I recently added two more pieces of equipment to my growing arsenal of industrial sewing machines.  The top sewer is an Adler model 30-70.  It’s the largest of the long-armed Adler machines and is commonly used to repair luggage, shoes/boots, and hockey equipment.  It has a top fed walking foot that can rotate 360 degrees, enabling the sewer to get into very tight spots without having to shift a cumbersome work piece.  The Adler is German-made and has a heavy cast iron hand wheel for precise manual stitching.  This machine is also belt driven via a clutch motor with a foot feed.

The next sewer is a 1905 Singer model 94-4.  It’s designed to do exactly what the Adler does.  I marvel at how little the engineering differs between the two sewers considering they were made approximately 75 years apart.  The Singer was given to me by a boot maker who had acquired the machine years ago for $15.00 from a fur trapper who used it to mend pelts.  The Singer was coated in dust and grim, but I had a great time cleaning it up and it runs like a top now.  Sadly, it will be relegated to a display piece because the Adler’s long arm makes it a much more versatile machine.

Both machines are fascinating to watch run and a great time to sew with.

This year my Christmas “gift to self” was a new 1/2 HP Reliable Quietsew 4000 DC Servo motor  for my industrial sewing machine.  Why do I own an industrial sewing machine?  Because I want the ability to create professional quality objects and repair things.  A real “industrial” machine can sew through layers of leather and heavy duck (canvas) with an exceptional looking stitch.  Household sewing machines can be made to sew leather and canvas, but they cannot take heavy thread (size 138 and up), resulting in amateur looking results and lesser quality.

My old Consew industrial machine came outfitted with a factory 1/2 clutch motor.  Governing speed with a clutch motor is basically all or nothing unless you have a lot of experience and a very steady foot.  A little slip up can be disaster to your project considering my Consew is capable 2,800 stitches per minute.  Such speed is completely impractical outside of a sweatshop.  Often while sewing, I would rest my hand on the machine pulley to create drag which worked, but that left me with with only one hand to hold my work piece.

A servo motor operates on variable speed (like a drill) and a major selling point for my new Quietsew 4000 is that it has four maximum rpm settings.  My new servo kit also came with a smaller (50mm) pulley for the motor shaft that reduces speed and increases torque.  After assembling the new motor to my sewing table, I gave it a test run and was immediately impressed by its smooth operation, power, controllable speed, and quietness.  I am very pleased with my new purchase and anxious to put my improved machine to work.