Stitchnripper

So maybe I could "fix" the potted motor, trade out hand wheels, and put the fixed motor on the nicer machine? I already have some foot pedals with the three prongs.

cctx.

Mine has the motor, no belt. Got it from ebay a few years back. Don't know the difference but I prefer the motor version.

Rodney

There are going to be internal differences between the 15-91 and the 15s without potted motors due to the motor gear needing another gear inside the machine. I'm not sure of how easy it will be to swap parts back and forth.
I would say if you have a spoked handwheel on your machine already to keep it there. They're nicer to turn by hand than the smaller electric machine ones. I find myself using the handwheel a lot for fine detail type work.
Rodney

miriam

yup you got it

Stitchnripper

[ATTACH=CONFIG]509910[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509911[/ATTACH]Here are some pictures. The end of the shaft is broken and won't work - am I correct on that? Also a picture of what is left of the poor hand wheel and the motor which looks like it was dropped on it. Maybe that won't be fatal? But I don't have a machine to put it on. Around here vintage machines are not a dime a dozen when you can even find one. It took me a very long time to get the ones I have. Talking years of patience and many flea markets, garage sales and estate sales. Craigslist not that good either.

xxxxxxxxxx

what broken is called a hand wheel adapter, which is removable Butt

to have broken that and the hand wheel as bad as it is, my guess is the shaft is also bent.

again a guess , it's very hard to turn by hand.

I just now look at c/L baton rouge right off an estate sale, they have a 15 in a cabinet no price, down about 5 adds is the very same machine, I mean the same one at $100 the add says thats a month old. so at 100 it didn't sell, They know very well there not going to sell it for a 100

it would cost you over 50 to do any thing at all to yours. just to find out the upper shaft is bent. that sale starts friday .

http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/gms/4885023863.html

miriam

I would have to agree with 10X go buy the machine in the ad - it looks like it might even be well kept. Offer what you think you want and the worst would be $100 for a decent machine. The broken machine will part out and make someone else very happy to get parts.

Stitchnripper

I went to the estate sale. Got there around noon. Talk about picked over! Sewing machine gone as well as mostly everything else. I'm back to thinking of putting a belted motor on the one I have with the spoked wheel.

J Miller

Rodney, others:
There is no internal difference between a 15-91 and a 15- otherwise. All the gears and needed parts for the potted motor are in the motor housing and hand wheel.

You can pull the hand wheel and motor housing off and replace it with a regular hang on motor, belt guard / bobbin winder, hand wheel and sew up a purple storm.

There is two screws that mount the motor housing to the head with the appropriate holes. For the external motor machine there is two different holes already drilled and tapped for the belt guard / bobbin winder. At least there is on mine. All you need to do is change out the parts.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]510186[/ATTACH]
The two sets of screw holes are visible in Stitchnripper's photo of her poor busted machine.
Been there, done that.

Refurbished 15-91:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]510169[/ATTACH]

15-91 with external motor, belt guard / bobbin winder, hand wheel mounted as a test, donor machine to the rear:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]510175[/ATTACH]
Front view

[ATTACH=CONFIG]510177[/ATTACH]
Rear View

The experiment worked great. The 15-91 with the borrowed motor and parts sewed beautifully.

To convert to a treadle all that would be needed is to remove the potted motor and wiring, then instal a belt guard / bobbin winder and a spoked hand wheel.

Joe

Stitchnripper

So, Joe, what I think you are saying, is that if my potted motor is functional (highly questionable) then all I would need is a hand wheel (and light if I decide) and can attach it to my 15- with the spoked wheel, after I change out the wheel?