Need Help Getting Control Of This Thing

[Troy Burch]

I bought this from an old friend that retired because of his health. The machine works like new, but my issue is trying to control the sewing speed. I'm in a wheel chair with no use of my legs or I wouldn't have a problem with useing the foot petal. I've tried a couple of modifications but keep having the same problems. I cant get a steady speed, it either goes like a bat out of hell or slows until it won't punch thru the leather with things I've tried so far.Will a servo motor fix this? Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thank you Troy and yes I know my shop needs cleaning lol

[Northmount]

Yes a servo motor should make it easier for you to control the speed. Make sure you get one with a small - about 2" - pulley. SewPro are good, have built-in gear reduction so have more punching power at low speeds. You will find a number of comments on them from Wiz if you do a little searching.

Good luck.

Tom

[Wizcrafts]

The SewPro motors I have are not powerful enough to turn over a machine like the Adler 205. The machine needs a 3:1 speed reducer installed, powered by a slow speed capable servo motor. I like the Family Sew 550S that I have on my big CB4500 and on my long body Singer 139. It would be best to commission a dealer to take care of this conversion.

FYI: I have a big Cowboy CB4500, which is sort of like your Adler. It is powered by a Family Sew FS550, feeding a 3:1 ball bearing equipped reducer. All told, the speed reduction/torque multiplication from the motor to the machine is 9:1. If I set the motor speed limiter switch to the slowest setting (350RPM), holding down the pedal gives me a full speed of just under 1 stitch per second. This might be what you are looking for.

I just remembered that you don't have the use of your legs. You will need somebody to rig up a lever you can throw to engage or disengage the motor by hand.

[Troy Burch]

Wizcrafts, That slow steady speed with full power sounds like What I need. Would I commission your kind of setup with an Adler dealer or where I'd buy the servo? The Adler dealer is 45 minutes from my shop and would save a lot of shipping charges because I'd have to ship the table too I guess or should I just call Cowboy Bob.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Troy Burch

[TomG]

I saw the photo and it looks like you might have rigged up a lawnmower throttle cable to the motor.

I like having both hands free, as I'm sure you do. I sat down at my machine and was thinking that if you could somehow rig that assembly up so that you could use your forearm or elbow to press it, you could still use your hands to guide the leather in.

With Wiz's setup, I'm not sure if he gets a lot of speed control range between off and the 1 stitch per second, or not. I know I have set my Singer up to do about 3 SPS and it's still a tad touchy at startup. I need to go in and set the acceleration on the motor. I use a Consew 500 I think. And I've put in the speed control improvement mod that you can find on the web and even here somewhere.

Good luck with it. You're in the right spot for help!

[silverbullet]

I have a similar table on an Adler 104 ? On number . But it's what I have I use an old cane to push the peddle on my machine I just used a screw eye to lock it to the edge and use my elbow to push or free hand if not needed to guide the leather. My machine is set up with the reducer and the servo motor. I'm lucky though I have the lift table in my shop and mounted the reducer my self . With out it I too had the same problem tough to control the speed steadily. I have mine set on the lowest speed and I have better control now. Bob Kovar is the man to talk to if he's close to you, Toledo sewing machine co. Top shelf service and he answers questions quickly by email for me. Gary

[Wizcrafts]

Wizcrafts, That slow steady speed with full power sounds like What I need. Would I commission your kind of setup with an Adler dealer or where I'd buy the servo? The Adler dealer is 45 minutes from my shop and would save a lot of shipping charges because I'd have to ship the table too I guess or should I just call Cowboy Bob.

Ask that dealer if he sells a servo motor similar to the Family Sew 550s and has 3:1 ball bearing speed reducers. If not, you can buy them and bring them to the dealer for installation. New belts will be needed. They will definitely need the head and table.

If you opt to have the work done at home, receive the parts, and change the motor and switchbox first, leaving the three bolts a bit loose. Mount the reducer so that the smallest pulley is as directly under the machine pulley as possible. You don't want side pull on the belts. After lining up the reducer and machine pulley move the motor to line it up with the big pulley on the reducer. Batten down the hatches. Use a tape measure across the top of the pulleys to get the length of the two belts: shorter one from motor to large reducer; longer one from small reducer to machine pulley.

You must make sure that the smaller belt is long enough to allow you to adjust the vertical position of the motor. Try to stay in the middle of the adjuster bolt. The belts are type 3L.

Set the belt tensions for about 1/2 inch deflection. Relocate the bobbin winder toward the new vertical belt. Fine tune the alignment of the belts so they are as inline as possible, then try it out. You should get about 1 stitch per second at full tilt, on the slowest switch setting of a Family Sew 550s. I cannot speak for other servo motors, other than the SewPro 500 GR, which are no longer available, except as old new stock. That motor sews even slower than a Family Sew, but has half the power at slow speeds.

[Wizcrafts]

...

With Wiz's setup, I'm not sure if he gets a lot of speed control range between off and the 1 stitch per second, or not. ...

Speaking about my CB4500 setup, I have a decent amount of motion on the pedal. I can watch the needle move and carry on a conversation before it completes one revolution. I'd guess it sews as slowly as one stitch in 10 seconds. My total reduction is 9:1.

On my Singer 139 walking foot machine, the same motor, with the same 50mm pulley, feeds directly to the machine's 4.5" pulley. It doesn't like to sew below 1 stitch per second, steady rate. The torque drops off at startup speed. A reducer really helps power these machines through leather at slow speed.

[oltoot]

While you are going through the effort to get a more friendly setup there is an adjustment you can make that will help. On the long arm that connects to the throttle pedal there is a screw with a wing nut on it. If you turn that screw in, it will stop the clutch arm sooner and prevent the runaway but be advised, you will be, in effect, slipping the clutch all the time so getting reducer or servo that will allow for reduced sewing speeds and increased torque at full clutch engagement will be better long term solutions for substantial amounts of use, but this may be adequate (and free) if you will only be making small amount of use and you do not run into torque issues. And this way, pushing down with cane will not cause runaways.

[Troy Burch]

I saw the photo and it looks like you might have rigged up a lawnmower throttle cable to the motor.

I like having both hands free, as I'm sure you do. I sat down at my machine and was thinking that if you could somehow rig that assembly up so that you could use your forearm or elbow to press it, you could still use your hands to guide the leather in.

Tom, I'm used to one handed sewing because of the Boss I've been using. I hold the throtle cable in my hand so I can actually use my left hand and my thumb and index finger on my right hand also. It works pretty good for me except the speed control part. Thanks for your help, Troy

[Troy Burch]

While you are going through the effort to get a more friendly setup there is an adjustment you can make that will help. On the long arm that connects to the throttle pedal there is a screw with a wing nut on it. If you turn that screw in, it will stop the clutch arm sooner and prevent the runaway but be advised, you will be, in effect, slipping the clutch all the time so getting reducer or servo that will allow for reduced sewing speeds and increased torque at full clutch engagement will be better long term solutions for substantial amounts of use, but this may be adequate (and free) if you will only be making small amount of use and you do not run into torque issues. And this way, pushing down with cane will not cause runaways.

Thanks oltoot, I'm definately going to get it set up right or I'm just going to sell it. I'll try that adjustment to see If I can get by for now. Thanks Troy

[Troy Burch]

Thanks everyone for your advice you've been a big help. I know what direction I need to go now. A special thanks to Wizcrafts, I'm not in the dark now. Cowboy Bob has send me a pm with some possible help so I should be in good hands. Troy

[silverbullet]

We all learn when we are willing . I tried today to use my Adler 104 to sew a sheath for a knife, didn't workout to well when I started at the point end punched the holes and was sewing till it got to wear the thickness increased to about half inch the feed dog and upper foot left the leather cock sideways just enough to run off the edge. Lucky it's for my pleasure but the thing couldn't be sold all my time tooling and gluing . Oh well not enough machine guess I'll be selling some and buying a cowboy or cobra my self.