Pfaff 545 H4 needle selection and timing

[destes]

Hey y'all. I found this forum while searching for info on my recently purchased Pfaff 545 H4 machine. I bought it from an upholsterer who had it as an extra machine. He demonstrated 

iy and it ran well.  I have used it for awhile and when I went to order needles for it I realized that the manual specifies 190R needles due to the height capabilities of the H4. All the needles that came with the machine, including the one currently being used are 134-35 needles, which are shorter. When I tried to replace it with the 190 size, the machine will not pick up the bobbin thread. After reading ob this forum. I assuming that the timing was changed to accommodate the shorter needles. I guess my question is should I attempt to change the timing to fit the 190 needles or just continue to use the shorter ones? As for as the height, I am not using supper thick materials, at least not yet. I'm just wondering if the machine would work better with the manufacturer recommended needles. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks,

Don

Memphis

[Uwe]

It’s not really the hook timing per se, but rather needle bar height that you need to adjust in order to change between the two needle systems. The tip of the hook arrives at the needle at the same correct moment, but the eye of the needle is not at the correct height if you change to a longer or shorter needle.

To change needle systems in your case, bring the needle bar with the system 134-35 needle in it to the highest position. Measure or mark the height of the needle EYE above the throat plate. Then insert the system 190 needle and adjust the needle bar height to bring the needle eye to that exact same height. The machine should now sew as it did before.

The H4 versions have an extended needle bar stroke. If you use the shorter system 134-35 needle, the lowered needle bar may touch the fully raised presser feet in certain situations, causing a bind.

I’d recommend using the needle system the manual calls for unless you have a specific reason not to.

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2021 by Uwe

[destes]

Thanks so much, Uwe.  Looking at the machine, and rotating the wheel, I see what you mean. I'll try that with the longer needle.

[destes]

Made the changes and it's working great. Thanks again. Is there a service manual for this machine? I have a downloaded copy of the owners manual but it doesn't go into much detail about servicing the machine.

[Pintodeluxe]

I like 190 system needles better anyway.  Since your H4 was designed to use these longer needles, you definitely made the right decision.  Someone probably ran out of long needles, and adjusted the needle bar to use the needles they had in stock.  

I switched my Juki 563 to accept 190 needles, and I like the setup a lot better.  It sews through thicker material without any interference between the feet and needle bar.  

[Uwe]

I’ve not seen a service manual dedicated to the Pfaff 545. Here’s a past topic that goes over certain adjustments for the Pfaff 545 and also has a link to a Pfaff manual with a service instructions supplement:

 

[destes]

Thanks again, Uwe.  Downloaded that copy of the manual. The copy I had before didn't have that information.

The videos were very helpful.

 

[destes]

Just out of curiosity... I found a site with Pfaff history and a list of serial numbers and years of production.  The chart dated my machine from 1902!

Can anyone confirm this? I new it was an "older " model but it's hard to believe it can be 119 years old and still working so well.

[Uwe]

That plate number in your picture may not be the serial number.  My Pfaff 545  has the serial number stamped directly in the casting:

 

The serial number 8435866 on my Pfaff 545 dates it to 1965, according to this Pfaff Serial Number Dating chart I came across long ago:

[destes]

Interesting. I've looked all over the body of the machine and don't see another no. stamped anywhere.   Your's does look a little newer than mine, but hard to believe mine could be that much older.

[sandmanred]

I hope I'm not hijacking conversation but I've got the same machine and question about it's vintage.  It looks roughly the same as both of the previous machines in the post.  My Pfaff 545 has a similar riveted tag below the model number and no serial imprinted on the casting, there's a 'plaque' in the casting but it's got nothing there.  The riveted tag has similar 6 digit number, 511968.  There's some numbers on the bottom of the casting but I can't make sense of them.

[Uwe]

I’m just speculating here, but it looks like Pfaff changed their serial numbering scheme some time in 1967. The serial numbers in the chart above jump from 9,000,000 in 1967 to 29,000,000 in 1968. It’s unlikely that Pfaff suddenly produced 20,000,000 sewing machines in 1967.

The change in serial numbering may have prompted a change in how they are marked on the machine. Perhaps the full serial number is now split between embossed casting and a stamped plaque. Perhaps the plaques were a transitional method until they finalized the new numbering scheme.

Some manufacturers didn’t assign a serial numbers until the top casting was joined to the bottom. The various parts were, well,  just parts, and they didn’t become a serialized machine until the major parts were joined together. The same top could be joined to flatbed, post bed, or cylinder bed, etc. to make various machines.

In any case, I suspect that both of your machines are of late 60’s vintage.

Just the paint color rules out anything pre-1940 in my book. Nearly all sewing machines were black until the 1930’s. Little happened in terms product development in the 1940’s due to the war. Then they got production going again in the 1950’s and started experimenting with colors other than black.

Perhaps somebody will stumble across some information that allows us to make full sense of your apparent serial number plates. Until then, just enjoy your vintage machine as it is.

[destes]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Uwe. I too noticed that all the really old machines were black in the pics I found. The machines are still a marvel of engineering no matter how old they are.

[destes]

Not to belabor this topic, but I just realized that both the stamped numbers on our machines end in "866", which means the serial numbers must not be sequential. The 866 must refer to something in common,

perhaps the year, or a design change?

 

[destes]

I should correct my thought by saying "might not be sequential" instead of "must not be". because of course it is possible, but would be  an  amazing coincidence.

[sandmanred]

@destes do you have any numbers cast into the bottom like mine?  I'm bound and determined to figure out this numbering scheme.