A sturdy table helps and I guess a rubber mat will absorb rumble. I promise, when sorted out this model isn't noisy. It's a fast machine and top speeds are a bit louder than slow to medium. There will always be some noise from the cam mechanism, because it always turns regadless of settings.
Two narrow rubber O-rings grips the hand wheel very well, If you can adjust the pulley to run with a bobbin tyre nothing should prevent you from trying; if it fails the next step is a new friction wheel or have someone with a lathe machine make one of metal. However I would try sanding the old one down first, it's a good fix and easy. After you can run the machine on full speed, it grips well again and with any luck the result isn't too far from a new pulley.
Last edited by Mickey2; 06-19-2017 at 02:11 PM.