Pfaff 335 BB (older model) experience?

[plinkercases]

Does anyone have experience with a Pfaff 335 BB (H3L?) older model pictured below. New model description indicates appropriate for "small leather goods" in addition to leather garment. It has a clear lift of 14mm or .55 inch. This one has a clutch motor. would it suited for holster/sheaths/belts and cases? etc? not looking to do 3/4 of an inch for sure.

[Northmount]

41 minutes ago, plinkercases said:

Does anyone have experience with a Pfaff 335 BB (H3L?) older model pictured below. New model description indicates appropriate for "small leather goods" in addition to leather garment. It has a clear lift of 14mm or .55 inch. This one has a clutch motor. would it suited for holster/sheaths/belts and cases? etc? not looking to do 3/4 of an inch for sure.

Picture?

 

[dikman]

I have an older model (quite old, I suspect) and while I could probably squeeze 1/2" under the feet I'm not sure how it would handle it as I think it's designed for 3/8" . I fitted a servo and a larger handwheel and it's actually quite a gutzy machine (it uses an internal gear drive rather than a drive belt). Biggest potential problem is the stitch length as the best I can get is approx. 4mm apart. I have got it to sew #138, but it's happier with #69 thread. It should be fine for belts, bags and sheaths as long as you don't go too thick. Holsters might work, depending on what you have in mind. If you're thinking about your typical Cowboy Action holster, then no. If you can get one at a good price then they are a pretty nice machine to add to the workshop.

[plinkercases]

Thanks dikman and here is the picture that fell off my OP

[dikman]

Looks pretty much the same as mine, with one obvious difference - on the plate that mounts the thread tensioner mine has a lever behind it and on the right, this is a manual tension release. When I first got it I fitted a rod in the hole behind the tension disk so that it would release when the foot lift lever is operated. Unfortunately, what happens then is that every time the needle bar rises during stitching the tension release operates! Not good. So far I haven't been able to figure it out because I can't see anything wrong/bent/broken. It looks like it's made to do that.

Has me puzzled.

[gigi]

 

[plinkercases]

Thanks Gigi for the great link. Normally Google finds threads on the site from but I missed this one.

[plinkercases]

So I went and saw and touched and ran the machine and was very impressed.

The owner had it all tuned up when he got it but he could get comfortable controlling it as there was no reducer and it just shot his project out the back! he ended up just using it t punch holes and then hand stitched.....

He had his needle in backwards and it was too large for the thread but.... I bought the machine!!! I was impressed with what I could run through it which was 3 layers of what looked like 9-11 oz. and it went like through butter and mechanically very quiet.

I was also thrilled that it also had a working reverse and went backwards hole per hole!

This model can only open up to about 4mm stitch length as had been indicated by the codes provided in the other post/thread but I think that considering the limits of the thread size that is fine for what I want to do.

Now here's a few new questions:

1. how do I go about sourcing and installing a larger hand wheel?
2. what HP servo should I be looking for to replace the clutch motor?
3. where might I get a guide for it?

There as a bag of odds and ends including some various presser feet some of which I recognised and others not sure so when I get it I will have to post pics and ask for some knowledge as to what they are for specifically.

And he sold me all his leather stock at much less than 50 cents on the buck. We had a great chat about the craft and he showed some of his work and we talked about how it was ashamed he had to stop fro health reasons... for now... I told him I would not even ask to see his hand tools and stamps etc. because if he sold those he was really done.

Now I need to convince a teenage son to help move it down 3 flights of stairs!! - broken down of course.

 

[jimi]

14 hours ago, dikman said:

Has me puzzled.

Hi, well i have an old one and a broken nut on the back ( i should have bought one off of constabulary a while back!) and find it very difficult to find one. so if you are looking for a hand wheel also maybe you should try looking at compatible models with the same hand wheel. maybe the 541,144,144,142 models could have the same type hand wheel, but not 100% sure even then it might be difficult. you might be lucky and have the newer type which has the screw only and not the screw and nut. for a guide you would probably be better getting a swing down, kwoking i think it is called have nice ones. unless you have the small plate and screws which attach on the arm which is used for the guides etc.. possibly some models for that plate might swing a little away to the side?? screws are not metric (at least on mine). i think the easiest solution would be a swing down so you might have to drill and tap two holes in the back of the head. jimi. 

sorry just saw your machine above, yes you have the newer type hand wheel with the screw only to fix. if your hand wheel is massive and not spoked i dont know why you would need a bigger one??

 

1 hour ago, plinkercases said:

how do I go about sourcing and installing a larger hand wheel?

Hey dikman, could you post a couple of pictures of the area where that rod goes?? front and back?

Edited June 13, 2018 by jimi

[gigi]

1 hour ago, plinkercases said:

I bought the machine!!!

Congratulations!  Those are great machines, I also have a Pfaff 335 old casting, mine is 17B H2L. I find useful the binding attachments, flat bed attachment, drop down guide.