Improving control of clutch motor

[RWL2]

Before and after photos of the modification I made to the foot control for the clutch motor on my sewing machine.  By extending the control bar of the clutch you have to move the foot pedal more to get the same effect.  It is slightly easier to come to the end of a seam and stop where I want to.  The suggestion came from another member of the forum a couple of months ago.

[Pintodeluxe]

I tried this mod, but felt like it was a waste of time.  For me, I settled on a servo and a box style speed reducer.  I probably could have got away with just a servo.  

The only thing I've found that truly makes a clutch motor easier to control is to add grease to the friction plate.  Especially if it was previously dried out, greasing the cork friction plate helps you slip the clutch.  

Is your clutch mounted to a reducer?  Or some other reason it sits so low?  

[RWL2]

1 hour ago, Pintodeluxe said:

The only thing I've found that truly makes a clutch motor easier to control is to add grease to the friction plate.  Especially if it was previously dried out, greasing the cork friction plate helps you slip the clutch.  

Is your clutch mounted to a reducer?  Or some other reason it sits so low?  

Yes, the speed reducer lowers the clutch motor by about 9" if I'm remembering the dimension correctly.

Was there any downside to greasing the cork friction plate?  Did it slip when sewing through tough material after being greased?  How greasy did you make it?  Is it worth greasing the brake to make it easier to turn the handwheel?

[dikman]

6 hours ago, Pintodeluxe said:

I tried this mod, but felt like it was a waste of time.  For me, I settled on a servo and a box style speed reducer.  I probably could have got away with just a servo. 

Same here. I spent a lot of time experimenting with extending the clutch arm, made a small speed reducer, fitted a larger pulley to the handwheel and in the end fitted a servo and reducer.

[keithski122]

I've also done this but on a servo motor machine.I've extended both the pedal arm and the controller arm, possibly only by a few inches on each but every little helps.

[sandmanred]

I have greased the clutch side but not the brake side.  I have a Singer 132K6 with a 3:1 speed reducing set up between the motor and machine.  I've not experienced any issues with the clutch slipping under load, one of my belts always slips first.  The grease helps but it's still not a servo 

[RWL2]

I didn't do a search here at leatherworker to check, but I wonder if anyone has used an old treadmill motor and controller as a poor man's servo.

[Kcstott]

6 hours ago, RWL2 said:

I didn't do a search here at leatherworker to check, but I wonder if anyone has used an old treadmill motor and controller as a poor man's servo.

If I had the motor and controller and no money I'd figure it out and make it work. 
but with the price of servo motors that are near drop in units? Leather machine co has them and so does Springfield leather. 
LMC wants $175
SLC wants $160 
Reducers run about the same cost so for a little over $300 you could have this taken care of. 

[DonInReno]

On 11/27/2020 at 2:49 PM, RWL2 said:

I didn't do a search here at leatherworker to check, but I wonder if anyone has used an old treadmill motor and controller as a poor man's servo.

Once upon a time I read a post somewhere else where a guy used a treadmill motor and a reducer with a 132k6 with what he thought was good results.   Momentum in the treadmill motor keeps spinning a bit after power is cut, so that must affect how you sew a bit, and these are not known for great torque in the low rpm range so a reducer still makes sense.  Technically, a speed controller with braking function can be used, but that alone is as much as a complete sewing servo setup.

Having said that, ever since reading that article I’ve wanted to try a treadmill motor just to see how good or bad it would be.

[RWL2]

The momentum in the motor would be a real negative.  It's something I hadn't considered, not that I have a spare treadmill motor lying around.  It's not just going slow that matters.  It's the ability to stop with the needle up or down near the end of a seam.  I've at least got some control of that now with the speed reducer and extension of the clutch arm.