Unknown Pfaff

[Steelmillal]

I've stumbled upon yet another person 'hanging it up' and have a chance to buy a few machines sitting idle. This is the straight/zigzag they might part with.



What's your first thoughts? Snap 'blink v think' blurb. The other machines are blind stitch and I'll likely buy both.

From the photo, this is from an upholstery business. I haven't asked a great many probing questions as I think the seller is advance in age.

Best part about the deal is dragging my son along as slave labour, and to trap him and let him just talk on the drive up/back.

Anyway, let 'er rip with opin. Cheers. Thx.

[Hendrick]

Hi Al, this is a Pfaff 136 series, industrial zigzagger, one of the finest to exist. Service this and clamp a servo under it; you'll probably never need another...


Cheers, Hendrick

[Hendrick]

Sorry, a 238... 

[Schneiderfrei]

Grab that!

[peterle]

Those Pfaffs are wonderful Machines, be aware that this model hast a central oiling system. 3500 stitches/min. Spare parts easily available.

[Hendrick]

I sewed my first linings on these at baout 10 yrs old... This one looks great Al. The machinebed is virtually undamaged, so I don't think it was used for real heavy work (with metal zippers, eylets, hooks and the like)...

Cheers, Hendrick

ps, if you decide to go with it and clean it, make sure to stay clear of the cleated timing belt inside the headwith any lubricants. It is made of braided nylon and doesn't like mineral lubricants at all...

[Schneiderfrei]

ps, if you decide to go with it and clean it, make sure to stay clear of the cleated timing belt inside the headwith any lubricants. It is made of braided nylon and doesn't like mineral lubricants at all...

Hi Hendrick, Do you have any experience replacing those belts?

[Steelmillal]

Exactly what I needed to hear. It looks like a real workhorse. Thx loads, All!

Spare parts easily available.

Paramount to know! Unobtainium isn't even on Amazon.

braided nylon and doesn't like mineral lubricants at all...

Likewise proper knowledge. Gonna have to find a manual.

Grab that!

Email sent!

[Hendrick]

ps, if you decide to go with it and clean it, make sure to stay clear of the cleated timing belt inside the headwith any lubricants. It is made of braided nylon and doesn't like mineral lubricants at all...

Hi Hendrick, Do you have any experience replacing those belts?

Luckily no... I remember vaguely that there is a US based company that produces different variations of these belts and distributes them worldwide, maybe Superior Sewing, but I am not sure. Replacing them used to be a fairly standard procedure for industrials. Even Singer used these as early as around 1900 or so for certain types industrials. In early machines I was told these were made of braided horse tail; don't know if it is stronger than nylon but it is more circular for sure! In Europe, most of these belts were made in spun linnen, even for the 90's series domestic machines, that were actually designed by Gritzner. (The Gritzner factory burned down and they were taken over by Pfafff in the 1950's) Note that the difference between 136 and 138 I think was that the lower nr did not have forced (central) lubrication (oil pan) but the higher nr did. Same for 236 and 238. The machines with central lubrication were marketed as "industrial"; the machines without were marketed as "Gewërbemaschine"...

Cheers, Hendrick 

[Schneiderfrei]

I have an old pfaff 230 with the corrugated belt. I haven't even looked at it yet to be honest. Thanks for that background.

Doesn't 'Gewërbemaschine' mean industrial?

G

[Schneiderfrei]

Steelmillal, He he

Email sent!

[peterle]

"Gewerbe" means kind of small buisness in this case, mainly artisans. The motors were usually starter motors, not clutch, using 230V instead of 440V power.

[posaune]

Gewerbe is not industrial. A craftsman (Handwerker)- here tailor- makes Clothing and sell it. He has a Gewerbe. (A bit more complicated but I am not able to describe in English all the processes which are to be done to register as Gewerbebetrieb).
Lg Posaune

[Schneiderfrei]

Thank you posaune, In the online dictionary it tells me industrial, but I didn't trust that.

[Steelmillal]

300$ for the Pfaff. Turn-key condition is worth its own weight in frustration v costs, and is cheaper than collecting antiques. The showed restraint, ha ha. The Pfaff is on shop floor, blind stitch(s) in storage. Sight unseen so far.