Pfaff 145 worth restoring?

[MADMAX22]

So saw a 31-15 for $25 and decided to go get it (craigslist find), its in rough shape but figured would be a good parts machine for the nice one I have. Anyhow got to looking at another one the gentlemen had a singer model 101 thats in decent/good shape so ended up grabbing that also (still not sure what I wanna do with that little guy) and when we were loading them in the truck he said he had an old Pfaff that he was taking to the junk yard and asked if I wanted it. 

Being the sucker I am I said sure, now I have a somewhat rusty seized up 145 H3 in my garage. Some stuff doesnt look too bad but other stuff is rough, it basically got left out in the rain once or twice and well ya get the picture.

So are the price of parts prohibitive to trying to fix these up? I know there are lots of variables on this (Ill post some pics later). If it was say a singer or consew or juki with lots of cheaper/interchangeable parts it would be easier. 

Your thoughts appreciated. 

[RockyAussie]

Right pace and time I must say. Post some pics and say what parts you're chasing and I ask down here. Regards Brian

[MADMAX22]

Thanks Brian, 

Got it soaking with some  penetrant right now. Looking like it will be a parts machine depending on how much time I have to play with it. Post some pics tomorrow. 

[Constabulary]

I have restored a couple of barn finds over the time. Fortunately most where Singer "based" machines and never had bigger parts issues. Pfaff parts (even after market parts) are a bit more expensive as you for sure know but as long as you don´t meed a new hook it´s most likely worth restoring it. Good thing is the 145 has no timing belt so you you will not have headache with that.

Looking forward to some pictures

[shoepatcher]

we need pics of the machine!!!

glenn

[MADMAX22]

Well it is kind of depressing as usual with old things that were nice but not taken care of. Looking at the 31-15 it was actually in good shape until it was neglected. Pretty sure it had low usage but got stored very improperly. The singer 101 which seems actually kind of rare somewhat is in good shape and works fine. The pfaff 145 I think was also originally in pretty good shape until it was left outside. Ahh well. 

The pfaff had the needle bar, and both presser feet bars stuck, got two of them loose and am in the process of taking it apart. Got some apple cider vinegar and salt to start getting rid of rust on the parts. Luckily the bobbin was prewound so no dissimilar metal corrosion on that guy. Gonna have to take the whole thing apart though. Probably get it all apart and clean all the parts then evaluate what I would have to replace. Wish there was a manual with stock measurements to be able to determine the wear and tear on various components. 

 

Edited October 19, 2016 by MADMAX22

[RockyAussie]

Looks pretty promising to me. A good thorough strip down a brass bristle rub on the grinder and I reckon she'll be a goer.

Hows the pin that opens the tension discs? Not rusted in?

[Constabulary]

I have an older photo copy of the dismantling instruction + parts list for the Pfaff 145 in English language - if you are interested I can scan it and post it in the days to come. Or send it by email if the file will be too big.

[shoepatcher]

MadMax22,

that 145 can definitely restored.  What is the sub class on the brass plate?

glenn

[MADMAX22]

Its a 145-H3-6A1C LMNP

Missed the A, it almost looked like a / when I first looked at it. 

Constable PM sent. 

Edited October 19, 2016 by MADMAX22

[shoepatcher]

-H-3 means 11mm lift, H4 would be the high lift version at 14mm

L- leather machine

C- class.  the D lass is the heaviest and has the largest diameter balance wheel

P- means 4 motion drop feed

N- means maximum 6 mm stitch length as does the 6 in the model number

M- safety clutch

not sure on the 1A

glenn

[MADMAX22]

So couple questions on these pfaffs. 

Pretty much got it tore apart. Alot of stuff not too bad  shape, but alot of surface rust everywhere and some a little deeper but I think 95% is  salvageable. 

Two issues.

One is the  outer pressure foot bar which goes thru the top bearing under the pressure foot pressure spring (two leaf springs on top), that upper bearing I didnt realize those little bearing balls would just fall out when you removed the bar. Not sure if I got them all but anyways has anyone scene one of those bearing assemblies for sale or can you usually just replace those ball bearings and be good to go? Tiny little buggers. 

Second the hook is in pretty rough shape. Still gotta clean it but not sure how thats gonna play out. So looking at it has anyone ever replaced this with a 545/1245 hook assembly? Would be nice if I gotta buy parts to do a little modding to get a bigger bobbin. From pictures the hook assemblies look the same but I cant find any pics of the size comparison to see if the gears can be interchanged and how much adjustments to the hook assembly cage/block would be required. 

Thanks. 

 

Oh and one other thing, is there any disadvantage to switching to a 135x16 needle system ( I think the 145s are 190 or some other pfaff specific system) and how is that usually done? I would like to have the same needle system as my other couple of middle weight singers.

Edited November 11, 2016 by MADMAX22

[Constabulary]

can´t help much but I´d compare the parts list of a 145 and 545 if the # are the same Haven't checked but I doubt they are the same. What is the Pffaf using I guess 134-35 / DPx35, right? No problem to switch to 135x16 needles you just have to raise the needle bar a tiny bit - not sure how much longer the 135x16 is but I´d guess 1 or 2mm

EDIT:

http://www.sewingneedles.org/leather-stitching-needles.html

I also have set all my machines to 135x17 / 135x16 - no problems at all.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Constabulary

[Uwe]

Hook assemblies for both Pfaff 145 and Pfaff 545 are readily available for around $80 on Ebay. I'm not sure if the 545 hook's bobbin is that much bigger to justify the effort of a retrofit. I took a few basic measurements off the hook from my Pfaff 545. You can compare them to your 145 dimensions and see if it's worth bothering. 

[Uwe]

The Pfaff 145 H3 uses 134-35 needles (My Pfaff 545 H4 uses the System 190 needles), according to the Pfaff 145 manual.

I bookmarked Constabulary's link to that needle vendor - nice comparison charts for the systems in question!

The 135x16 or 135x17 system is only 0.8mm longer in needle's butt-to-eye distance compared to the 134-35 system. That tiny difference might be compensated for via needle bar adjustment without any trouble, as Constabulary suggested.

[MADMAX22]

Thank you guys much appreciated, 

Uwe great pics those will come in handy. 

[MADMAX22]

Uwe the pics you have spec the 545 at a M class bobbin, the 145 is a G class. Looks like everything else is the same with exception of the size. When I get time I am going to have to look at the parts and how they go together to see what would need to be modified to make it work. There is enough space in the cage area (not sure of name) but the diameter change will require adjustment and not sure if there is enough with the way the parts go together. Gonna look into it when I get to that point. Should be easy to do theoretically with the way the pfaffs are setup. 

[AKtrapper]

If you want to sell parts,  the upper bevel gear cover in particular I would be very interested.

 

[JCottee]

shoepatcher, can you decode this plate number for me? 

 

Top line 145VR56B

Second line L

[shoepatcher]

145 class single needle flatbed walking foot unison feed

VR ?  not seen before

56 ?

B class

L for sewing leather 

does this machine have any trimming knives on it?  Send pics of the head