Hand speed controller for Cowboy and similar sewing machines

[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.