Pfaff 545 H4 needle selection and timing

[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.