{Solved} Pfaff 545 stitch length problem, can’t get a max stitch length. What could it be?

[Uwe]

If I had to choose between 4-motion feed dog and reverse, I’d go with reverse, but that’s just me. Consew 225 and Singer 111W155 class machines are nearly identical designs and, in my opinion,  not really an upgrade to the Pfaff 545 you already have.

Yes, 4-motion feed dog is nice to have but lack of it is not the end of the world in my book. Depending on your projects, you may never even notice that the feed dog isn’t dropping down. You likely WILL notice if the machine doesn’t have reverse when it comes time to lock stitches. You may also notice not being able to change stitch length without removing the material.

Lots of people happily use sliding feed dog machines like the Pfaff 335 and Adler 69 class of cylinder arm machines for all manner of projects that don’t involve binding. Many users are surprised to learn that the feed dog doesn’t drop down on those machines. The only time my Pfaff 335 really gave me trouble feeding material due to the feed dog movement was while sewing a multilayer project that had “steps” on the bottom, which the sliding feed dog would snag on. Of course lots of people also happily use machines that don’t have reverse and they may never need to change stitch length mid-project.

Exactly which features are important to you is a matter of experience and personal preference. I’d recommend getting the machine you already have working nicely and just start sewing with it. That’s the only way to really find out if the sliding feed dog interferes with your projects.

Don’t get hung up on precise stitch length and feed dog movement. 

You can always upgrade later on and you’ll likely make much better informed decisions after gaining some hands-on sewing experience with a really nice machine.

Edited September 19, 2020 by Uwe

[hugocrafts]

@Uwe, Well, I'm keeping this Pfaff, but I'm getting another one preferably with reverse, so later on, I could sell one If it does not suit my needs anyway. In that case, Consew 225 is out of the game because it does not have reverse. So, I guess the choice will be made from the class 111G beause 111W seemed they didn't have reverse too? What's the difference between 111W and 111G classes anyway? Are the 111G machines an updated version of 111W with just a reverse lever and the rest is basically the same as 111W? Are their parts interchangeable including the Consew? They seem all the same to me with that bump and in many other aspects, I don't know If there's any difference internally? Also, what is the difference between the models after the letters G or W such as 155 and 156? Is it the bobbin size only?

@Wizcrafts Thanks for the feedback. Which one suits the best in the 111G class? 155, 156 or?

Edited September 19, 2020 by hugocrafts

[Uwe]

The letter in the Singer model names indicates which factory the machine was produced at. You can find more information on that here. There are scores of discussion topics on the Singer 111 class of machine here on LW. The Singer 111 class has at least a dozen different sub models, with the Singer 111W155 being the most popular among leather workers for various reasons.

It’s best to continue Singer related discussions in a separate topic - this topic is about the Pfaff 545.

[hugocrafts]

@Uwe Yes. Let's get to Pfaff 545. Regarding the Pfaff,  mostly my girlfriend is going to use it generally for re-upholstering some sofa cushions. Probably like 5-6 layers of vinyl or leather, 1 mm each thick or something like that. I guess the lack of the letter 'P' i.e. the '4 motion feed' mechanism won't be that noticeable for this kind of purpose without shifting material as I understood you well in your previous post, right?

Edited September 20, 2020 by hugocrafts

[Wizcrafts]

The Singer 111W156 and 211G156 have reverse. I have a 211G156. It gets 5 stitches per inch in both directions and the holes match.

[hugocrafts]

@Uwe Back to the other problem. I'm having this other problem with the tension release on this 545. The tension release rod was missing and also a little spring on the back is missing as well. I fabricated the tension release rod that goes from the front through the back of the machine which I found out to be 60.5 mm in some of the Pfaff part books, but It does not work yet, because 1 of the 2 springs on the back is still missing. Now, here's the thing, the problem is, I don't know the exact position of where that little spring sits. I only know the location of the second spring because it's pretty obvious. Here's  the mechanism on the back. What do you think @Uwe ?

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by hugocrafts

[hugocrafts]

SOLVED! Regarding the maximum stitch length. Brass plate says N8, however I found out that the eccentric wheel has a part no. 91-009 633-92 equivalent to N (which stands for a maximum stitch length of 6 mm) or 9633 for short as it's stamped on the part, instead of part no. 91-102 007-92 or 2007 stamped on that eccentric wheel which is equivalent to N8. So, that's a quick update If anyone in the future will ever experience something like this.

Edited September 24, 2020 by hugocrafts

[Uwe]

The tension release mechanism is a bit complicated on the Pfaff because it allows several different configurations. I had to make a few parts including a custom spring to convert a machine that originally had pneumatic controls back to manual controls. I’m not sure this will really help you, but here’s what mine looked like:

 

This video shows my modification in action at the 7:40 mark:

 

Edited September 30, 2020 by Uwe

[Uwe]

Here’s a thread tension release mechanism on one of my (incomplete) Pfaff parts donor machines:

 

Edited September 30, 2020 by Uwe

[hugocrafts]

On 9/30/2020 at 8:24 PM, Uwe said:

Here’s a thread tension release mechanism on one of my (incomplete) Pfaff parts donor machines:

 

 

Hi, @Uwe. Thanks for the videos. Sorry, I've been off for a while due this pandemic chaos and now, I saw the reply. What is not clear to me, If inside there are 2 springs as shown in the Pfaff diagrams - 1 smaller and 1 larger? On my Pfaff, there's only 1 spring and when I pulled it, it broke in my hands, but the other one was missing?! If there are indeed 2 springs, how they should be sitting inside? The smaller one inside the bigger one or? And btw, now I noticed another problem If I could define it as such. I think the presser bar on my Pfaff is not genuine. I know you are a Pfaff guru, so please check it out the topic below and If you could be able to advise me on what to do, I'll be very thankful. Here's the link:

https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/92953-pfaff-545-cant-fit-a-new-presser-foot-my-presser-bar-probably-not-genuine/