I have stepped WAY off the deep end, Pfaff 1245

[HossHouston]

So backstory...we have been making tool rolls for a specialty industry for the last six months or so.  Primarily 600D fabric and nylon webbing.  But, as I've seen with many people we discovered our old steel home sewing machine just wasn't up to the task.  I mean it did OK, until we started doing multiple layers of these, primarily at stress points.  I threw my hands up and started looking *again* at industrial machines.  

Now my local service guy has told me I should be shot for stealing this machine for $300 USD, and has told me if I break it or just want to move to something more manageable he would offer me $400 even if it doesn't work.  *laugh*    And we are learning it with the clutch motor.  Still having a hard time figuring out what needles to use with what we are planning on doing, moving up to a 207 thread.  There is a lot of information that seems to be accepted as general knowledge that I'm lacking.  

 

So first question, where can I find remedial information on things like this?  My google-fu has failed me in trying to learn all the different numbers.  I have ZERO background on using industrial machines...I'm primarily an IT and Customer Service manager who has a side business.  

 

Now you may be asking yourself, why am I posting this in a leather workers forum?  Well we have had requests for these bags in waxed canvas and leather, and some in combos of the two.  And to do so we need to learn more about this whole setup. I know the current clutch motor is WAY too fast for what we are doing.  The local service company has suggested a 1500W servo motor combo that has a bunch of low end punch, but also runs in the $400-500 range.  I am all about the right tool for the right job, and buying it once.  This 1245 was made in 1962 and had it's life with one owner, in an upholstery shop.  He passed and his kids tried to keep up the business, but it didn't work out.  I have the original manuals, and I mean original...*lol* and it's obviously been used and loved.  But it seems to work flawlessly.

 

Of course, I want to change that.  I need to slow this machine down and make it a bit more standardized on speeds.  Coming off the clutch gives me a variable speed depending on how how the motor is.  

 

So that's my second question:  Some of the products I have in mind will have me sewing through two layers of upwards to 8-10 oz leather, but we will still be doing heavy denier fabric and webbing.  What can I look at in a servo motor that will allow me to learn the machine at a manageable speed, but still be able to ramp up as needed, keeping torque throughout the system.  I don't expect to start moving at full shop speeds ever.  This is, unless it kicks off much heavier than it is now, a side gig.  And if it does spin up I'll have the foundation and budget to pick up additional machines.  For now, I'm trying to keep my costs low without buying something that I'll have to replace at the wrong time.

 

For those who don't want to read the whole thing:

 

TL/DR - Bought a good condition Pfaff 1245, need to find remedial information on learning the language of industrial machines, including how I figure out if the needles I'm looking at are the right ones for my machine.  AND 2 - Figuring out what kind of a servo motor is needed for our wide variety of business intentions, from sewing heavy denier and nylon webbing to 8-10 oz leather, two thicknesses at a time.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Hoss 

[Wizcrafts]

15 minutes ago, HossHouston said:

Figuring out what kind of a servo motor is needed for our wide variety of business intentions, from sewing heavy denier and nylon webbing to 8-10 oz leather, two thicknesses at a time.

Here is the servo motor I use.

[HossHouston]

2 minutes ago, Wizcrafts said:

Here is the servo motor I use.

I have been reading A LOT of your replies in my forum searches.  From what you were saying you have to help it along at really slow speed, yes?  Just spinning the hand wheel, because the torque isn't quite there yet?

[Wizcrafts]

4 minutes ago, HossHouston said:

I have been reading A LOT of your replies in my forum searches.  From what you were saying you have to help it along at really slow speed, yes?  Just spinning the hand wheel, because the torque isn't quite there yet?

I have this motor powering my long arm Singer walking foot machine. The motor pulley is 50mm (2") and the handwheel pulley is about 4 inches. I can set the speed limiter very low and sew at 1.5 stitches per second. I can easily single stitch by flicking the pedal and stop with the needle up or down.

I have other machines that have a smaller handwheel pulley. I added speed reducers to those machines. The reducers let me sew extremely slowly; like watching grass grow slow.

The speed reducers are shown on the same page I linked to earlier. I use both types.

[HossHouston]

2 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

I have this motor powering my long arm Singer walking foot machine. The motor pulley is 50mm (2") and the handwheel pulley is about 4 inches. I can set the speed limiter very low and sew at 1.5 stitches per second. I can easily single stitch by flicking the pedal and stop with the needle up or down.

I have other machines that have a smaller handwheel pulley. I added speed reducers to those machines. The reducers let me sew extremely slowly; like watching grass grow slow.

The speed reducers are shown on the same page I linked to earlier. I use both types.

Thank you very much.  I'll get ahold of Toledo on Monday and see what we can do.  

[dikman]

1500w motor??????? 550w should work fine, 750w will be more than enough! A speed reducer will not only let you sew slow but will give increased torque. For sewing webbing a pointed needle, as used in sewing cloth material, will be best (a leather point needle is likely to cut the webbing/nylon).

[DonInReno]

Welcome to the club!  
Yes, moving from a domestic to an industrial has a little bit of a learning curve, but you’ll be much happier not fighting the material.   I enjoy sewing on the slow side, much like a typical domestic, and have a servo and speed reducer so that at max speed it’s about like the top speed on a domestic, but going slow it’s very controllable with tons of torque.