llucas Report post Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) The new parts arrived today and I put the new feed dog and throat plate on the machine. The service manual for the 205-370 (mine is a 205-374) says the feed dog at its highest point should be 1mm above the throat plate. But, it is about 1/2mm below the plate which will certainly mar the leather. When I take the front ring and hook from the machine and examine the feed dog carrier I find when the feed dog is at its highest point I can lift the feed dog carrier with slight pressure from a screwdriver underneath the carrier -- but it is not enough movement to lift the feed dog 1mm above the throat plate, only about 1/4mm above, or just flush. The service manual says this is not adjustable in the 205-370 series, but the spindle holding the feed dog carrier has what seems to be an adjustment screw at the rear under the cylinder arm. A new feed dog carrier is expensive: a little over $400 wholesale, and I cannot see how different tolerances there could make any difference anyway. Ideas? Edited January 20, 2016 by llucas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
llucas Report post Posted January 20, 2016 (edited) I called Allen at Weaver Leather, described what I had discovered and he immediately had the answer. No, it is not adjustable for the 205 series, as stated in the service manual. He said that the feed dog carrier probably has a groove worn into it on the top edge where the cam rotates to lift the dog assembly -- and that sometimes the cam gets a groove worn into it. So, armed with this information I removed the cam -- no groove worn into it. Next, off came the feed dog carrier. Bingo! on the top arm of the carrier where the cam lug lifts the feed dog carrier was a distinctive groove worn from use. I put a small straight edge on it and from the bottom of the groove to the surface was my missing space for properly lifting the feed dog! More good news: Allen says they may be able to repair the feed dog carrier. So, parts into a box today and shipped to Allen at Weaver Leather. Allen Burkholder is an absolute encyclopedia of knowledge about the Adler 205 series of machines. Edited January 20, 2016 by llucas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
