Another Is This Sewing Machine Right For Me Question Adler 467

[kawliga]

merry xmas all

I have enjoyed reading all your posts and articles

my wife does all her own saddle work and we work on some of our own harness

we also would like to start making our own scabbards holsters etc

I have the opportunity to buy a Adler 467 used from a bulk buyer for a very cheap price

he knows they worked when he bought them but nothing else

he is about 3 hours drive for me so I can't look at anything particular until a week from now

this machine is a 3 phase but I am good educating myself with your help and ok with installing a servo motor

I really am having trouble finding much on this model and what it is made to do

we are not going to be cranking things out all day I would like to just get my wife something she can use and I can learn on

if you can give me some insight on this I would be great full

if you can direct me pass posts that have some of the details of my questions that would great to

[Uwe]

Read the pinned post Called "Adler 467 for Venator" at the top of this section for a detailed case study on this type of machine. They're good machines if they're set up right. Other machines are a little simpler in design which helps figuring out how it all works. The Adler 467 has a complex lubrication system that challenges even trained technicians. If you're planning to have your wife learn on this machine, plan to toss whatever motor/controller it comes with and "invest" in a $150-ish servo motor. You and your wife will be much happier. Being able to go slow while learning is very important, I think.

[kawliga]

Thanks Uwe

who would you buy a servo from

I did find a post on this website by searching on google that has a good write up on this machine

where would you go for parts on a Adler I see in your sig line you use a couple alders

[Uwe]

The servo motors are a commodity and available from various vendors. Buy it from a vendor that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling when you interact with them. The vendors advertising in the banner ads at the top help pay to keep this site running, so they deserve a shot at your business.

The simplest, cheapest and quite capable servo motor is the FESM550 style motor, made by Feiyue and sold under various brands and name variations (Family Sew, etc.) , usually in the $130-$150 price range. I have one of these installed on my Adler 67 machine I'm selling - (I just made a sewing demo video with this setup.)

The Adler 467 is an evolution of the Adler 67 I used in the video, using a bigger bobbin and the complicated lubrication system, among various other design changes. Sewing specs and capabilities didn't change much from the Adler 67 through the 467 and beyond, but convenience features and complexity sure did. Old-and-simple is often better than new-and-complex when it comes to these machines, especially for hobbyists. Factory settings are a different story.

Personally I feel the Adler 67/167/267 are much preferable to the later Adler models 467 and beyond, with the Adler 267 being my personal favorite in that Adler line (and I don't even own one yet, haha!)

For Adler parts, it really depends on what you need and whether you want original or aftermarket parts. Commodities like presser feet, feed dogs, bobbins and such are available online from a multitude of vendors. Some vendors have a good online presence to find parts and compare specs prices - unfortunately several of the banner vendors are NOT in that group. I buy some parts directly for a manufacturer in China (Kwok Hing) and I also sell a few Adler goodies in my ebay store (see my signature below). Things like hooks (usually Hirose brand) are available form our banner vendors and online from good-reputation stores like Sharp Sewing on ebay. An original Adler hook will likely cost more than what you paid for the whole machine in the first place.

No matter which machine you start with, it's an adventure (and a money sink). The Adler 467 is a good starting point, especially if you get it cheap and it's in good condition.

Edited December 24, 2015 by Uwe

[dikman]

it's an adventure (and a money sink).

Amen to that, brother!

[TinkerTailor]

Make sure the lube system works. If it does not, you are in for a world of hurt. Do not buy that machine until you read the adler467 for venator thread. That machine was from a semi-reputable seller and the lube system was totally pooched. It took a rebuild and conversion to manual oiling to get the machine to work properly. This involved shipping the machine hundreds of miles to and from the guy who could do it. I don't want to know how much it cost to fix, or how much of a deal GottaKnow gave venator when he fixed it.

Generally auto lube machines are avoided for slow work as well because alot of times the machine isn't moving fast enough to pump the oil to the top.

[kawliga]

great info

I don't want to buy a "deal" that I can't use

I want my wife and I to be able to use it and not regret the purchase because we were uninformed

how is there a way to test the oiling process with out power

can you manually spin the machine by hand and see the lubrication points getting oiled

thanks

[Wizcrafts]

great info

I don't want to buy a "deal" that I can't use

I want my wife and I to be able to use it and not regret the purchase because we were uninformed

how is there a way to test the oiling process with out power

can you manually spin the machine by hand and see the lubrication points getting oiled

thanks

It ain't going to happen at those speeds! Self-oiling machines need to spin at a couple thousand rpm to fully distribute the oil to the extremities. Most of them are setup with a larger motor pulley than the one on the flywheel. Just barely engaging the clutch can spin them at over 40 stitches per second. While you don't have to sew fast constantly, it should be done at least once each time you begin a sewing job.

The Venator Adler 467 was damaged due to a lack of oil at the far end of the wick in the head, caused by dried up wicks from slow speed sewing. The bearings and shafts were scored and some parts were seized.

[Uwe]

I have a strong feeling that you cannot test and verify the Adler 467's oiling system without power. Even with power, it took a wizard-level expert (Eric/Gottaknow) to figure out what was wrong with Venator's machine oiling system and then fix it. Perhaps I should change my previous statement to "An Adler 467 is ONLY a good starting point if it is cheap AND works perfectly (and Eric is a close, personal friend of yours) ".

Edited December 25, 2015 by Uwe