Taking TK-8BL Sewing Machine

[Pintodeluxe]

Heck, those belts are available at every corner hardware store.  Nice score.

[Northmount]

Belts don't need to be really tight.  Some users leave some slack so they can use  the right hand to slow the machine down somewhat, especially if they are using a clutch motor.  A little slack is also good if you happen to pull the needle to one side, breaking it, and causing a jam.  Then you don't have to rely as much on the safety clutch to protect your machine.  Generally there is enough adjustment on the motor bracket to allow you to tighten the belt as far as needed.  If the belt is not the right length, you won't be able to adjust it.  Vee belts should not ride on the bottom of the pulley.  The top of the belt should generally be flush or nearly flush with the top of the pulley.  It is the friction on the sides of the belt that transmit the driving force to/from the pulleys.  At the mid point between pulleys, you should be able to depress the belt about an inch with firm thumb pressure.  Should not be hard to do.  It is not like vee belts driving fans, ac compressor and alternator on a car.  They need to be much tighter due to the amount of power they have to transmit.

Tom

[Uwe]

Most motors have an adjustable mount that allows you to move motor position and adjust belt tension. Belts are available in 1 inch increments over a large range. Just get the right size belt so that you adjust belt tension via the motor pivot. That's what everybody else does, or should be doing.

Edited December 11, 2017 by Uwe

[mikesc]

"Most" being the operative word..my singer 211 motor ( original motor, original table, original machine ) bought from new.. did not have that ( or any other means of adjusting the belt ) adjustment available, normal three point fitting to table..but single "pivot" bolt attaching the motor to the mount..if the motor was pivoted to fit available belt sizes, the belts either rubbed against the back end of the belt slot, or was waaay too "slack"( didn't turn the machine pulley )..the belt was badly worn, cracked and splitting, probably the belt that came with the whole set up from new..the "bungee cord bodge" above worked..2 months later I was able to find a toothed belt ( needed 1/2" difference rather than the usual 1" ) that fit.

Edited December 12, 2017 by mikesc

[SARK9]

Most of the 3L belts are available in half-inch steps, at least here in these parts. Its why the size is designated in 3 digits, such as "3L425" being a 42-1/2" belt.

 

-DC

[mikesc]

"Here" I had to order mine from the UK..otherwise 1" steps only..the main market here for "belts" appears to be for lawnmowers and garden machinery..or you can "order" one in half inch increments from a "sewing machine dealer", who will then order it from Germany or the UK , but they'll charge you ( take the money from your credit card ) when you "order"... at double or triple the price they ( or you , if you buy direct from say College Sewing ) are going to be paying..

I now have large stock of belts, ( I prefer the toothed ones ) and bungee cord to "bodge" with while waiting for a belt size that I don't have to get here from the UK.

There is also the weird thing that belt size is calculated as the distance around the circumference of the belt, but the circumference is measured as being through the middle of the "cross section" of the belt ( so it is neither the inside circumference, nor the outside circumference ) , but for some reason, French sewing machine dealers quote the measurements in cm or mm ( despite most belts being sold as in "inches" ) and some of them tell you it is the outside circumference, and others tell you that it is measured from the inside circumference. So to get fewer "wrong size belts", it is simpler ( and cheaper ) to buy from the UK or Germany.

Edited December 12, 2017 by mikesc

[Uwe]

And as soon as we get the perfect belt installed, the "how do I slow it down" saga begins. Perhaps a new servo motor that is adjustable both in position and speed would be prudent investment right now, especially since the whole setup itself was free to begin with.

 

[mikesc]

Yes..what Uwe said :)

[RhodesAveDesigns]

Hey, everybody who's written a reply earlier tonight....

I will read through each post later today, so I can post some cognizant replies/ acknowledgements/ etc. 

Not long after posting earlier (yesterday), I left to drive to the Detroit area to pick up a load of leather ('cause I really do have *it* bad). It was perfectly bad timing, as the east side of the state got hit pretty hard, with quite a bit more snow than originally forecast, and, it seems, not much of a salt or snow plow plan, then the drive home was into a new lake-effect front. So a round trip of about 4 1/2 hrs took nearly twice as long, much of which was truly white-knuckle driving. I'm grateful that both I & my car are still intact, given the number of accidents, slide-offs, etc., I passed (very, very slowly). I swear my life doesn't usually involve nearly this much drama. 

Quickly, I can add that the machine is "temporarily" mounted on a vintage Singer table (the original, military-issue table "belonging" to a very temperamental Singer 111w153), and is  connected to a Family Sew servo I purchased from Cowboy Bob back in September. Ideally a speed-reducer set-up will follow, using my BIL and his access to spare/ "extra" industrial components, 'cause he was pretty shocked when I showed him the retail $$ and the components of a speed-reducer set-up. 

I may 'never' get the table the machine was originally photographed on, but I already have one of the sort-of-awful green industrial tabletops I can mount it on if needed, when Singer's issues get addressed. At which point, another Family Sew servo would get ordered & installed. The original Singer motor was 220v, so I never had the *fun* of trying to control a vintage clutch motor. 

- Elizabeth

[p1973rsr911]

How is the TK-86 different from the TK-8b?   I am in the market from an automotive grade walking foot machine and I found a TK-86 but cannot find much information on it.   I will post pictures when my account gets approved.   Thanks