I'm Going To Scrap My Machine Soon

[gottaknow]

If it's a timing issue, the timing is probably retarded, meaning it's picking up the loop too late. When machines jam up and the hook tries to sew through the jam, the hook will slip, always to the retarded position(late). This condition is magnified when sewing in reverse. When trying to sew forward, the hook starts its trip around the hook too late while the take up lever is rising. With snug tension, it can fray or break the thread. Especially for a machine that was sewing fine to change that way, you should always check the timing. It could also explain why it appeared your check spring wasn't working correctly. Glad it's working somewhat better for you.

Regards, Eric

[venator]

Unfortunately timing requires a tech as I've been told I can't do it myself since it's too complex.

[gottaknow]

I disagree. I've seen plenty of home users learn how to set their timing. It's really not that complicated and on your machine, very easy to see. It's also something long term that you should learn how to do. You don't want to pay someone every time you have to reset your machine. If you want to check it, open the slide cover, remove the bobbin and turn the handwheel towards you until the tip of the hook is centered on the needle. Take as close up a picture as you can and let's have a look. I'm attaching a picture for you too see where the hook tip should be coming into the scarf (the little indentation in the needle).

Regards, Eric

[venator]

Well the tech to.d me there are 10 different timing adjustments on my machine and if I adjust the wrong one I could cause thousands in damage. I'm a very handy person (cars mostly) but I can't afford to buy a new machine because I destroyed this one so it looks like I'll have to eat the $500-$1000 I was quoted for a home visit to fix it.

[Colt W Knight]

Well the tech to.d me there are 10 different timing adjustments on my machine and if I adjust the wrong one I could cause thousands in damage. I'm a very handy person (cars mostly) but I can't afford to buy a new machine because I destroyed this one so it looks like I'll have to eat the $500-$1000 I was quoted for a home visit to fix it.

yikes, that sucks.

[Uwe]

It's not in the tech's interest to make you feel comfy about doing it yourself. The nice thing about these machines is that they're VERY mechanical. If you're okay with a wrench on a car, you have a VERY good chance at becoming good at working on these old sewing machines. Don't make a change and floor the gas pedal, make an adjustment and very gently turn the wheel by hand. It'll be very obvious if something is way out of whack that might damage the machine. Get hold of a service manual and read it. Chances are it'll seem less problematic than you think. I just got done reading a service manual written for military training(!) for my Consew 225 to adjust my bobbin release lever and it's quite straight forward (turns out it was loose and didn't do anything at all!) It's not rocket science, but rather sewing machine science invented about 150 years ago. But it's your call, obviously. $500-$1000 sound very expensive to me for a slight timing adjustment.

[venator]

Unfortunately I can't find a service manual. I've found the owners manual which covers nothing about service or maintenance and the set up manual from the factory which might as well be gibberish.

I'm sure I could handle it all if I had the knowledge but I dont so it looks like I stuck paying someone $500 or more for 10 min work. Or selling my machine for scrap Steel and spending $4k on something new. Bad options all around.

I would far rather learn to do it all myself but there are no classes around here or even info on the web so im out of options

[Uwe]

Google is your friend

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/464955/Duerkopp-Adler-467.html

Edited April 15, 2015 by Uwe

[Uwe]

I bought my Consew at a local goodwill store partially as a training machine, so that I can try things out before I work on my expensive Pfaff and Adler. Many of the machines are slight variations on each other. Edmonton may not be a hot bed of used industrial sewing machines, but Toronto should be okay. Consider getting a cheap machine just to poke at without breaking out in a sweat.

[gottaknow]

Aside from the 100+ machines I keep going at the factory, I still do side work. Charging $500-$1000 is a rip-off, plain and simple. Seriously, check the freight to Post Falls, ID, 83854. I'd rather have you pay the freight company for shipping just the head to me round trip. I'll get it purring and send it back. It's not the first time I've done that for folks. I just hate the thought of people getting ripped off.

I still think you could check the timing yourself along with several other common settings.

Regards, Eric

[venator]

Aside from the 100+ machines I keep going at the factory, I still do side work. Charging $500-$1000 is a rip-off, plain and simple. Seriously, check the freight to Post Falls, ID, 83854. I'd rather have you pay the freight company for shipping just the head to me round trip. I'll get it purring and send it back. It's not the first time I've done that for folks. I just hate the thought of people getting ripped off.

I still think you could check the timing yourself along with several other common settings.

Regards, Eric

I appreciate this offer immensely but paying it locally is the difference between getting the machine back in a week and getting it back in 3 months. Shipping from Canada is absurd and will kill me both $$ and time unfortunatley.

The truth is that I'm handy but if there's 10 different adjustments that need to be balanced I'm not able to do that, with a car maybe but not a sewing machine yet.

[Uwe]

Make sure you watch the guy do his work. If it'll fix your machine and make you resolve that you will never pay another tech to adjust your timing, it'll be money well spent.

[venator]

Make sure you watch the guy do his work. If it'll fix your machine and make you resolve that you will never pay another tech to adjust your timing, it'll be money well spent.

If I was able to I would but since the only hours they can come out are the same hours I work I have to have a neighbour let them in. Which also means (I asked) if they don't get the problem fixed the first time i have to pay another $500 for another visit. . .that I also won't be there for. . . and if that doesnt' do it etc etc etc until they get it right. I get the feeling this is going to cost me more than the damn machine did.

[gottaknow]

FYI. Freight from Edmonton to Post Falls, $110, 5 days.

Regards, Eric

[TinkerTailor]

Google is your friend

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/464955/Duerkopp-Adler-467.html

After reading a chunk of it, that manual is really easy to follow comparatively. The English is really good compared to most manuals. I read a good part of the timing directions, and they go step by step, clearly and methodically through checking and setting the whole machine. Just follow them in order from the beginning checking the clearances and things, and eventually you will find what it is that is out of sorts.

With a set of cheap metric feeler gauges and some calipers from princess auto and a day, you should be able to work through it. Be systematic, take it one step at a time. Don't be intimidated, Its just a machine.

Of course the tech told you you cant do it. Thats how he makes his money. Alot of it apparently. He is counting on the fact that you are scared of breaking the machine and dont understand how it works. If he tells you, he gets nothing, if he shows you, he gets one service call, and if he keeps it a secret, he gets a call every time there is a problem. You will never know if you just paid 1000 bux to get him to remove a stray thread piece or something. Probably from the old days before the internet, when the manual was impossible to find, and he had it. That tech needs to learn you cant charge for information anymore really, just expertise, skills and time...

There is no school to go to to learn this stuff. He just read the manual, fumbled through it the first few times, until he was fast at it.

It always takes half the time to do something the second time......

Don't be discouraged, go slow and you'll get it.

Edited April 15, 2015 by TinkerTailor

[venator]

Thanks, unfortunately reading through the manual it all means nothing to me. I'm a tactile learner and don't do well trying to learn like that so I think I have to bite the bullet and pay. If I could watch him do it I'm certain I could do it myself next time but since that's not an option I'll just hope for the best.

Where the heck did you get that shipping price?! I called 3 places and was told nothing less than $425.

Also reading the contents I don't see anything listed as timing....

[TinkerTailor]

Thanks, unfortunately reading through the manual it all means nothing to me. I'm a tactile learner and don't do well trying to learn like that so I think I have to bite the bullet and pay. If I could watch him do it I'm certain I could do it myself next time but since that's not an option I'll just hope for the best.

Where the heck did you get that shipping price?! I called 3 places and was told nothing less than $425.

Also reading the contents I don't see anything listed as timing....

The problem with watching the repair man is he is just going to deal with the adjustment that is a problem this time. Next time the machine acts up, it likely will not be the same thing.

Start on page 14 and pay attention to the underlined parts. Page 16 gives details about what should be happening at each needle position. When it says figure y/23 go to the back of the manual and look at the picture referenced. It helps to have it printed out so you can see the picture, text and your machine at the same time. Work through methodically and the inner secrets of the workings of the machine will become clear.

Scrapping the machine, shipping it across the continent and back, amongst other things you have mentioned in frustration, are like killing a bug with a shotgun.....all you need is a flyswatter. Its just a little out of adjustment. You paid good money for a quality machine made out of durable materials from a respectable name for a reason. It is by no means scrap. Give it the respect it deserves. Take the time to learn how to keep it running. Operating a sewing machine of this caliber in a one person shop type setting is much more than just pushing a foot pedal. You need to know your machine. That manual goes through the proper lube procedure as well, which you should absolutely know for any machine you own of any kind, and perform regularly.

[Constabulary]

I absolutely agree with TinkerTailor!!! Sooner or later you will run into the next problem. So you have to learn what is going on in your machine to help your self. It sometimes sucks badly but the better you understand your machine the more money you can safe and the sooner you can get back to work.

[Ferg]

I understand that some folks lack the mentality (not meant as negativity), to do mechanical manipulation from a printed page.

That said, every machine we have in our woodshop as well as the leather room, has either been dismantled in part or whole, or totally scrutinized before using. That also includes reading every page of the manual available with said machine or on-line. Also, after you read it you look at all the parts the manual is referring to. Understand what they do and how. Watch the movement of each part. I marvel at the complexity and yet the simplicity of operation of every machine we own. My wife almost had a heart attack when we received our two head CNC Router more than 20 years ago when she realized I was taking it apart. Have been saving $400-$1000 service calls plus plane tickets and Motel/Hotel bills for company service men/women all these years. Sit back, take a deep breath, study the manual and the machine, and start over. You are making more of this than there is to it.

You are obviously an intelligent individual or you would not have bought a industrial sewing machine of this caliber to begin with. If you wish to throw it away I am sure there are many on this forum that will gladly pay the freight to get it to their shop. LOL

ferg

[venator]

Well I took the machine in. . .the tech cant fix it so now I'm out money and have a machine that may not be repairable. Now I'm livid at Nick-O-Sew as it looks like they sold me a damaged and unrepairable machine though we will see when I take it to another tech and drop another few hundred dollars to see if a different person can fix it.

If the exchange rate was better I'd probably do better to buy a new machine from someone else it appears.

[Constabulary]

I honestly cannot imagine that this machine is not repairable and / or Nick-O-Sew sent you a broke machine!!!

Take Eric´s (gottaknow) offer he is a sewing machine mechanic. You of course send the machine to someone you don´t know but since you can´t help your self this is probably the best idea - or you try another sewing machine mechanic or try to find a LW member in your era who can help you with it.

[electrathon]

I have watched Eric answer many peoples questions on here. He is nice guy and is one of the sewing machine masters here. His offer is very generous and a great way to get your machine working. Remember, just because you pay a local person a lot of money does not mean he knows what he is doing or that it will work after he is done. The one guy to not let you touch your machine is the one that told you thee BS about it is impossible to do it yourself.

[venator]

I'd love to take him up on it but $150 both directions (or more) plus fees, brokerage,mpossibly getting dinged with customs and duty again (they shouldn't for repair but it's happened in the past) etc in the hopes it can be fixed just doesn't work well. It might well be time to cut my losses but first I'll see if there's anybody out here who thinks they can fix it.

[SantaFeMarie]

Now I'm livid at Nick-O-Sew as it looks like they sold me a damaged and unrepairable machine though we will see when I take it to another tech and drop another few hundred dollars to see if a different person can fix it.

I realize that you enjoy venting. However, you said the machine worked great when you got it.

[venator]

I realize that you enjoy venting. However, you said the machine worked great when you got it.

It did which is why I was assuming initially the fault was mine. But now I've been told that there are parts missing and damaged that ive never touched, adjusted, or in many cases even seen it appears it might have been a case of hiding problems not fixing them.

This may not be true, I'm taking the first techs word on it so we shall see what the next tech says. I hope nick and the crew are innocent of any wrongdoing since they were great to deal with and I'll be the first to recommend them if they are.

I'm just reporting updates as I receive them.