Hand crankable ZZ machine ...
 

My wife and I are mulling over the idea of making a dedicated HC machine to take to the craft shows so she can work as all the lookie loos walk around. It might make a better impression if she's doing something rather than sitting there bored out of her mind.

So, as we're discussing it, here is her wants:

Simple ZZ, don't need cams or lots of patterns.
Lever type reverse, no push buttons.
Aluminum body
All steel insides

We've been looking at all our machines and we have two that might be doable. But they are cast iron and HEAVY.
For this we need LESS heavy.
The only machine we've found so far that might work is the Singer 237.

So my question for all you hand crankers is what would you suggest?????

Joe / Elaine

My hand crank is heavy. I did not know that a ZZ could be made to hand crank? If so I will be looking for another one to convert.

Pat,

The only things are:

The machine has to have an external motor with a motor mount boss centered under the main shaft.
It is also best to put a spoked hand wheel on it.

Here is my Montgomery Wards 7 Jewel Automatic, URR-988A with and without the hand crank and spoked wheel.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]417004[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]417005[/ATTACH]
It's the only machine we have that meets all the qualifications. Well, other than being cast iron and heavy.
My wife is going to practice with it using the hand wheel while we look for an aluminum machine to make into the dedicated HC.


Joe

That's a great idea! I think I may convert my 237!

Colleen

206 /306 / 319? This site http://www.7sew.com/singer/319w_hand_crank/index_2.html claims that the 319 weighs 25# with hand crank, and it has a handle on the top. But you have the awkward bobbin-changing issue with the Swing Needles, along with the special needle / no double needle as another drawback.
eta: It had to be modded a good bit. See http://www.7sew.com/singer/319w_hand_crank/

MadCow,

I'm not sure the 319 can be HC'd without major modification, or if at all. I've got one pic that seems to show the motor boss to be off set from the center of the hand wheel. If that's the case it won't work right. And there's no touching my wife's 319.

Joe

That is true, Joe - I got a 319 just to HC - it won't - the balance wheel and the boss aren't in line

I do not know what will HC and zz easily. I want one that does all the fancy stitches

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FEATHERWEIGH...-/160874190414
Cathy busted this one - it is just a window crank that has been modified to fit on the knob - the knob has to be just right or it won't work. Maybe you can do something like that - it is 1 to 1 a regular HC is 3 to 1 though.

Miriam,

I've got several ZZ machines that use cams that can be HC'd. But they weight a ton and are full sized machines. Plus they have push button reverses. I think I could coordinate that, but my wife says she can't.

I'm not into jury rigging a hand crank. We'll scare up one of the Singer 237s and make it work.

Joe

This http://annebonnyslocker.com.au/ckp/p...rank_motor.htm says "bolt hole must be 4" / 10cm directly below the centre of the drive shaft." I have a 206k here and the hole isn't offset, so it must be distance from the center of the shaft that is the problem. Measured it w/o taking the motor or hand wheel off, and it's in the 3.5" ballpark. But a new hole could possibly be machined 1/2" lower. Looks like there is enough room there to do that, but I am not a machinist.

Isn't there a smaller size hand crank, like 3/4 size, for the 99k and 3/4 size shuttle machines? But that would have to be an original Singer crank, not a reproduction. The reproductions are all full size, as I recall.