Hand speed controller for Cowboy and similar sewing machines

[Wizcrafts]

Alexander, at Solar Leather Machines, has come up with an interesting project that replaces the foot motor control pedal with a hand squeezed palm controller. This could be a God-send for those with leg or foot problems that make it hard or impossible for them to control the speed of their machine by foot. Check out his YouTube video about this project.

 

[Yetibelle]

That is a great Idea.  I wanted to mount a machine and motor on top of a workbench that would solve the pedal problem.  I suppose you could also convert that to a pedal with the extra long flexible cord,  then you could move it around like a pedal system on a home machine.  Now your not limited to a fixed-link or chain pull pedal system . 

 

 

[Constabulary]

Excellent invention! Should not be too difficult as a DIY as well. However its great some one wrecked his brain!

[chuckgaudette]

I really appreciate companies working on solutions for people who can't use all their limbs of which I am one of them, being wheelchair bound since 1996. I did learn to fly an airplane after I got this chair. I found a guy who made a hand control which he had an FAA certification for. The way it works is you slide your arm through a ring on a rod which is connected to the pedal. It allows you to use both hands and still operate the rudder pedal with your forearm. 

So when I took up leather work I used a similar approach. I have a rod connected to the pedal of my PFAFF 335 which I can operate with my forearm. The original rod connecting the pedal to the motor is still connected. I apply pressure to the plate at the top of this rod which works the pedal below. This allows me to use both hands to guide the leather through the machine and vary the speed at the same time. Of course I also have a speed reducer which helps with the finer control. It looks a bit clunky with $10 worth of parts from Home Depot but it works. 

 

[Bodean]

Awesome solution.

[rejerome]

Perfect thread....I'd been tryin' to figure out a solution for my Cobra 4.

I work from a wheelchair with limited leg control.  I've managed to use the speed controller using the heal of my left foot to press down on the top of the petal.  It works but gets a little tiring after a while.

I know I'd see a similar thread somewhere in the past but had been unable to locate it again.

Thanks everyone!

[Darren Brosowski]

I have made a stand alone version of this concept for a couple of customers.

The advantage of mine is that is elbow operated and can be mounted anywhere so that the user has two free hands

 

[dikman]

That is a well thought out solution. For anyone wishing to try making their own there are all sorts of hand levers out there, for cycles and motorcycles, so it shouldn't be too hard to find one that will work. I don't really need one, but I'm tempted to have a go just out of curiosity to see what it's like to use.

Well done Alexander.

[RockyAussie]

13 hours ago, chuckgaudette said:

I really appreciate companies working on solutions for people who can't use all their limbs of which I am one of them, being wheelchair bound since 1996. I did learn to fly an airplane after I got this chair. I found a guy who made a hand control which he had an FAA certification for. The way it works is you slide your arm through a ring on a rod which is connected to the pedal. It allows you to use both hands and still operate the rudder pedal with your forearm. 

So when I took up leather work I used a similar approach. I have a rod connected to the pedal of my PFAFF 335 which I can operate with my forearm. The original rod connecting the pedal to the motor is still connected. I apply pressure to the plate at the top of this rod which works the pedal below. This allows me to use both hands to guide the leather through the machine and vary the speed at the same time. Of course I also have a speed reducer which helps with the finer control. It looks a bit clunky with $10 worth of parts from Home Depot but it works. 

 

That looks like an excellent solution. Just curious if it is practical to use your chest for pushing with in order to have more hand freedom still or would that create balance problems? I know when I made a linesman pouch awhile back I would have liked three arms to hold/fight it while sewing at times.Thanks for sharing.Regards Brian

[LumpenDoodle2]

There is a sewing machine mouth operated speed controller out there.   It's called a byteswitch, no idea of cost, but it's air operated.    Certainly potential for development by some clever soul.   

 

 

[chuckgaudette]

8 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

That looks like an excellent solution. Just curious if it is practical to use your chest for pushing with in order to have more hand freedom still or would that create balance problems? I know when I made a linesman pouch awhile back I would have liked three arms to hold/fight it while sewing at times.Thanks for sharing.Regards Brian

Brian, To answer your question, I don't really know. this is a good solution for me because I don't have any balance issues. But maybe not for others. There are so many different conditions people can have. But there are some drawbacks. On the 335 you have to hold the reverse lever up (it doesn't stay in place) so I don't have a free hand to do that. And I always have to raise and lower the presser foot by hand. But you work with what you have.

Chuck

[RockyAussie]

14 hours ago, LumpenDoodle2 said:

There is a sewing machine mouth operated speed controller out there.   It's called a byteswitch, no idea of cost, but it's air operated.    Certainly potential for development by some clever soul.   

 

 

Are you kidding? when that stitch goes wrong and the teeth grind down ....what have you got then.Youd have to do a relaxation course and lock the doors to have any chance I reckon..And can I ask how many people go to the dentist and when your mouths opened they want to ask questions?

[RockyAussie]

7 hours ago, chuckgaudette said:

Brian, To answer your question, I don't really know. this is a good solution for me because I don't have any balance issues. But maybe not for others. There are so many different conditions people can have. But there are some drawbacks. On the 335 you have to hold the reverse lever up (it doesn't stay in place) so I don't have a free hand to do that. And I always have to raise and lower the presser foot by hand. But you work with what you have.

Chuck

I have some machines that when you push on the pedal with your heel the foot lifts so I would think that if you had an arm loop connected to the pressing pad you could lift and get the same effect.One I have is pneumatic on a Efca variostop system and the other is electric magnetic controlled in a similar way and a bit like the thing (can't think of its name) on your car starter motor. The reverse may be easier if a hook above the lever (perhaps a large magnet to attach)and a large rubber band to loop over and hold the lever up. Some time back I bought a heap of them super magnets about 1 1/2" long by 1" wide and 1/8 thick and I found that I can use them in many different ways such as 1" boxing about a foot long can attach to my shed frame and act as a hook to hold sandpaper belts tools and so on.I often use them for holding templates for embossing names as well. Only problems I have had with them is when 2 get close to each other and you have a finger in between (Ouch) and when you get them too close to sharp knife OH Golly Gee that's not good. Hope that gives some ideas to pay with Regards Brian

[chuckgaudette]

52 minutes ago, RockyAussie said:

I have some machines that when you push on the pedal with your heel the foot lifts so I would think that if you had an arm loop connected to the pressing pad you could lift and get the same effect.One I have is pneumatic on a Efca variostop system and the other is electric magnetic controlled in a similar way and a bit like the thing (can't think of its name) on your car starter motor. The reverse may be easier if a hook above the lever (perhaps a large magnet to attach)and a large rubber band to loop over and hold the lever up. Some time back I bought a heap of them super magnets about 1 1/2" long by 1" wide and 1/8 thick and I found that I can use them in many different ways such as 1" boxing about a foot long can attach to my shed frame and act as a hook to hold sandpaper belts tools and so on.I often use them for holding templates for embossing names as well. Only problems I have had with them is when 2 get close to each other and you have a finger in between (Ouch) and when you get them too close to sharp knife OH Golly Gee that's not good. Hope that gives some ideas to pay with Regards Brian

the rubber band idea would work for sure. I'll give that a try. even light gage wire to hold the lever in place would work. Lifting the press foot by hand isn't really a problem

[LumpenDoodle2]

7 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Are you kidding? when that stitch goes wrong and the teeth grind down ....what have you got then.Youd have to do a relaxation course and lock the doors to have any chance I reckon..And can I ask how many people go to the dentist and when your mouths opened they want to ask questions?

I'm sure a man of you calyber(sic) would never make a wrong stitch       

This method is certainly not unknown in the domestic sewing machine world, so it might be worth a google to see how the domestic market has used adaptations.  

A friend of mine has very severe arthritis in her legs, and feared couldn't continue sewing, until she hit on an idea.   She attached the speed controller to the inside of her machine's cabinet, so just a light touch with her knee does the job.   The presser foot lift is now knee operated too, thanks to a Heath Robinson device her husband put together for her (must try to get a picture of it).

The designs shown are great, and more than do the job, and may even inspire folk to feel there is nothing to stop them from getting, and fully using a sewing machine.     Personally, coming from the remote control models world, my first thought was to imagine whether incorporate servos to control the presser foot release, and a basic style speed board to control the stitching speed, would work.  The operating switches could easily be located to suit each person's needs, and free up the hands.

Again, no doubt there is some clever person out there who could put a kit together for the adaptation, without it costing the earth.

[SolarLeatherMachines]

Thanks for all the positive comments, guys.  Getting all the ducks in a row to offer this as an ongoing product was difficult.  I'll have this up on the website before 6/15.   

Alexander

On 6/3/2017 at 1:03 AM, dikman said:

That is a well thought out solution. For anyone wishing to try making their own there are all sorts of hand levers out there, for cycles and motorcycles, so it shouldn't be too hard to find one that will work. I don't really need one, but I'm tempted to have a go just out of curiosity to see what it's like to use.

Well done Alexander.

Thank you.

[Brianm77]

On 6/2/2017 at 1:47 PM, rejerome said:

Perfect thread....I'd been tryin' to figure out a solution for my Cobra 4.

I work from a wheelchair with limited leg control.  I've managed to use the speed controller using the heal of my left foot to press down on the top of the petal.  It works but gets a little tiring after a while.

I know I'd see a similar thread somewhere in the past but had been unable to locate it again.

Thanks everyone!

Someone else mentioned rubber bands and made me think, maybe you could rig up some rubber bands to assist mashing the pedal.  May take some playing around to get it calibrated if you will. Or maybe you could have someone make the pedal longer and give you more leverage.  Just a thought. 

[rejerome]

21 minutes ago, Brianm77 said:

Someone else mentioned rubber bands and made me think, maybe you could rig up some rubber bands to assist mashing the pedal.  May take some playing around to get it calibrated if you will. Or maybe you could have someone make the pedal longer and give you more leverage.  Just a thought. 

Thanks.  

Actually, depressing the pedal isn't the issue.  I have to hold my leg up and let it down on the pedal to activate it.  The weight of my leg works fine.  I get tired hold my leg at the proper height.  For me, a method to activate the speed with my upper body, IE; hand, arm, elbow,.....is going to be the best solution.  I have an old Singer 99k that I use for light-weight projects and activating the foot pedal with my elbow while the pedal is sitting on the table top works great for me on that machine.

[dikman]

LumpenDoodle's idea of using R/C components is quite a good one, as they are relatively cheap these days. Only downside I see is that it would be a slightly complex mechanical construction, with a bit of electronics thrown in (but nothing too difficult). It would also necessitate a power supply. Alexander's, on the other hand, is a simple mechanical solution that would likely be easy to implement for most people (also less to go wrong).

[fredk]

Would the trigger mechanism from a [cheap] mains powered multi-speed electric drill [ or even a sabre saw] work?

It has a speed reducer built into the circuit, a finger trigger and a push button [usually] to lock the power tool on.

I'm thinking; just saw the handle grip off the drill unit. You have the mains power lead already wired in, from the trigger unit run the power leads, which would normally go to the motor unit, to the sewing machine motor. Cap the top cut off part of the drill handle with a bit of plastic or even a bit of leather. The trigger can be made into a multi-finger one by attaching a large piece of plastic or aluminium to it. With a wider or longer attachment to the trigger the handle unit could be mounted somewhere close to the s/m so it can be operated by an elbow or a fore-arm

New cheap drills can be bought for as low as $15, even cheaper at car boot sales, a couple of ££, it doesn't matter if the drill actually runs, as long as the trigger parts are intact.

[fredk]

On 03/06/2017 at 10:00 AM, LumpenDoodle2 said:

There is a sewing machine mouth operated speed controller out there.   It's called a byteswitch, no idea of cost, but it's air operated.    Certainly potential for development by some clever soul.  

On 04/06/2017 at 1:03 AM, RockyAussie said:

Are you kidding? when that stitch goes wrong and the teeth grind down ....what have you got then.Youd have to do a relaxation course and lock the doors to have any chance I reckon..And can I ask how many people go to the dentist and when your mouths opened they want to ask questions?

 

I've actually seen that switch in action. I used to help out at a Special Learning School and it was used in the craft room by certain pupils. Not only used with a sewing machine but with a vertical drill stand and other power tools as well.

Edited June 9, 2017 by fredk

[dikman]

Fred, such a speed reducer would have to be wired electrically into the motor, whereas Alexander's and LD's idea would be connected mechanically to the existing lever arm on the motor speed control. It's not something I would contemplate, better off leaving the existing electronics intact, I reckon.

[fredk]

I take your point

My sewing machines only have two wires coming from the foot pedal to the motor. The drill unit has two wires from the trigger to the motor.

My father did a sort of reverse to this;  he wired up an old s/m foot pedal to his vertical drill stand switch unit, so he could control it whilst using both hands on the work

[Darren Brosowski]

On 09/06/2017 at 2:09 AM, SolarLeatherMachines said:

Thanks for all the positive comments, guys.  Getting all the ducks in a row to offer this as an ongoing product was difficult.  I'll have this up on the website before 6/15.   

Alexander

Thank you.

Great work mate.

My only suggestion is that it appears to be most suitable for a large hand so a smaller gap between the handles would be preferable.

Selling sewing machines is relatively easy but going the extra mile to make the machine suit the customer is an art form.

 

[480volt]

Most industrial sewing machines have capacitor start single-phase motors that cannot operate at variable speeds. Three-phase motors, on the other hand can be controlled with off-the-shelf VFDs fed with single-phase current. One downside of doing this is that unless the motor is listed as inverter duty, it only cools properly at its rated speed, so running it very slow may burn it up. You would still probably want to use a mechanical speed reducer with this combination. Cheaper to just buy a Chinese servo motor.

I realize this does not address the original topic, which is providing alternative ways to engage the motor. Alexander's cable idea looks great as it should be adaptable to any conceivable layout.