slowing down a sewing machine

[skybeergodd 0]

I need help from any of the sewing machine mechanics in here....I have a singer 20U-33 and was wanting to slow it down a bit so it sews better on delicate material.... How can I do this??...different gear on the clutch motor?? Or should I just break down and take it to someone who works on machines?
Kelly

[hookitt 0]

Order a smaller pulley for the motor. Makes a huge difference for parachute equipment.

Good luck

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[skybeergodd 0]

Thats what I thought....just looking for confirmation....THANKS

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

Order a smaller pulley for the motor. Makes a huge difference for parachute equipment.

Good luck

Order a lighter boot for the operator.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[KevinMcGuire 0]

Don't change the pulley just yet and here is why. Slowing the machine down will have nothing to do with how well it sews a particular material. That is determined by how the machine is set up.

Factors such as top and bottom tensions, feed dog height, stitch per inch and needle size are what make a machine sew well through a particular type of material. Not speed.

Providing that the machine is set up properly, then producing quality becomes a matter of controlling the machine what ever the speed.
Remember, it is just a stupid sewing machine and you are not. How hard can it be?

The 20U is not “that” fast of a machine. If you slow it down and get used to sewing on it that way, then you'll have problems later on when you move to a faster machine. In other words, you’ll still suck at sewing.
When I teach some one how to sew, I always put them on my fastest machine first. I do this for 2 reasons.
1) once they have mastered it, they have mastered all of them
2) It’s damn fun to watch

Here is something that you can do instead of changing out your pulley
Check the height of the treadle.
If the treadle is set too high, the machine will act as if there is too little play in the clutch and the damn thing will take off the moment you put your foot on it.
Also, a treadle that is set too high will make it difficult to use the brake.
FYI heel all the way down activates the brake (didn’t know that did ya).
If you are unable to activate the brake you'll end up with a runaway machine. (Again, damn fun to watch)
A good habit to get into is to use the brake every time you stop the needle. This skill sets the pros apart from the armatures
I can stop the needle on all of my machines exactly where and when I want simply by using the brake and with out ever touching the hand wheel. How cool is that? O.K. not that cool but it’s kind of cool.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
Kevin

[hookitt 0]

Good stuff Kevin. The zig zag I was most familiar with was a Pfaff 138 and 238. When we got the 138 I'd put the most time behind, it started out at super sonic speed so I put a smaller pully on it and all was well. It was still fast but it wasn't rediculous.

The tips you mentioned are very good. I'd forgotten about setting the treadle height. That's often necessary, other wise the machine sews like a light switch.

Thanks for the reminder.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[masterrig 1]

You beat me to it, Sparky! I learned the 'heavy foot' thing as a kid when I first started to learn to sew. It might sound 'weird' but, I still sew with my shoe off. Maybe, it's quirky but, I get a better feel of the treadle.


Chuck

[skybeergodd 0]

Thanks for the advice.....I do have the treadly set and not all the way up and I do use the break and not my hand on the wheel....learned that trick too but it was after a few friction burns ....all I want to do now is just tame my machine down alittle....I'm getting too old to sew like a bat outta hell....my eyes can't keep up....I need a Manta of the sewing machine world....lol
Thanks for the tips.
Kelly

[nicknitro71 0]

I also have a 20U63 and wanted a smaller pulley. Well I did get the smaller pulley but by then I got used to the machine that is indeed not super fast, 2000s.p.m vs. the normal 5000s.p.m for single needle straight.

Also, it is true a smaller motor pulley slows down the needle, that could be a good thing when sewing straight. But remember the zig-zag. If you slow down the machine too much it will take forever to zig-zag!

It's just like driving a stick. You foot will get smoother and smoother.

You got some good advices in this thread from experienced riggers, listen to them, they have been through it!

Memento Audere Semper

903

[KevinMcGuire 0]

Here is a little exercise you can do to gain some control. Find a scrap piece of material. Pick a corner to start sewing and begin sewing along one of the edges. Sew all the way until you reach the opposite corner, turn the corner and resume sewing until you reach the next corner. Turn and continue. Keep doing this until you have sown a spiral all the way into the center of the material.

Here are some objectives to achieve.

1) Even spacing between stitch rows

2) Reduce the amount the material puckers and shrinks. Do this buy pulling the material tight while sewing but not so tight that you pull it through the machine too fast
3) Try not to over run your stopping points.

Speed is not what you are after with this exercise. Instead. You want to be able to achieve a nice and slow stitch speed and maintain it through out the exercise.
The machine should sound like "stitch stitch stitch stitch stitch stitch." Not "Stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. DAMN IT!" Stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. DAMN IT!" And so on.

Just like a clutch on a car, there is a position of the treadal where the treadal has play but doesn't quite yet do anything. You must find where that spot is and then learn to manipulate it.Do this slowly.

When sitting at an unfamiliar machine for the first time, I'll first find the neutral point then I'll pump the treadal slightly and quickly until I find where the activation point is and away I go. Give that a try.
Of all the outstanding operators I have ever met over the years, none of them sew at top speed and expect to produce fine quality work

Bite the bullet man and learn to sew on the machine as it is. It will cost you less and serve you better later on. It only takes a bit of patience

[riggermick 6]

Quote

Here is a little exercise you can do to gain some control. Find a scrap piece of material. Pick a corner to start sewing and begin sewing along one of the edges. Sew all the way until you reach the opposite corner, turn the corner and resume sewing until you reach the next corner. Turn and continue. Keep doing this until you have sown a spiral all the way into the center of the material.

Here are some objectives to achieve.

1) Even spacing between stitch rows

2) Reduce the amount the material puckers and shrinks. Do this buy pulling the material tight while sewing but not so tight that you pull it through the machine too fast
3) Try not to over run your stopping points.

Speed is not what you are after with this exercise. Instead. You want to be able to achieve a nice and slow stitch speed and maintain it through out the exercise.
The machine should sound like "stitch stitch stitch stitch stitch stitch." Not "Stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. DAMN IT!" Stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. DAMN IT!" And so on.

Just like a clutch on a car, there is a position of the treadal where the treadal has play but doesn't quite yet do anything. You must find where that spot is and then learn to manipulate it.Do this slowly.

When sitting at an unfamiliar machine for the first time, I'll first find the neutral point then I'll pump the treadal slightly and quickly until I find where the activation point is and away I go. Give that a try.
Of all the outstanding operators I have ever met over the years, none of them sew at top speed and expect to produce fine quality work

Bite the bullet man and learn to sew on the machine as it is. It will cost you less and serve you better later on. It only takes a bit of patience

All true. I had i5 machines of various types: twins, bartacks, straight sew and class 7,and each and every one of them had a different personality.

Another way to improve the clutch smoothness is to adjust the wing nut on the activation arm, it sets the amount of tension required to engaage the clutch. Still another way to slow a machine down is to install a rheostat control switch on the motors electrical feed, this will allow you to adjust the speed of the motor with the turn of a knob, in much the same way as volume knob on a radio works.

Mick.

[KevinMcGuire 0]

Still another way to slow a machine down is to install a rheostat control switch on the motors electrical feed, this will allow you to adjust the speed of the motor with the turn of a knob, in much the same way as volume knob on a radio works.

Mick.

[hookitt 0]

I still like the pulley Idea

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[riggermick 6]

All true. I had i5 machines



That should read 15 not i5.


Mick.

[Samurai136 0]

Quote

Just like a clutch on a car, there is a position of the treadal where the treadal has play but doesn't quite yet do anything. You must find where that spot is and then learn to manipulate it.Do this slowly.

Stick a Nerf football in there. It will help you develop the technique Kevin's talking about and tends to inhibit the machine from "taking off".

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[mjosparky 3]

If you sew with your shoe off, do you wear out just one sock?
Another thing I just thought of. I have seen a lot of people put just the front part of their foot on the treadle with their heel on the floor. Put your whole foot on the treadle and use your toes and the ball of your foot to go and your heel to stop.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals