Help to identify Adler - class 20-?

[dikman]

Whilst browsing a junk shop I saw this monster siting on the ground. From what I've discovered so far it appears to be a class 20 something. Can anyone identify it exactly and tell me what it was designed for? It appears to turn over ok and the rust looks like surface rust. It looks like it's designed to sew through almost anything!!! The guy wants $400 for it, but I suspect parts are likely to be non-existent, including shuttles.

 

[Constabulary]

the 20-4 is the one with a geared speed reducer (seems some gears the a gear support bracket are missing) but afaik the 20-7 is the one with the 2nd presser foot. But not I´m 100% sure. Maybe a combination of both features leads to another subclass.

Edited March 15, 2019 by Constabulary

[dikman]

It's hard to find info on these machines, the only source appears to be leatherworker.net!!! I've found reference to the speed reducer, which explains the gear by the handwheel (although as you say bits are obviously missing) but I don't quite understand the "middle" foot - is it a walking foot type machine??? Is it any good for holsters? One thing I do know, it looks heavy!!!!!!

[marronne]

It's similar to my Claes Atlas saddler's machine (virtually identical to an Adler II) which I paid 100 euros for - with original table and treadle (now have two - they're breeding).  @Constabulary helped a lot with info and I see he's already posted.  I found quite a bit of info on French blogs for my machine but nothing in the UK or US, except on here.

[Constabulary]

1 hour ago, dikman said:

It's hard to find info on these machines, the only source appears to be leatherworker.net!!! I've found reference to the speed reducer, which explains the gear by the handwheel (although as you say bits are obviously missing) but I don't quite understand the "middle" foot - is it a walking foot type machine??? Is it any good for holsters? One thing I do know, it looks heavy!!!!!!

The 2nd foot is a hold down foot afaik - similar to the Singer 132K6. it is pressing down the material while the needle is penetrating the material and lifts when the material is feeding

[bemavu]

Hi,

It is a very heavy machine, suitable for horse harnasses aso. I don't think it's suitable for holsters, because you don't have room to turn your leather. If you are making belt,  straps aso this could be a good machine. For restoration purposes I think the price is to much. Spare parts are hard to find, maybe in Germany, maybe Adler themselves.

Good luck

Ber. 

 

[shoepatcher]

It look like the 20-2.  I would buy it.  It has the original bobbin winder on it. Will have to be gone over but that is where projects are both work and fun!

glenn

[dikman]

Constabulary, that makes sense and explains the dirty great vertical spring on the front. As far as I could tell everything appears to be there, although I couldn't get to the shuttle area to check that. Given its obvious age I think he's asking too much but I'm pretty sure he won't budge on the price (which might be just as well as then I can convince myself I don't need it ).

Might be worth another look, though, particularly in the shuttle area. I think he's had it sitting there for quite a while and personally I think he'll have trouble selling it (at least here in SA). A saddler won't be interested because of the work necessary to get it working properly and the lack of parts, the only person likely to be interested is someone like me (and I haven't yet come across anyone else locally who is interested in restoring these old machines).

[dikman]

Had another look at it. It wouldn't quite turn over a complete cycle, there seems to be a lot of pressure on the foot. The second foot has been welded together and the hand lever to lift the foot is broken off (!) so I couldn't lift the foot to see how much clearance there is. There's rust around the shuttle area although the thread hanging out seemed to pull out ok. Surface rust over all the shafts underneath. I suspect it might work ok although not being able to lift the foot makes it a bit hard to use!

He said he's only had it about 5 weeks and won't budge on price so I told him what I'd found out about it (not being made for many years and no spares etc) and wished him luck selling it. I just had a nagging feeling that there could be problems I can't see and over the years I've learned not to ignore these little voices.

I'll keep looking, something else will turn up eventually.

[catskin]

15 hours ago, shoepatcher said:

It look like the 20-2.  I would buy it.  It has the original bobbin winder on it. Will have to be gone over but that is where projects are both work and fun!

glenn

It is similar to a 20-2 but is  not a 20-2  likely some 20 sub class I own a good working 20-2 so know a fair bit about them. The 20-2 does not have the gear inside the flywheel nor does it have that kind of foot setup or the coil spring on the front.

[dikman]

Catskin, I figured it's probably a later subclass (not a 2) because of the points you mentioned but the lack of information on these things makes it difficult to know. If I could have checked the foot clearance it might have helped. As my wife said he obviously isn't in a hurry to sell it (she always maintains that when selling something your first offer is often the best).