Will The $150 Chinese Servo Motors From Ebay Work On An Old Adler 68?

[Vinculus]

So I have the opportunity to buy this Adler 68 here in Finland, but it comes with the original clutch motor. That's no good for me really, since I make shoes and need the control and low speeds of a servo motor. The seller will knock off $100 of the listed price if I take the machine with no motor at all, so that I can buy my own servo motor for it. Post bed machines are rarer than hen's teeth here unfortunately, and I sorely need one to replace my Singer 29K72. Missed out on a Pfaff 471 with a servo motor already, the only one of its sort being sold here in like a year...

Now, I'm on a very tight budged here, being a poor student. I've found some seemingly affordable brushless servo motors on eBay, like this TS550. I have absolutely no experience with industrial sewing machines, so my question to you more knowledgeable people is as follows: will this motor work? Will it even fit? Are these things "universal", so to speak?

The only thing I know that I need is that the motor must be compatible with 220-240 voltage and be single phased.

Alternatively, could I install a "suicide knob" to the sewing machine's wheel and hand crank it? I've become so accustomed to hand cranking machines throughout the years that I would almost prefer this. But the Adler 68's hand wheel looks mighty tiny and I wonder if it would even work.

Sorry for all the stupid questions, I'm obviously new at this.

[Constabulary]

External servo motors for sewing machine will work with 99% - 100% of the V-belt driven industrial sewing machines.

Not sure how much import taxes and custom fees you have to pay for the motor but alternatively you could buy a servo on Ebay Germany or from College sewing in the UK to prevent import taxes and custom fees. And they run on 220V 1 phase. $ : € exchange rate is quite bad atm so I´d check the 2 alternatives.

https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/SewingMachineServoMotors

http://www.ebay.de/sch/Textilgewerbe-Schneiderei-/45033/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=servo+motor&_sop=15

Edited November 30, 2015 by Constabulary

[sandyt]

If the motor runs 1400 rpm (not 2800), you could also place different secondhand pouley's. Realy small on the motor. Realy big (25cm??) On the machine. Takes a little work though. With such a setup you can sew realy realy slow by feathering the pedal with quick movements back and forth.

I had a singer setup like this. I could sew slower as a servomotor. And as a bonus, the machine could not be stalled becouse of the realy big pouley.

[sandyt]

This was my singer 211G166. I bought the pouley's new. Industrial grade. 80 euro's. V-belt 10 euro's.

Lower grade or second hand would be way cheaper ofcourse.

[Vinculus]

External servo motors for sewing machine will work with 99% - 100% of the V-belt driven industrial sewing machines.

Not sure how much import taxes and custom fees you have to pay for the motor but alternatively you could buy a servo on Ebay Germany or from College sewing in the UK to prevent import taxes and custom fees. And they run on 220V 1 phase. $ : € exchange rate is quite bad atm so I´d check the 2 alternatives.

https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/SewingMachineServoMotors

http://www.ebay.de/sch/Textilgewerbe-Schneiderei-/45033/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=servo+motor&_sop=15

Thanks! I hadn't even thought of buying "local" since that's usually a lot more expensive, but those prices are good!

Looks like I'll be getting the machine, as the seller would like to trade my Singer 29K72 for the Adler 68 with me paying €100 in-between. Original list price was 500, so I feel like that's a decent deal.

[Vinculus]

Also, how difficult is it assembling one of these new motors to an old stand? While I can be crafty, I would much prefer a simple job.

[Constabulary]

usually 3 screws and often enough the servos are using the same screw holes so not very difficult. You have to adjust the new Servo in hight and sideways the way the pulley has about the same position as the one from the clutch motor. But thats work you have to do anyway if you do not like the clutch motor.

[Vinculus]

Phew, good to know. I'm actually very surprised that these motors are so affordable. When you think of the cost of industrial sewing machines in general, affordable is usually not a key word.

Just hoping that the machine doesn't have a lot of parts near the end of their lifespan. Adler parts are definitely not affordable! The seller runs a shop dealing used shoemaking machines, so at least I know it's been serviced.

[Constabulary]

when I look close at your Adler 68 it seems as if the lock lever for the stich lenght adjuster is missing or is it just because of the angle?

Edited December 1, 2015 by Constabulary

[Vinculus]

I guess it's possible that it's broken, but picture googling other Adler 68s, it looks like some models just have a round knurled thumb nut and others have a lever knob. This one has the same configuration as the one that is soon to be mine, for instance.

Also, it's impossible to find a manual for this machine that isn't only in German. Hope it's pretty self-explanatory, being a very bare-bones machine.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Vinculus