Speed reducer or new motor?

[Ashley55]

I bought a used Cowboy 2500 and it's just too fast for me to do much more then straight lines, I'd like to be able to slow down enough to do tighter corners/curves and details. I was looking at getting a speed reducer, but then noticed that new servo motors cost just about the same price. The motors claim they slow down enough to sew stitch by stitch- one in particular I looked at was the Techsew 550. 

So now I am wondering if the cost is the same, is it just simpler to replace the motor with one that will do a slower speed? Are servo motors like a "one size fits all" sort of thing, or are there specific ones that will only work with certain machines? The current servo motor on my machine is 400w 110v and there is 2 speed settings 0-3000 and 0-1500.

I emailed a couple of the companies to ask about this, but haven't heard back from any so I figured someone here could offer some input.

[Wizcrafts]

Here is the motor I use: https://www.tolindsewmach.com/motors.html

[kgg]

25 minutes ago, Ashley55 said:

I'd like to be able to slow down enough to do tighter corners/curves and details.

I personally use the brush type motors similar to the one Wiz mention on my machines with no problems. I would say definitely put a new servo motor on your machine and give it a try. You could always add a speed reducer at a later date if you find that it still doesn't give you the control you need.

kgg

[Ashley55]

Thank you for the fast replies! 

That one looks similar to the one I was looking at here https://www.techsew.com/en/techsew-550-servo-motor.html 

I think I'll give it a try and see how it goes

[Wizcrafts]

1 hour ago, Ashley55 said:

Thank you for the fast replies! 

That one looks similar to the one I was looking at here https://www.techsew.com/en/techsew-550-servo-motor.html 

I think I'll give it a try and see how it goes

Make sure you specify you want the smallest pulley they have for the motor. Some have a 45mm and others a 50mm small pulley. However, they typically have 70mm pulleys for high speeds in textile machines, as does the motor in the link you provided. It will be harder to sew slowly with that large pulley. Then compare that diameter to the pulley on your current motor. You'll need a shorter v-belt that matches to difference in whatever measurement you use.

[Ashley55]

Thank you very much, I will be sure to check that!

[kgg]

4 hours ago, Ashley55 said:

I bought a used Cowboy 2500

What Country  /  City are you located in as someone maybe able to direct you to vendor close to your location.

kgg

[dikman]

I would go the other way () and fit a speed reducer first. If it still doesn't do what you want then replace the servo (which will still work with the reducer).

[toxo]

You guys certainly like to spend money. For less than £50 I replaced the handwheel with a 250mm pulley and replaced the pulley on the motor with a 40mm one and now can do one stitch at a time and it took less than an hour to do.

You guys constantly never offer this as a solution but never say why.

[Constabulary]

Some like it some don´t like it because it often looks just ugly (IMO) but thats a personal opinion. I would always go the speed redcuer way as long as I do not find a proper looking fly wheel with a grip on the rim (not just a pulley). It´s not the technical aspect, it´s the optical aspect. But thats just me. I built my cheap DIY speed reducers for less than 25€ I think.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Constabulary

[Ashley55]

9 hours ago, kgg said:

What Country  /  City are you located in as someone maybe able to direct you to vendor close to your location.

kgg

I'm in Ontario Canada

[Ashley55]

I watched a few diy videos of speed reducers, and decided I'd be better off buying something "premade." I'm just not handy like that unfortunately...

[MtlBiker]

8 minutes ago, Ashley55 said:

I'm in Ontario Canada

Ontario is a big province.  Where abouts?  @kgg who also replied to you is in Ontario also.  Before you go with the Techsew motor, check out Japan Sewing in Toronto... their website is meager, but Chris at 905-764-0100 is very helpful and has great prices.   I bought my last servo motor from him (and I'm in Montreal).  I also have a Techsew machine with their servo.  Both are good options.

[Ashley55]

32 minutes ago, MtlBiker said:

Ontario is a big province.  Where abouts?  @kgg who also replied to you is in Ontario also.  Before you go with the Techsew motor, check out Japan Sewing in Toronto... their website is meager, but Chris at 905-764-0100 is very helpful and has great prices.   I bought my last servo motor from him (and I'm in Montreal).  I also have a Techsew machine with their servo.  Both are good options.

I'm in a tiny town out in the middle of nowhere, Harriston. About 2 hours from Toronto. 

Thank you, I will check them out!

 

[kgg]

2 hours ago, Ashley55 said:

I'm in a tiny town out in the middle of nowhere, Harriston. About 2 hours from Toronto. 

As MtlBiker said call Chris at Japan Sewing. Good prices and save on shipping cost or you can pick it up. I have purchased all my new machines from him, good service.

kgg

[dikman]

10 hours ago, toxo said:

You guys certainly like to spend money. For less than £50 I replaced the handwheel with a 250mm pulley and replaced the pulley on the motor with a 40mm one and now can do one stitch at a time and it took less than an hour to do.

You guys constantly never offer this as a solution but never say why.

I have done the same thing and have suggested it in quite a few posts but it can be difficult for some folks to source a suitable pulley and fit it. On one machine I replaced the handwheel with a large pulley AND added a speed reducer - it crawled along!

[327fed]

I really wanted to do that but could not find info on machine shaft diameter. Would have to take machine apart and wait to find correct pulley. Looked for larger factory handwheel as well for a long time. Also a pulley is not as comfortable as a handwheel and chance to get finger between pulley and belt. So I went with the speed reducer and it works well.  

[Cumberland Highpower]

14 hours ago, toxo said:

You guys certainly like to spend money. For less than £50 I replaced the handwheel with a 250mm pulley and replaced the pulley on the motor with a 40mm one and now can do one stitch at a time and it took less than an hour to do.

You guys constantly never offer this as a solution but never say why.

I have done similar modifications, however it's not always so easy for common hobbyists to figure that out...Not many here can source a "250"mm pulley so easily, or machine out a hub, or measure/fit bores and bushings.  What makes it a bit harder still for some, is that we're on an "imperial" system of measure. Pulleys here have bores in fractional inch sizes.  A Chinese machine is probably a copy of an Adler, that's probably metric spec.

Canuks probably have metric pulleys....Last time I was in Canada (some time ago) it was a mix of Imperial and Metric at the hardware store.

Apparently, at some point in time (Chandler?) offered a nice oversize handwheel for the Adler 105/205 machines as an add on. There was a 105 in the for sale forum here last month that had one on it.  

Edited November 11, 2021 by Cumberland Highpower

[kgg]

59 minutes ago, Cumberland Highpower said:

Last time I was in Canada (some time ago) it was a mix of Imperial and Metric at the hardware store.

It still is, with Imperial easier to access for a lot of items like nuts, bolts, drill bits, pulley's etc.

kgg

[toxo]

Here's the original post i did including the cost.

It's called a taper lock pulley and the hole in the center is the same for all sizes. It's the bush that goes on the shaft that you order with the pulley for your shaft. the set screws lock everything together.

Here's one company in the US.

https://pulley.biz/pulley-manufacturer-in-united-states-of-america/#:~:text=Taper Lock Pulley In United States Of America,patron’s requisites regarding our products specifications and sizes.

 

[327fed]

Taper loc pulley sets  ain’t cheap. Also you can’t get as much speed reduction that way. Going from a 4 inch to an 8 inch handwheel only gives a 2-1 reduction, while the commercial speed reducers are something like 3-1. 

[Wizcrafts]

7 minutes ago, 327fed said:

the commercial speed reducers are something like 3-1.

Exactly! That's the ratio when the motor feeds the large reducer pulley and the small reducer pulley feeds the machine. My Family Sew motors have very small 45 or 50 mm pulleys (~2 inches). The total reduction from the motor to the balance wheel on my cb4500 is 9:1. AT the slowest motor speed setting, with my foot feathering the pedal, I can watch grass grow as it sews.

[toxo]

I'm really not understanding the pushback here. Did no one read my previous post?

I'll post the two relevant parts again.

Here's the cost for everything except the 40mm motor pulley.More torque at the machine. An hour to fit. What's the reduction for a 250mm and a 40mm Wiz?

 

 

 

[kgg]

2 hours ago, toxo said:

I'm really not understanding the pushback here. Did no one read my previous post?

I don't think of it as so much as pushback but on this side of the pond, at least where I am, the cost of those items would be much greater then the £30 ($50 CAD) you paid. The taper bearing alone would be probably be £30 ($50 CAD) or more depending on the size and to get a decent pulley the cost would be £60 ($100) or more. Not everyone feels comfortable in modifying their machine so for a little more money it is easier just to order a speed reducer setup and belt that is mounted under the table mount. 

If the machine is used and or the motor is older I would recommend replacing the motor with a newer servo motor. Then if the speed still needs to be further reduced add a under-the-table speed reducer setup.

kgg

[327fed]

I think the pulley change is great if it works for you. In my case (Consew) I could not find machine shaft size without pulling off. I figure metric on a Japanese machine. Lots of SAE pulleys here, metric not so much.   I could not figure how to release handwheel. I guess they have setscrews I could not find. I figured I needed to use a pulley puller which might damage handwheel. I have no idea where I would get handwheel replacement if damaged. I made my own reducer and someone here said I should have bought a factory one. Everyone here has a different situation. Shop skills and tool availability, access to commercial sewing machine dealers, hobby or sewing commercially, international access to parts and supplies, broke or not. I applaud your resourcefulness just maybe not for everyone.