Comparable Motor To Sewpro 500Gr

[MuddyClearWaters]

I have a SewPro 500GR. I Love the thing. Is there another motor on the market that is available for less than $185.00 That will go to the low speeds the Sewpro does? Or am I stuck with the more expensive unit?

it's worth it if it's the only thing available but if there is something else out there I would love to know.

Carson.

[Wizcrafts]

I have a SewPro 500GR. I Love the thing. Is there another motor on the market that is available for less than $185.00 That will go to the low speeds the Sewpro does? Or am I stuck with the more expensive unit?

it's worth it if it's the only thing available but if there is something else out there I would love to know.

Carson.

You can buy a Family Sew 550s for $135.00 shipped.

[MuddyClearWaters]

You can buy a Family Sew 550s for $135.00 shipped.

Bob at Teledo said it was not the same quality and didn't go as slow. This is also the motor that Atlas Levy recommended to me but I've learned to take his advice with a bit a of salt. Do you have personal experience with this Family sew motor in comparison? I don't need the torque because I'm sewing thin leather but he speed is really important to me.

[Wizcrafts]

I have a walking foot machine at home and a similar machine at work with each of those motors. The one at home has the Sew Pro 500GR motor and sews into denim jeans at about 1 stitch per second, steady pace. It drops out into single stitching when I try to sew slower. This is with the speed knob on full. It sews slower at about the 50% position on the pot, but loses top end. It groans loudly at the slower speeds, at 50% or under rotation. I am worried about its future.

I'll try the same piece of denim at work, tomorrow, on the Family Sew 550s equipped machine. That motor is only one year old.

I'll be back tomorrow afternoon with my findings.

I have another FS 550 under my big Cowboy CB4500. It feeds a 3:1 reducer system, up to the flywheel. It can plow through hard leather at the astounding rate of 1 stitch every 5 or 6 seconds. Sometimes I hold it at that rate just to amaze myself and my customers. Watching thee needle move that slowly is like watching grass grow.

The overall speed reduction from the motor to the CB4500 is about 9:1. On the walking foot machine it is 2:1.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Wizcrafts

[Cobra Steve]

Carson. We also sell a high quality variable speed servo motor. It sell for $165.00 delivered and worth every penney. We use this motor on all of our machines. Failure rate is less than 1% and has a 5 year warranty. Steve

[MuddyClearWaters]

I have a walking foot machine at home and a similar machine at work with each of those motors. The one at home has the Sew Pro 500GR motor and sews into denim jeans at about 1 stitch per second, steady pace. It drops out into single stitching when I try to sew slower. This is with the speed knob on full. It sews slower at about the 50% position on the pot, but loses top end. It groans loudly at the slower speeds, at 50% or under rotation. I am worried about its future.

I'll try the same piece of denim at work, tomorrow, on the Family Sew 550s equipped machine. That motor is only one year old.

I'll be back tomorrow afternoon with my findings.

I have another FS 550 under my big Cowboy CB4500. It feeds a 3:1 reducer system, up to the flywheel. It can plow through hard leather at the astounding rate of 1 stitch every 5 or 6 seconds. Sometimes I hold it at that rate just to amaze myself and my customers. Watching thee needle move that slowly is like watching grass grow.

The overall speed reduction from the motor to the CB4500 is about 9:1. On the walking foot machine it is 2:1.

I don't really want to deal with a speed reducer on account of the after mentioned price issue. My SewPro sews comfortably at 1 stitch per second pretty easily. I keep my motor set at about 20%-30% on the knob. It's not noisy or anything I've had mine for about 2.5 years. I sew primarily sew 2-4 Oz upholstery leather. This motor will be set up on my 110W124 which is a single needle double wheel feed machine. It runs very smoothly so there is no friction in the machine. The FS 550 sounds like it's more quality than Bob let on. I ordered one from a Ebay store and it arrived dead. So I'm hesitant still.

[Wizcrafts]

There are several members here that are modifying their FS 550 motors for better slow speed control. One person has plans to market the components after optimizing them. This would allow one to sew from 1/10th, all the way up to 50 or more stitches per second, with one dial setting on the motor.

As for the Sew Pro 500GR, it has become hard to find.

[MuddyClearWaters]

There are several members here that are modifying their FS 550 motors for better slow speed control. One person has plans to market the components after optimizing them. This would allow one to sew from 1/10th, all the way up to 50 or more stitches per second, with one dial setting on the motor.

As for the Sew Pro 500GR, it has become hard to find.

Bob has a few left. Maybe I should just invest again and save myself the headache.

[Wizcrafts]

I have tested the Family Sew fs550s at work, mounted to a long body walking foot machine, having a 2.5:1 ratio between the motor and machine pulleys. The best steady slow speed was quicker than 1 per second; probably around 1.5 per second. The Sew Pro 500 definitely sews slower at a controllable pace, in a oranges to oranges comparison.

If your motor has a 2" pulley and the machine has a 4 or 4.5" pulley, your results may be similar to mine. But, if the machine phulley is under 4" your minimum steady speed may be higher.

Note: it is trivial to stop the needle up or down on the FS550 to do single stitching. I do that all the time around sharp corners and inside curves.

[awharness]

Sergey who is "Sewpro" has a different motor now, he can't get the original ones (the last time I knew) I've got three of the 500gr set up in my shop, and then I have two of the nick-o motors with speed reducers. My juki 441, and my Sewpro 441 both have the gear reduces motor with no speed reducer and work fantastic!

[Wishful]

I have the fs550 and have a few issues.

1. I cannot get it to go slow enough consistently even at the same sitting, it seems each time I start sewing it will either not move so i have to adjust it again and cannot do that in small increment so will be too fast.

2. Because of that, when I turn it off at the switch to make final stitch or two manually then press the treadle to turn by the hand, the motor still has energy in it so does an extra partial cycle of the needle. Which could make an unneeded hole.

3. Was told it would have plenty of torque but doesnt.

next time will look at another

Edited June 14, 2014 by Wishful

[MuddyClearWaters]

I have the fs550 and have a few issues.

1. I cannot get it to go slow enough consistently even at the same sitting, it seems each time I start sewing it will either not move so i have to adjust it again and cannot do that in small increment so will be too fast.

2. Because of that, when I turn it off at the switch to make final stitch or two manually then press the treadle to turn by the hand, the motor still has energy in it so does an extra partial cycle of the needle. Which could make an unneeded hole.

3. Was told it would have plenty of torque but doesnt.

next time will look at another

Thanks for your feed back. I bought another SewPRo 500GR but now I need a third motor. super slow Speed is less important on this set up. I might try the family sew. Bob might still have a few 500GR left but they cost nearly 200 bucks.