Adler 267 Timing Problem?

[276ccm]

Hi all! :-)

Now I´m a little desperate, as I have two motorcycle shows coming up and I´m trying to work day and night to finish some custom seats.. well, I´ll try to explain:

A few weeks ago bought a mint condition (as far as I could see) Adler 267 and I replaced the motor to a good servo motor. It was sewing perfectly until today.. I was trying out two different sizes of thread to decide which one to use, and suddenly something happened and the thread got "stuck" in the bobbin somewhere.. I had to lirk it out and it was a little mess down there, but I think I got all the thread out.

As I was threading the machine again, and was ready to sew, it looks like the machine now has a timing problem. It looks like the hook won't catch the thread.

I took a "lot" of video and some pictures to try to document whats happening when I try to sew.

Please watch the video, and if any of you experts can see something that is obviously wrong.. and if you have some tips of what to do, I would be really happy as I really need to finish some of the seats for the shows.

The youtube video of the bobbin/hook from different views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bwDaEHlIMQ

Do you think this is something I can fix my self, or do I need a professional technician? Or do you see if anything is missing or broken?

I would be really really really happy if anyone could take the time to help me sort this out! :-)

Thanks a lot in advance! :-)

Marius

[LumpenDoodle2]

I may be wrong, but it looks as if your timing might have slipped a little bit. Your needle seems to be starting its upward journey before the hook can get to it.

Have you tried it with thinner thread, just to see if it behaves the same?

If the bobbin timing is out, it's just the case of loosening the screws holding the bobbin case onto the shaft, and advancing the timing slightly. Another thing to check, is the gap between the needle flat bit at the eye, and the hook. If it's too big, the hook can't catch the thread, too small and the needle catches on the hook.

[276ccm]

Thanks a lot for reply! :-)

Do you mean this screw? (See picture) and probably another one under the "plate" (Now I can't remember any technical words) :-)

Yes I tried with a more thin thread too, but the same problem. I tried with the same thread as I have always been sewing with, a thicker one and a thinner one. I didn't try to change the needle tho, but used the same size as I have been using for these threads, but same behaviour with any thread..

When the thread got stuck, it stopped the motor, so I had to turn it off, so I guess it might got a litte pressure when it happened..

Regards Marius

[LumpenDoodle2]

Unfortunately, I don't have experience of horizontal bobbin thingies, I've only ever jammed vertical bobbin machines.

The timing doesn't have to be knocked out by much to ruin your day, and hopefully someone with more experience than me will be able to help more.

[Constabulary]

Usually the the needlebar should rise 2.5mm from BDC and at this point the hook tip should meet the needle scarf 1.6mm above the needle eye in the center of the needle. Thats basically the same at all machines of this type. It works for the Singer 111, Dürkopp 239 / 241, Paff 145 and I´m sure it works for your Adler as well.

But maybe you just hit a hard spot and you just have to lower the needle bar a little bit.

Edited September 10, 2015 by Constabulary

[Uwe]

Nice little video! Your timing is off by more than just a little bit. The hook tip is nowhere near the needle when it needs to be - it's way late. Are you sure your safety clutch is engaged? It's hard for the timing to "jump" if you have gear driven hooks. It's fairly easy for the safety clutch to pop loose if you hit something hard or things get bound up due to thread knots.

Page 7 in the service manual goes through the steps to set proper hook-to-needle timing. The first thing it tells you is to make sure your safety clutch is engaged. Page 13 talks about how to check and re-set the safety clutch. With a little luck, all you need to do is re-set the safety clutch again and you're back in business.

Full DA 267 service manual can be viewed and downloaded here: http://www.manualslib.com/manual/461620/Duerkopp-Adler-267.html

Edited September 11, 2015 by Uwe

[276ccm]

Thanks a lot for your reply guys! I really appreciate it! :-)

I wasn't even aware what a safety clutch was, or that I had one, but now I do and if I understand correctly I will go this afternoon to see if it´s in place..

In the manual it says: "Hold shaft G and turn the hand wheel till clutch engages"

Maybe a silly question, but does it basically means to hold the shaft with my hand and turn the hand wheel and it will "popp" in place?

I think my english is fairly good, but some times I´m not so familiar with all the technical terms, so I might as some silly questions to be sure I dont do anything wrong :-)

Thanks again for your support! :-)

[Uwe]

Yup that's what it sounds like to me. The english in the manual is a bit rough in spots. (The German language manual for the Adler 267 isn't all that much better and even gets the image numbers wrong.)

Image 15 in the back of the manual shows the clutch with the two screws "d" to adjust clutch release torque and the hole "n" (the manual calls this "n/15" in the text on page 13.) You use this hole "n" to check if the clutch is engaged or not. If it is engaged, meaning the two clutch disks are aligned, the hole labeled "n" should line up with a hole in the back disk of the clutch. You should be able to stick a little pin or hex wrench all the way through the clutch when the holes are aligned. Take the pin out again after you check!

Image 21 in the back of the manual shows the shaft labelled "G". This shaft connects the clutch to the hook gear. If the clutch is disengaged, it should be fairly easy to hold the shaft "G" with your left hand fingers and turn the handwheel towards you until the spring-loaded balls inside the clutch pop back into their little dimples/holes to engage the clutch again. Once the clutch is engaged, It'll take a good amount of torque to make the clutch disengage again - I'm guessing you can't hold the shaft strong enough with just your fingers to make the clutch disengage.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Uwe

[276ccm]

Ah, now I slowly start to understand hehe Thanks a lot for a very good and clear explanation! :-)

I went to the "office" and tried to hold the shaft tight with my hand, but I didn't manage to pop it into place.. but I didn't quite understand the safety clutch before now, as I was looking at both the german and the english manual and the number of the picture is different.. anyway, I think I understand now and will go tomorrow morning to check if the clutch is engaged..

If not I´ll loosen the screws for the clutch and align the clutch plates and tighten as the manual says, and hope it´s all what it takes, but I´m a little bit scared, as I took a new video today and picture, that shows more clear that the timing is really far off as you mentioned..

The picture below shows how far the tip of the hook is the needle.. I guess the hook should be in the middl of the needle when it´s in this position..

Thanks again, I really appreciate it! :-)

[276ccm]

Hi again.. :-) I couldn't wait and went to the office to check, but it doesn't look good. It looks like the clutch is even. I took out both the screws on the clutch and it looks like I can put a pin in the hole all the way. It doesn't go trough, but as far as I can get. The video shows what I tried. I also tried to hold the shaft, but nothing popped in place and I could hold it still..

The video: http://youtu.be/_A8BoGDJYEo

What do you think?

Also some pictures