Adler 205-374

[leatherisfun]

Go as slow as you can and try to maintain the same speed while going around the turn. Guide the piece, don't fight it or force it. Practice is the key to getting better at such tasks. Make good work of that scrap pile.

[llucas]

Go as slow as you can and try to maintain the same speed while going around the turn. Guide the piece, don't fight it or force it. Practice is the key to getting better at such tasks. Make good work of that scrap pile.

My pile of stitched scrap is getting quite high, lol. The thing I liked about the YouTube video above was the definitive process related to needle and shuttle hook position. Unfortunately, it does not seem to apply to my Adler 205-374. For example, in the video with the needle slightly beyond bottom dead center he could change direction with the needle buried and not drop the stitch -- and the presser foot lift lever or pedal picked up both feet at that juncture. When my Adler is slightly above bottom dead center only the outer feet lift -- and without both feet lifted with the needle still in the leather the direction cannot be changed for a 90 degree turn without marring the leather as the center foot is still holding firm. Frustrating. Thanks for the answer and feedback.

Edited March 7, 2016 by llucas

[leatherisfun]

If you are making a 90 degree turn, leave the needle buried, life the foot, turn piece. You might have to turn wheel by hand to get it into the position you need without overshooting. Otherwise the above applies.

[TinkerTailor]

My pile of stitched scrap is getting quite high, lol. The thing I liked about the YouTube video above was the definitive process related to needle and shuttle hook position. Unfortunately, it does not seem to apply to my Adler 205-374. For example, in the video with the needle slightly beyond bottom dead center he could change direction with the needle buried and not drop the stitch -- and the presser foot lift lever or pedal picked up both feet at that juncture. When my Adler is slightly above bottom dead center only the outer feet lift -- and without both feet lifted with the needle still in the leather the direction cannot be changed for a 90 degree turn without marring the leather as the center foot is still holding firm. Frustrating. Thanks for the answer and feedback.

If both feet don't lift off the material when you step on the pedal lift or press the knee lift, something is not adjusted right. At any point in the stitch you should be able to stop the machine and lift both feet well clear of the material with the foot/knee lift. (this can cause skipped stitches if done at the wrong time)

The bobbins and shuttles of these machines are basically identical and they make stitches pretty much the same. That corner technique should work.

It could be that your feet are a little out of time if you are noticing a difference from videos, have you checked if it is to spec?

User Uwe on here has some adler videos on youtube that show close up slow motion of a machine in proper timing:

Edited March 7, 2016 by TinkerTailor

[Uwe]

I also made a separate video on just the alternating foot lift adjustment for the Adler 205. The procedure adjusts the alternating feet to make sure they lift the same amount as they walk.

Also, both feet should definitely lift off the material when you use the manual lever or the foot-operated foot lift. If they don't, something's wrong with your foot lift mechanism.

[llucas]

Thanks, Tinker and Uwe. The foot action on my machine follows the profile in Uwe's video. I will double check the lift issue, but as I recall for part of the cycle the lever or pedal does not lift the center foot. I'll confirm this and get back to you. I used Uwe's video on adjusting the foot lift to 10mm. There was a difference in my machine in that there was no spring between the two adjustment blocks, and the lift mechanism gave me trouble thereafter -- because the adjustment block (lift block?) directly above the foot lift adjustment block needs to be adjusted also? I posted on this issue in the past on this discussion, but for some reason several posts have disappeared.

Edited March 9, 2016 by llucas

[llucas]

Ok, I checked the lift lever action in relationship to lifting the center foot. On a single thickness 8 oz leather scrap both feet will lift above the workpiece using the lever or foot pedal. However, after the needle penetrates the leather and all the way through the movement of the feed dog, center presser foot and needle toward the rear if I stop and use the lift lever the center presser barely lifts above the surface of the material. At any other point in the cycle the center and outer feet lift to the same level. On a piece of double thickness leather (about 1/4") the center foot will not lift above the material during the time the needle is in the leather. Clearly it is out of adjustment on this feature.

Is this adjusted by adjusting to the relative thickness of materials using the slot and hole on the upper left region of the faceplate? The older service manual for the 205-374 describes how to adjust the center foot to the thickest material to be sewn. Or, should the adjustable block that is engaged by the flat bar when the lever is lifted be adjusted slightly downward to achieve greater lift height for the lift lever? I should note that my foot pedal for lifting the feet needs a chain instead of the cable the last owner used -- when I use the pedal it does not lift high enough to disengage the upper tension plate, although it will release the feet to engage the leather. Also, when I manipulate by hand the long arm on the back of the machine to which the cable is attached, it does not lift the adjustable block for disengaging the presser feet bar high enough when fully depressed downward to open the upper tension adjuster plates. Looking at the adjustment blocks on the outer presser feet bar, it appears the adjustable block directly above the one used to adjust the outer presser feet height is not quite low enough for the presser foot activation lever to engage sufficiently to lift the outer presser foot bar high enough to disengage the tension plate. Does this maladjustment also affect the height of the center presser foot when disengaged by the lift lever or foot pedal?

Edited March 9, 2016 by llucas

[llucas]

I attempted to adjust this block:

It did indeed cure the problem of being able to lift the center presser foot above the material. However, because I do not know how far the distance should be above the block below it, things seem to be further out of adjustment on the presser feet. Right now, when the center presser foot touches the feed dog, the tip of the needle is 15mm above the top of the feed dog. Frustrating. I can't find the answer in the service manual.

[llucas]

To complicate things, now the presser foot rod sticks in the "up" position rather than smoothly moving up and down, no matter how much the upper knob is turned to adjust the tension. The machine is now worse off than it was before, and completely out of adjustment for the presser feet. The hook timing is good. The timing of the feet is not. I oiled everything and quit for the evening.

Edited March 10, 2016 by llucas

[shoepatcher]

llucas,

Call Allen Weaver. He can walk you thru it just like he has on other things.

glenn