Adler 4-4: Decreasing Sewing Speed

[bex DK]

I got a good deal (I think.. decent at least, as he put off a couple other sellers when we put a deposit on the machine) on a functional Adler 4-4 machine, but I have a problem. There is no way I can learn to master this machine as fast as it is running right now. It was previously part of a shop full of machinery for a fully trained saddler but I am more of a hobbyist and definitely not used to machines. Searching old threads pointed me at the 104 manual and it also says something about decreasing sewing speed, but I can't find anything in it about HOW to do it, but that may just mean "push the pedal less" in the manual.

I try barely touching the foot pedal, but it either doesn't go at all or flies off at a high speed I can't handle.

So is there any way this speed can be adjusted so it is running at a speed I can better manage? I might be able to handle faster once I've had a lot of practice, but I have to start somewhere.

Also, if anyone is experienced with this machine or similar, is it normal for the tension to be so high that it is really hard to pull the thread manually? The stitching is showing that the bobbin tension is higher than the upper tension but manual 104 says preferably not to adjust the bobbin tension. I pretty much CAN'T pull thread out of the bobbin manually (like to move the leather away to cut the thread) and pulling the top thread through isn't easy. I've tried doing some tightening on the top, but I really need to get the sewing speed down so it doesn't run away with me before I can work too much with it.

I haven't run my own bobbins yet--I figured I could at least do some learning on the bobbins that came along with the machine. It actually came with a pretty big assortment of stuff that I need to learn and experiment with before I can use it for anything "real."

BTW, I am in Denmark in Europe.

[Constabulary]

How fast is your motor running? 1400rpm or faster?

You can slow down a clutch motor (actually the sewing speed - not really the motor) a little bit by installing a smaller pulley, you can get a 40mm pulley at College Sewing in the UK.

Or / and you install a speed reducer like this one:

http://www.allbrands.com/products/39722-techsew-2700-speed-reducer-slows-down-clutch-motor

Or you build one by your self as I did and many others. Search the forum for speed reducer:

https://www.google.de/search?q=speed+reducer+site:leatherworker.net&biw=1280&bih=867&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjSsJq6rqzLAhWBCpoKHZShCoMQ_AUIBigA&dpr=1

Or you buy a new servo motor F.I. from College Sewing in the UK:

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

and optional you can add a speed reducer as well for increasing the torque.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Constabulary

[Constabulary]

I would say you definitely have to lower the bottom thread tension. But be careful with it because some of the shuttles have a separate set screw for the tension screw. First loosen the set screw and then the tension screw.

[Wizcrafts]

The bobbin thread should have a smooth steady pull, and not be binding inside the bobbin case. Once you get the bobbin tension loosened, reduce the top tension to balance the knots inside the leather.

Clutch motors have an adjustment bolt on the front, on the left forward face. Backing off this (nut and) bolt gives more free play before the clutch pad engages. This may allow your foot to get accustomed to the action of the clutch. Once you get the clutch adjusted for your toe, you should be able to feather it down to 1 stitch per second.

The smaller motor pulley definitely slows down a machine, always. Once you drop the speed that way, it stays slow. A 50 mm pulley will slow it down a little less and still add more punching power.

[llucas]

I am also a novice with sewing machines. On my machine I replaced the clutch motor with a servo motor and added a speed reducing pulley. This produced a DRAMATIC difference in sewing speed. The machine is now manageable and a pleasure to use.

[bex DK]

Thank you, all of you. I will try to study your responses more at the machine and see if I can make sense of it. Unfortunately I have no idea of the RPMs of the machine. I am no good at all with motors and such. I will crawl around under it and see if I can find anything in writing down there. Didn't find the model number until after we got it home, so was only able to go after what he said as to what it could handle. Machine was so dirty he couldn't find the plate.

The speed reducer option, that can be engaged and disengaged, correct? So if I master the machine it could be disengaged for running at the higher speed again? I'd rather not do anything overly permanent, also in case I later decide to upgrade to a machine that can handle heavier materials (what discussions here say the machine handles is a bit contradictory to what the seller told me he made on it, but I think it will handle my needs decently for a while as long as I don't have too many requests for really heavy materials). So I don't want to do anything that would potentially decrease the value of the machine. But a speed reducer might be an ideal solution, and my husband is probably handy enough to come up with something if I show him lots of pictures, or at least to install one if I order one.

Wizcraft, I need to crawl under the table and look again to see if there are more nuts down there. Are you referring to the adjustment connecting the foot pedal itself? I did wonder if adjusting the foot pedal would help. Sorry, but as I have 0 experience with these machines I am not familiar with the terminology. Anyone I talked to over here would be telling me in Danish anyway. I'm an American, so have no issues reading stuff in English, but just don't know the terminology. Is there a diagram anywhere I could study so I better understand your responses?

I also have a contact of a place that works with sewing machines here. They recently had a more powerful Adler on their web page so I suspect they are at least familiar with them. But I felt better asking here for advice, as you will give me straight answers that don't necessarily involve buying things. Afraid calling up a place like that will get me pushed to have a technician out to go over the machine or to buy something that wouldn't really be necessary. But they might be able to help me with speed reducer, although many times it is cheaper to get stuff from outside the country because of the different tax rates.

We are eager to at least get the machine running, but I won't have copious time to play with it until April when I've moved out several orders, mostly rope work. I do a combo of rope and leather.

In all my googling about the speed, I did find a machine the same model as mine for sale elsewhere in the EU. Compared to its listed price, I got a serious bargain, although I don't know if there might be big differences in condition. In some ways that one looked better and in others mine looked better.

Will write more later when I've crawled around under the machine. I will take pictures to verify before adjusting things. Thanks again!

[Constabulary]

The motor usually has a data plate and most of the times you find 1400 rpm or 2800 rpm motors in Europe. 2800 RPM is way tooooo fast for leather work. 1400 is quite fast already but when the clutch is good you can work with it. If you want to keep the motor a smaller pulley is what I would install anyway.

No, you cannot disengage the speed reducer. In a normal configuration the motor is connected to it with a V-Belt and the machine is connected to it with a 2nd V-Belt.

For beginners I´d recommend a new Servo Motor because they have a much better speed control. The combination of a new servo motor + speed reducer is the best option you can have. It is the most expensive solution but you for sure have less trouble with the speed control and you have plenty of torque for sewing thicker materials.

[bex DK]

I managed to get an angle where I could read the plate and it is 1400. At least I assume "omdrejninger" translates directly to RPM--it is in any case rotation related.

I will have to look into the cost of a servo, but I suspect it is beyond my budget at the current time. The machine itself really pushed it, even if I did get a great deal.

If I did this right, you should be able to see these pictures:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_uFFXfEF4HhdHltVWxCZXdVWkk&usp=sharing

I couldn't get a legible shot of the plate of numbers on the motor.

Being the smaller motor means it is more likely to be manageable even without pulley change or speed reducer?

Is the long adjustment on the foot pedal/motor connection the thing Wizcrafts meant could be adjusted to possibly make it easier for me to control?

[Wizcrafts]

That motor has an external clutch and I can't see how it gets adjusted. There must be some bolt that moves the clutch closer or farter away from the motor.

As for the drop rods, they are already installed at the end of the control arm. But, the output pulley is humongous! I would recommend getting a pulley with a diameter of 50mm, for slow speed, high torque operation.

Gotta go.

[bex DK]

Thanks!! Sounds like you and Constabulary agree I need a smaller pulley (always nice when advice is same from multiple people--makes it more likely to be accurate), unless I can afford to replace the motor, which I am sure I can't. I will have to see if I can track one down and what it will cost me. The pulley will most likely eliminate the need for a speed reducer, correct?

And I am understanding correctly that the pulley is the wheel that the drive band is on to connect to the machine? Want to make sure I am understanding the right part before I pester my husband to tell me what it is called in Danish so I can contact a shop... Are these things relatively standard or do I need to try to measure anything or make sense of the specs on the motor plate before contacting a supplier? Especially if this motor might not be "normal" for this machine.

Constabulary, if I have trouble getting what I need from the place my used-to-be-my-leather-supplier-but-retired recommends in Herning, do you recommend the UK place or somewhere in Germany as a best chance for getting the pulley replaced? I figured Denmark is easiest since the motor is originally Danish (all the plates on it are in Danish, some from Copenhagen (the place that sold it when it was new, I think) and some from Odense, I think it was), but I don't know what my chances are. They do sell a lot of used machines, which includes a heavier Adler model (20-20), so hopefully they can get parts.

It makes me feel a bit less idiotic to hear my current pulley looks large. That means there is probably a good reason I feel like everything is flying away from me when I try just to sew a straight line.

Thank you both for your help and for putting up with my excessive ignorance on correct terminology. I will learn eventually.