the knob. I’ll have to see how it holds up to heavy sewing. I put a piece of vinyl in the clamp to help with grip. It will need a counter-balance on the opposite side of the wheel to offset the weight of the knob (it’s a heavy one) so that the needle doesn’t come down when I’m not ready. I’m thinking rolls of pennies in thin rubber tubing tucked into the curve of the rim, but I’ll have to experiment.

2. Since I don’t have a suitable stand, I mounted the machine on the top of a fairly large toolbox. Without a motor to counter-balance the weight of the machine, I’m going to use tools in a cabinet instead. The toolbox has wheels under it too, so that’s important when you’re getting stove-up like I am. I’m always having to move my machines around in my small quarters. The two wheels that are pivot castors have locks on them, but I didn’t need them for my test-sewing.

3. I opted to forgo the replacement parts to the automatic tension release for the time being (it’s a money thing). I’ll just release the tension manually for now using a thumb and finger to spread the tension disks.

4. For winding bobbins manually, I’m using a handcrank bobbin winder that I came up with to use for my treadle Singer 31-15. I think it’s a bobbin winder for use in some other fiber craft, but I don’t know which one. I snagged it off of that auction site. A piece of rubber vacuum hose on the unused small spindle (I don’t have any bobbins with that small of a center hole), along with the thickness of the thread laced through the center of the bobbin when I slide it on, makes a nice tight connection to turn the bobbin. I provide tension with my left hand as well as guide the thread wraps while I crank with my right hand. I could have done the first bobbin a little neater, but I was anxious and in a hurry.

5. My test-sew indicates that my top tension is too loose. The knot is just barely inside of the bottom side of the leather in my sample. I could catch the knot with my fingernail every once in a while along the stitchline, so I’ll be working on getting the tensions set better.

I think that most of my sewing will be making repairs in woven materials (mostly webbing), so before I go too far with tension settings, I’ll get a different test-sew sample. I’m using poly 277 in both top and bottom right now, and I’ve heard that some Adler 205 machines work better with a size smaller thread in the bobbin, so I’ll have to experiment. For repair work, I’d like to use the same size top and bottom. Here are photos of the orphaned Adler 205-64 as it looks now.

CD in Oklahoma

[cdthayer]

It hand cranks through 1/2” of webbing easy enough, if you start with the needle up and keep just a little momentum going. I’ll miss having both hands on the webbing straps, but it is workable.

CD in Oklahoma

[Constabulary]

I’ll miss having both hands on the webbing straps, but it is workable.

CD in Oklahoma

Thats why I´d prefer a motor driven machine. Isn't a heavy treadle the better idea for a such a heavy machine?

BTW - is that 1.5" wide military webbing?

I´m looking for such webbing Any chance that you have a source for surplus military cotton webbing of difference Classes + Types??

[Darren Brosowski]

I have seen 45k hand cranks going through 10mm of leather with no problem but my preference is treadle. The old Singer 7 class treadle will easily run any 205 or 441 style machine at low, medium or high speed without having to make any adjustments

Thats why I´d prefer a motor driven machine. Isn't a heavy treadle the better idea for a such a heavy machine?

BTW - is that 1.5" wide military webbing?

I´m looking for such webbing Any chance that you have a source for surplus military cotton webbing of difference Classes + Types??

[Constabulary]

No doubt it will go through the 10mm material. I also have hand cranked machines when I was testing them (Adler 4, 104, Class III...) but as CD said, I always felt that my right hand is missing to guide the material properly. But everyone has it´s preferences.