Nandy Report post Posted June 26, 2015 I sew as a hobby and was wanting to slow down this consew 225. I tried it once when I bought it, we spent like an hour playing with it, and I could get it almost slow enough (clutch motor) to match my residential machine faster speed! Too fast for me. I will be doing mostly canvas and light leather, some vinyl too so I really dont need to go 3000spm... I have not have the time to even get the machine out of the truck but will try tomorrow so I can play with it some more. I will try to change the pulley at the clutch motor to see if that helps, if not I might try to do a home made speed reducer... However, went to lowes/homedepot and did not see any v-belt pulleys. Where are you guys finding these pulleys? Im am aware it might be a local store but if it is a chain or hardware stores I rather go straight to it if anyone can provide the name. Also, the bearings, where are you guys getting it and is there a part number? I assume the shaft is a 1/2 shaft. Any other pertinent information about the process will be greatly appreciated. I know there are ready made speed reducers and servos but I am not looking at that currently. I do my own fab when needed and this sounds trivial once I find the parts I need. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted June 26, 2015 Not directly what you asked but I made mine by turning two size pulleys on a piece of aluminum round stock. Embedded two bearings in it and mounted on a bracket. The belts came from an auto parts store. I slowed it by 60-70%. You more direct answer is there will be a store someplace near you that specializes in bearings, they will have what you need. A better answer is to loose the clutch motor and buy a servo, they are just over $100. You will have way more than that in a reducer very fast and it will not work as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nuttish Report post Posted June 26, 2015 You can get pretty much any pulley useful to mankind at McMaster Carr. I added one to a new commercial sewing machine motor for a skiver for less than $10. McMaster also has a good selection of bearings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Constabulary Report post Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) When your clutch motor runs at 3000 rps you will not feel the difference of just a smaller motor pulley. Even 1400 rpm motor is too fast most of the times. It often is a question of how well you can control the clutch. Some motors have smooth clutches and some go from zero to 3000 rpm by moving the pedal just a tiny bit. electrathon is right - I´d rather buy a new servo motor. That will save you time (hunting for parts + putting together everything, move the motor sideways and fiddling around with 2 V-Belts in correct length) and the servo even saves electricity and it is less noisy. When you need more punching power on the needle then you later can add a speed reducer even to the servo motor - just for the case. Edited June 26, 2015 by Constabulary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nandy Report post Posted June 27, 2015 I dont mind looking for parts and the time involved on this. I enjoy doing my own stuff... Is like flyfishing, I can buy the flies cheaper than what I can make them myself but I like the experience. That is why I mention on the OP that I know the options of a commercial speed reducer and have read quite a bit about servos but that is not where I am going yet. Anyway, found all the parts, im researching the bearings. What are those of you that build your own using? A plain brass bearing or a roller bearing? Im not sure the brass bearings will survive those rpms for long... Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted June 27, 2015 The bearings are part of the pully. Of it is not you will need yo make sure you have cast pullys with enough metal to machine away for the bearings to fit into. You need roller bearings, not brass bushings. The pullys need to be affixed together, they must be a single unit. I agree with you, I like to do things myself. If I had to buy the parts I used on mine it would have been cheaper, and better, to have bought a servo motor. I actually did buy one, after I found out the reduction I achieved was not nearly enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nandy Report post Posted June 27, 2015 Thanks for the advise. There is a servo in my future, just not now. So far seems it will cost me about $60 to make one so I am in the edge. If after much playing around the number is not too much better then I would probably NOT build it and do the servo first. We shall see, but I like to entertain the thought. Thanks for your time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted June 27, 2015 Just a thought, if you have pulleys that do not have bearings in them you could use a piece of thread-all and jamb both pulls together. Then you could use a pillow bearing on both sides of the pulleys. Not the best set up, but likely the easiest. No matter how you set it up you do need to have the pullys locked together. Forgot this earlier too, there are two angles that pulleys are machined to, you have to make sure your factory pulleys and belt are the same as the ones you bought. If not you will have slippage and poor belt life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nandy Report post Posted June 27, 2015 Yeah, I am planning to run the 2 pulleys attach to one shaft and the shaft will be running inside the 2 bearings. I can use a cast iron welding rod to get them together or just use a pin... either way. right now I am not sure the motor pulley matches the machine, I am sure the belt is not thick enough either. We shall see... Thanks for the info! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SARK9 Report post Posted June 27, 2015 I have made several reducers using sintered oilite bronze bushings....I've used a 3/4" x 1-1/2" long ground shoulder bolt for the axle, and frankly, it is overkill for the modest loads and RPM's most walking foot type machines run at. I like ball bearings too, as they are usually nice and trouble free, but I've seen some really awful dross made by some of our wonderful trading partners lately....so as an aside, consider how many of the machines we use have solid bearings here and there. If you rig your own reducer, try and set the position of the reducer's small pulley (that drives the belt to the handwheel) so that its center lies slightly back behind the pins of your machine's hinges. This will allow you to tilt the machine head back normally for service with no bother. -DC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nandy Report post Posted June 27, 2015 I looked at the bronze bushings but I could not find specs as far as rpm and such, that is why I am a bit shy about them. For what is worth, I did see another member here that just slapped the 2 pulleys together and use a bolt for a shaft and did not even use a bushing (at least it appeared to me that way)... not sure how is that contraption is still working. Is that picture of your reducer and do you have a picture of the other side? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SARK9 Report post Posted June 27, 2015 Here is a picture of one of the ball bearing reducers I made, before installation, showing the mount and adjustment areas. The bronze sleeved ones are just like it, essentially. -DC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DannyGray Report post Posted June 27, 2015 file:///Users/dangray/Downloads/IMG_0626.JPG file:///Users/dangray/Downloads/IMG_0628-2.JPG This might give you an idea of what can be made. One picture shows parts separated the other the way ti would be working. the pulleys have allen screws to fix it to shaft along with 3/16 woodruff key, on the other side of the pillow blocks there is a collar that locks shaft so it stays in place. All parts can be purchased on ebay. This setup is using 3/4" shaft. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DannyGray Report post Posted June 27, 2015 Screwed up photos in Gallery → Shops, Tools & Machines Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Uwe Report post Posted June 28, 2015 (edited) SARK9 - those are super nice speed reducers you made - well done! I made a speed reducer similar to DannyGray for my Adler 205. It works well and no machining required, but the SARK9 version looks way nicer and is much more compact and easier to adjust. Alas, my particular configuration of the stand did not lend itself to using the compact version the machine came with when I switched to a servo motor. Here are some pictures of my speed reducer, made from parts sourced on Amazon.com and my local Home Depot: Edited June 28, 2015 by Uwe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nandy Report post Posted June 28, 2015 Love seeing all of y'all setups. Keep them comming! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wydfuqnopn Report post Posted November 6, 2018 (edited) https://www.walmart.com/ip/Grizzly-G5436-Single-V-Groove-Pulley-6-Pitch-Dia-1-2-Bore/134318402 this is the one I bought. but I am replacing the stock hand pulley on the machine with this one. it is almost twice as big and coupled with a 50mm replacement on the motor I think it will work. will keep you posted on the results. Edited November 6, 2018 by wydfuqnopn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisash Report post Posted November 6, 2018 (edited) Remember a old worktop standing drill, it had about 6 sets of pullies in pairs of various sizes where you moved the belt up or down and have 6 speeds to play with, maybe you guys are thinking to small with just one pair Edited November 6, 2018 by chrisash Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
