Are Hand Cranks Standard?
 

I have an early Kohler sewing machine (German made). It was originally a treadle. I would like to put it in a base case and put a hand crank on it. I cannot find any information for the machine online. It is a small machine - perhaps 1/2 size - about the size of a Featherweight. I was also wanting to get a hand crank for my Singer VS2 but it is a larger machine so I'm not sure it would fit both of them. Any of you folks with experience with hand cranks know if the size or configuration of them varies?

uh,.. I don't think they're standard, so you may be out of luck on the Kohler unless you find a German or Kohler handcrank. I have the same problem finding information on the Winselmann that I have.

You'd be hard pressed to put a Singer hand crank on the VS2. The handcranks typically use the motor mount, and both the VS2 and the model 27 that replaced it predate the motor mount. Hmmm,.. that seems to mean that any Singer prior to about 1913 can't be hand cranked? Can anyone confirm that?

I'd sure love to hear if there's another solution though.

Singer used the motor / hand crank mount for hand cranks before motors. I have an 1890's singer 28 and 1902 27 with the raised boss. Puzzling why Singer cast 27 heads with and without the mount, maybe there was an upcharge for this added feature.

For the Kohler, best bet would be to post pics of the machine and arm where the crank would mount.

Jon

I didn't realize that! Thanks for that information. Are you sure your 1890s 28 is a 28, and not a VS3?

My VS2 has no motor mount, but my very late model 1913 27 (according to ismacs) has the motor mount. Now that I think about it, the 1912 28 also has a motor / HC mount as well.

Okay, dumb question. What is a boss? I read something a couple of days ago and now I can't find it. I knew I should have paid more attention to that. Here are a couple of photos of the Kohler. There is a hole in the center of the balance wheel that is threaded. Also, look at the top photo of the Tryer at this website. This machine looks very much like the one I have and the photo shows a hand crank on it. http://www.sewmuse.co.uk/Kohler%20sewing%20machine.htm

Here are photos of the 1891 VS2. If you need to see something else, or a clearer photo, let me know.

Notice under the handwheel on the kohler, that there's a raised area with a screw hole in it?
That's the "boss", or "motor boss", what I usually call the motor mount. The distance from the motor mount to the inside of the spoked wheel determines if the crank will fit, and if it clears the handwheel itself (see below).

The other gotcha is that Singer used their own thread, so the screw for a Singer HC likely won't fit the Kohler.

Here's a link to Helen Howes' site, I'm not affiliated with her, but I have dealt with her, and she's great.
http://www.helenhowes-sewingmachines.co.uk/cranks.html
I wonder if HC002 would work for you. Helen may know and she's very friendly.

You'll see that all of the cranks have basically 3 parts:
1. a finger that sits between the spokes
2. the "Crank" - the gear mechanism
3. The mounting bracket.

On the Winselmann I have here, I noticed that the smaller German machines tend to have a long bracket that takes the crank out further than a Singer HC, I think it's because the wheel sits so much lower on the shorter machines, so it needs to come out further to clear.

ETA: That was not a dumb question btw!

Didn't some of those very old shuttle machines have, instead of a crank, a knob attachment that worked along the lines of a steering wheel spinner? I seem to remember that getting discussed on TreadleOn back in 1998-1999 or so.

It could be left in place when the machine was in a treadle for a little extra oomph when needed for heavy fabrics. Or, used in lieu of a bolt-on crank on the machines that don't have a boss.

Whatever it was, it attached directly to the balance wheel, is what I recall.

OH! I'd love to see one!!

I can't find any pics. You'd have to rig something. I wonder if a steering wheel spinner could be adapted to work. But probably the elongated handle is more efficient to use. You'd have to rig something, like handle that's on the toy sewing machines.