Please help! Pfaff 1245 706/47 has loose bottom stitches when reversing, and short stitch length.

[OldMercedesGuy]

Hello all, Many thanks to member and mentor Uwe Grosse for telling me about this awesome web community! I love my new/old Pfaff 1245 706/47 (see photos). Cosmetically, it looks like a low-hour machine. I see no evidence that it was ever repainted. When I got the machine, the heavy-steel knee lifter bracket was bent slightly and not installed, so I straightened and re-installed it, and it works fine now. This made me think the machine may have been dropped at one time, although I see no other evidence of damage on the machine.

The table looks like a newer one, so I think it has been replaced (clutch motor works fine). The oil drip pan and collection bottle were missing, so I have ordered those. The machine came with only a generic 6 mm piping presser foot set, which seemed to fit correctly. I tried to mount a set of Kwon Hing standard feet, but the outer foot shank on the Kwok Hing set was a bit too narrow (about 2.6 mm wide). The shank opening on the outer foot bar on my machine measures about 3 mm wide. I have since ordered another generic 5 mm piping foot set, and when they arrived, they fit my machine’s outer foot bar. So I ordered some more generic presser feet sets which I will need for the seats in my car, as well as some system 190 Schmetz needles in both “R” and “D” points, but they haven’t arrived yet. At Uwe’s suggestion, I checked my needle plate and feed dog part numbers, and they are correct parts for this subclass model. The needle currently mounted on the machine reads “Schmetz (symbol) 130,” so I don’t know if the “130” refers to the size, or if it is the wrong needle system. Being anxious to test it out, I did some practice sewing on scrap vinyl with Sungard 138 thread. So far, I have noticed two issues:

1. The stitch length control responds to different settings, but the length of stitches produced is shorter than the size indicated on the lever scale. The longest stitch produced is only about 4 mm.
2. The machine seems to sew pretty well in the forward direction, however, when reverse stitching, the stitches become loose and messy-looking on the bottom. I have tired all sorts of tension adjustments, both on the top tension and bobbin case, as well as re-threading the machine per the diagram, but I can’t eliminate this issue. There is a mechanical snapping sound at higher tension settings, too, and I don’t know if this is normal or not (I don’t think it is normal?).

I have the parts manual, user manual, subclass publication, and at Uwe's suggestion in another forum post, I purchased and downloaded the CORRECT service manual for my machine here: http://sewingonline.co.uk/library/pfaff-service-245-to-1246.html I haven’t gotten a chance to go through the adjustment procedures outlined in the manual yet, so I am hoping that will resolve my issues. Although these specific issues are not directly addressed in the service manual, I suppose that making all of the factory-recommended tuning and adjustments would be the best way to proceed. Meanwhile, I was hoping some Pfaff experts out there are able to give me some advice on what I should be looking for to get these issues resolved. Thanks in advance for your help!

Kind regards,

Tim

 

 

 

Edited October 5, 2016 by OldMercedesGuy
typo

[suzelle]

Nice looking machine Tim! Looks new.

[FIFI6464]

I had this problem with a Juki walking foot and it was corrected re-timing the hook assembly.

Your manual will tell how to it but there is on youtube a nice video doing this procedure.

  Never seen a machine in this conditions. Looks like a brand new. You were very lucky

to find one like this. Congratulations.

Edited January 21, 2017 by FIFI6464
additional info

[Dave1]

First, on the very back of this machine , there is a pair of brackets and a curved slide . It may have  a thumb screw, or a small maybe a 8mm nut.    this sets the height of the step of the toe foot , the back foot responds  to the toe foot . At the lowest setting  the machine is  working very lightly. at this point both feet are rising/ lifting  about the same height. This setting is for flat work . And I believe the best setting for adjusting tensions both top and bottom. Set your stitch length at about half  way just not full way, and try this on blue jean fabric.  Also back the top tension off 1/2 turn to start , and use black on top and white  on bottom ,for good contrast......we may need to adjust the check spring and the bobbincase opener as well .....does this machine have large bobbins..   good luck Dave1.