Adler 69 Reverse Stitch

[vericone]

When I was adjusting things on my adler 69, I've got problems with reverse stitch. After finding solutions on youtube I've made some adjustments, but I've lost the stitch length.... Two days I was struggling with a reverse mechanism, and I've found something strange - the plate, covering a slot in which the reverse stitch lever was moving, was smaller than the slot in the cast itself... reverse lever was stopping on the plate, while there was a place to travel a bit more. I've cut the plate more, to fit the slot in the cast. Now the machine works fine on reverse with full stitch length.

It's quite possible that the plate have been replaced in the past, but maybe this hint can help someone.

On the photo there is a mark showing where the slot was ending before cutting it to the bigger size.

Edited June 8, 2015 by vericone

[piheart]

373? here is reverse on mines, hope helps.

Edited June 9, 2015 by piheart

[vericone]

Mine is 372 and I see the difference. Now mine goes with a stitch length of about 4mm (on about 3mm thick leather)

[piheart]

373 is 5mm.

I have question, my reverse stitch - when max forward stitch is 5/6mm, reverse stitch only 4mm. when forward stitch is 4mm, reverse stitch is still 4mm which is good that two threads matches. forward stitch 3mm, reverse stitch is 3mm too. how it lost 1mm at reverse max stitch? anyone knows how to fix?

I checked the leather that I used when I testing this machine from ex-owner, is also 1mm shorter, so I don't think is because I unscrew the nut little bit on top.

Thank you guys!

Edited June 11, 2015 by piheart

[vericone]

https://youtu.be/0hLbNx3dGkY - this is a good video about reverse stitch calibration.

[piheart]

Thank you vericone! I have done that yesterday, still gets 4mm at reverse max.

Edited June 11, 2015 by piheart

[vericone]

Good way to set proper reverse stitch is to understand how the mechanism works (it was in my case ) When You open the arm cover You will see that when the stitch length screw is set to max stitch length, the upper side of "funny shape thing" rests on the screw. When You set the machine to reverse, the other side of "funny shape thing" rests or at least gets near the screw. Now You see that the screw is the point where the "thing" achieve its borders - from one side max forward, from the other max reverse. Now the most important - when setting the reverse stitch length You adjust the position of the stitch length screw. It is not about how deep it goes to the iron cast, what matters is that it can be higher or lower. I'm not by the machine now, but I think that if the hole (for stitch length screw) is higher, You get less forward and more reverse, hole goes lower - more forward, less reverse.

Hope it helps.

[Eero]

Hello, I bought Adler 69 sewing machine, used, a while ago, and noticed that backstitch was millimeter shorter than forward.

I did the reverse stitch calibration like in the video above, and now it is equal to both directions.

BUT. With the covering plate mentioned in the first post I got stitch lenght about 4mm, but when I took the plate off, stitch lenght is 5mm. Both directions.

So, does anybody know any good reason why I should leave the plate on?

Picture below shows the offset when backstitching. There is enough room for forward stitching in the plate.

[DrmCa]

Thank you for all the info posted above.

Boy, am I glad that I chose Pfaff 335 over Adler 69!

And I was thinking of going back and trading them to have a larger handwheel that Adler has over Pfaff. Won't do that now.

[Eero]

I am happy for you, as I'm happy for me: there's no problem with sewing at all with my 69. It's workíng nicely, only strange thing is that why is stitch lenght limited by cover plate, not the mechanism itself...

Vericone: you have had any problems after making the slot bigger?

Personally I chose Adler over Pfaff because it's so much easier to pronounce.

Well, really I got a good deal with this machine, with servo motor with needle positioner installed.

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Both machines are really good.

[vericone]

I've had no problem at all with the reverse. I also have been wondering why the plate was limiting the reverse stitch... (when calibrating machine I've noticed that I set forward stitch to equal the maximum reverse... this made me look closer to the plate) Mine Adler is 69-372. I didn't have time to investigate it properly, but it seems that 69-372 has 4mm stitch and 69-373 has 5mm stitch, if anyone knows some facts please let me know.

It would be strange if only the plate would differ those two models, but who knows...

[vericone]

Here is an update about reverse stitch adjustment. Some of You know the video from youtube on this operation. But I've noticed that You don't have to disassemble all elements to make the adjustment. I don't know how to name some elements in English, so there is a photo below.

1. Remove the "A" element

2. Loose the lever "D"

3. Unscrew the knob "C" (not totally),

4. Put the reverse stitch lever in maximum reverse position, screw in the knob "C" until inside the machine it will touch the "mechanism" (when machine is set to max. reverse or max forward, the "mechanism" rests on the stitch length screw/knob),

5. Tighten the lever "D".

6. Now You check how forward and reverse stitch matches... It does not match, so... In my machine when I tighten the lever "D" it clamped/binded three parts: Knob "C" + Lever "D" + the hidden screw which adjusts forward/reverse stitch, lets name it "X". Now You do it.

7. Loose the screw "B" and now You can adjust the "X" element. This element looks like the screw with an off center hole. If hole goes up reverse goes longer, if hole goes down, forward goes longer. So You turn the Knob "C" now (with lever "D" and "X" element together) to adjust reverse. Every time You make a change You have to tighten the "B" screw, check point 4. again , check if stitches matches, if they don't unscrew "B" and adjust and screw back "B".

8.When everything is set, tighten "B" and put "A" back again. Done.

I know it all would take 5 seconds to show in a video, but I've tried to make it as clear as possible. If the "X" is screw into the iron cast so deep, that the lever "D" is not resting on it, You can screw it out a bit. I've noticed that it does not affect anything if "X" is deeper in cast or not.

Edited October 17, 2015 by vericone

[Ski]

Hello Adler 69 owners.   I have joined your club and also experience reverse stitch problems.  I know this is an old thread but does anyone have any more information?  Did removing the cover plate result in any issues?  Did anyone fix this issue?

It says on my machine : Adler 69 - 72    (is this a 372?)      /E 42   435270

With the reverse cover plate removed, i get around 6mm forward 5mm back.  With cover plate in place, i get 5.5mm forward 3mm back.  Before I take the plate to the grinder how are you guys getting on with it?

[Constabulary]

this may help you:

 

[shoepatcher]

No   I believe the 69-72 does not have 4 motion drop feed like the 69-372, 373.  It was used for binding.  The difference between the 69-372 and  69-373 was that the 69-372 was made for smaller threads and needles.    Normally the hole is smaller in the feed dog and the balance wheel on the two machines may or may not be different diameters.  Same with model 69-72 and  69-73.   Smaller hole in the feed dog.  Adler also might have changed a part or two inside the machine to accommodate heavier thread and sew thicker materials.  They had a lot of sub classes.

glenn

[Ski]

17 minutes ago, shoepatcher said:

No   I believe the 69-72 does not have 4 motion drop feed like the 69-372, 373.  It was used for binding.  The difference between the 69-372 and  69-373 was that the 69-372 was made for smaller threads and needles.    Normally the hole is smaller in the feed dog and the balance wheel on the two machines may or may not be different diameters.  Same with model 69-72 and  69-73.   Smaller hole in the feed dog.  Adler also might have changed a part or two inside the machine to accommodate heavier thread and sew thicker materials.  They had a lot of sub classes.

glenn

Very interesting Glenn,  any more information on the 69-72?  I'm having a lot of fun playing around with it as its my first industrial machine.

 

Reverse spacing is now sorted, however the reverse leaver cover is staying off as it limits reverse stitch length, as other above have found.

[shoepatcher]

I believe the 69-72 takes needle system# 135.  Sizes up to #120     The 69-73 takes up to #14-160 I believe.  Good machine.  Just take the feed dog out and enlarge the hole with a Dremel and carbide tool or Mitchell Cord.     These are good machines. If you can go on the sew24bogspot.com, it may have the original brochure on the machine that explains the sub classes.  I have it but have to find it. 

glenn

[shoepatcher]

I found the correct site that has the brochure and explains the different sub-classes.  It is :  Sew24.blogspot.de.     Click on downloads window.  Go to the list of brochures at the bottom of the this list and find model #69.  click on it.  Brochures come up.  Go down to about page 6 and there is the brochure for your machine.  the maximum needle size is#110.  Yours is or was a binder machine.  E42 signifies the type of feet on the machine and how wide the range of binding tape it could handle.  Hope that helps.  Also, the maximum stitch length is 4.5MM, not 5mm or 6mm.

glenn