Hand Crank Discussion
 

hey folks,

I have had a couple people approach me regarding this age old issue.

I am SO new to this whole world that sometimes I think things are possible when folks who know WAY more say "been there, tried that".

With that admission up front I would like to enlist the aid of anyone who feels like helping.

The goal is to produce one of the following:
1. A complete handcrank mechanism with 3:1 gears that can be mounted on "non-bossed" machines WITHOUT drilling new holes in the head.
2. An attachment that will allow non-bossed machines to use existing Singer or PRC handcranks.

Makitmama sent me this photo of a rare 127 conversion handcrank
[ATTACH=CONFIG]386445[/ATTACH]

What I am looking for right now is a photo of both types (this and the PRC version) from the angle of the red arrow looking at this area.

Also a photo of diagram of how the area indicated by blue arrow looks on a "normal" treadle machine.

I like the idea of a clamped on mount at the shaft that then arc's under the handwheel to the handcrank.

If there is a point at the red arrow area that will allow mounting (bolting, etc) then we could be good to go.

Ok, I forgot that "I" had one of the original Singer version.. duhhhh
[ATTACH=CONFIG]386448[/ATTACH]

The hand crank I ordered fits my 15-91 clone perfect. screws went right in.

cool! I am assuming that your "15-91 clone" does have a motor mount "boss" or lump?

if your hand crank is a Chinese (PRC) version could you take a photo that is similar to the original singer photo above?

That would be awesome!! I have a beautiful Singer from the late 1800's that has no motor boss. I would love to be able to put a hand crank on it.

On the new hand cranks I've gotten, the body is cast in one piece. I've had the same thought about mounting a crank on an old head without the boss. Simplest thing I could think of was casting or machining a boss, attaching it to the head and then attaching crank to the boss. Project wasn't feasible for me because I have a bunch of Singers waiting for a hand crank with bosses factory applied but the idea I find very interesting.

Steve, I have a 66 out of a treadle in repaint right now. So if you want a pic of the wheel end, with a ruler overlaid, I can do that pretty easily. I still the the problem with this kind of mount is that the 27 had a low bobbin winder, and most others have one that also attaches to the wheel shaft. Your metal piece for there is going to have to be really thin.

Sokey.... I am not at the "here is how we will do this" stage. really. I am just trying to gather the pertinent information to be ABLE to come up with that plan.

Still waiting for pictures of the new style of handcranks.

Yes, I would love pictures of your 66 wheel area. I have a red eye "lump" that I could take apart as well but with the Howe and all....

It sounds like I need to get some mechanical info for the 27 as well. I will look at my 28 and my 128 hand cranks as well.

Steve,

At some point in my internet surfing I saw a handcrank mount on a non-boss head where the crank mounted to the wooden base NOT to the head.

Don't know if this info helps any - and of course I don't recall where I saw this.

I also saw this, it was in the Treade On site and applied to a Willcox and Gibbs Chainstitcher. The W&G was attached to a nicely made "box" case and the crank fastened to the side of the case at the correct height.

Jon

It would be hard to come up with a correct height - there are variations in the height on the machines. I have an old long bobbin machine with a motor attached pretty unique - might work for HC - I'll shoot it and some Chinese hand cranks later.

I have a Singer handcrank model 128 (do not have picture) made 12/1949 in Elizabethport, NJ...my question is what is the benefit of a handcrank. I have no clue as this machine was given to me by a relative and I really would like to know if it is usable or just a decoration. Why are people looking to convert to handcranks??

You do not have to plug in a hand crank. You might need to mend a sail on a sail boat or fix a tent on the ground. You can sew on your back porch. I want one that will do embroidery some machines have an oddly placed boss or none at all - a HC will sew slow and I can control the speed closer. With the coal generated electric being shut down by the pres. you might want to save money on electric in the next few years.

What Miriam says about sewing slow with a HC is so very true. You can literally stitch one stitch at a time consistently and accurately.

Joe

It would be nice for the fancy stitches. How about a HC on a Singer 401???

Thanks for the info. I may try to get it running. I am a little terrified by the long shuttle bobbin. I guess it would be good during times when power is out. I hate to get rid of it because it belong to my DIL's mother and she gave it to me because she felt I would appreciate it. This board is so helpful. I thank all of you for the info I get every day.

Muv's blog has a real good illustration of how to thread the shuttle - she has lots of videos on her blog, too. Muv is the best!!! http://lizzielenard-vintagesewing.bl...ta-manual.html
I printed it out and put it on card stock with the machine.

How would you put a hand crank on a 401? No external motor bracket boss there.

I could put a HC on my Alden? I wonder how hard it would be to hand crank that one?

Joe

It's why there is no HC on my 401... The Singer 319 & 306 boss is off set - won't turn right. an off set mount on the HC unit might work...

It is interesting thread Steve. I have an 1893 Singer 27 that is a perfect candidate to convert to a hand crank. I does not have a boss to mount one though.

Check out this link, http://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/screw_threads/, perfect for your technical mind.

I use a HC for free motion thread play when you want/have to be perfectly accurate with your stitches! Great idea Steve!

How about starting at an easier point and designing a HC for some of our non Singer machines that are impossible to fit a Singer/Chinese HC on even if they have a motor boss? I have a beautiful 1910 New Home that I'd love to get a HC for, but the only HC's available are for Singers! It is virtually impossible to find a HC for any machine, except a Singer, unless you get lucky and can find a vintage HC that was made for your machine.

Nancy

Thanks Miriam. Good info...printed it and also saved it to a folder on desktop

Muv is a QB member and she has a lot of info on the sticky notes.

Ohhh thank you.... Bookmarked

Yes, the whole point of this is to be able to develop a HandCrank process/mechanism that will work on non-bossed (or offset bossed) machines.

I think that the most probable way to do this is to mimic the singer RARE device at the beginning of this thread, however nothing is clear yet. NOTE: It works by clamping around the shaft behind the handwheel. and is not connected to the head at all.

The details we have so far are:
1. Some machines have bosses for motors
2. Some machines have off-set bosses for motors
3. Some machines have NO bosses for motors
4. Machines have different diameter handwheels
5. Incorporating bobbin winders is important (if possible)
6. Original singer handcranks have mounting screws on the bottom
7. (in theory) New clone handcranks are cast as one piece.(crank and arm) (no photos yet...)
8. All machines have a shaft that is central to the handwheel....

I am planning to keep my thoughts mostly to myself until I have most of the details sorted out but I'll say that my idea includes inspiration from the "jackrabbit" (motor on spring-loaded base to contact treadles and run them as electrics) as well.

Nancy, can you shoot me a photo of the boss area on your New Home?

So, here is a drawing of the first pass at a idea for a mount.

It will need details like bolt holes to mount the upper and lower halves together around the machine shaft and a sliding threaded bit to go in the slot for the hand-crank to mount to.

There may be bending needed to get the drop tongue portion it far enough back to simulate the boss location on a bossed machine

[ATTACH=CONFIG]386652[/ATTACH]

here we go..... Thoughts?

If it mounts to the shaft, where does the hand wheel fit? Does it need a hand wheel? How universal are the ends of the shaft that holds the hand wheel? I would love to test one out...

The idea/hope is to have the lower half of this mount to the the belt guard. the upper half was drawn for clarity. (I did not want to try to Google sketch-up the belt guard.

i cannot imagine that there are more than three diameters at best, simple bushings.

Sounds like a good excuse to buy up a bunch of different machines.

so this is a PRC (Chinese) clone?

Yes, that's the only style currently being made that I'm aware of. There might be 2 or 3 different manufacturers but the body is cast as one piece on all.

Jon

an improved version might be more like.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]386694[/ATTACH]

with this mounting to the underside of the belt guard

I am hoping I can post some pics of an old motor mount - for more pictures, Steve, send me a PM with your email address.

motor mount:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]386706[/ATTACH]

How about a hand crank on that little pin?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]386707[/ATTACH]

more pics of the motor mount maybe:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]386708[/ATTACH]

It would also be very nice if we didn't have to cut or replace a hand wheel for a spoked wheel - I know, I'm a dreamer...

Oh and the foot control is very cool, too
[ATTACH=CONFIG]386709[/ATTACH]

Steve, I have enough machines if you need to test this out you can send one... or I can send pics of undersides...