Old Belvedere Adler J-A-18
 

I recently acquired this machine which I'd like to use for sail covers and the like. It seems to be a Riccar manufactured unit and everything goes around and up and down, but I'm not sewing machine literate and have zero idea how to thread it, adjust tensions or anything. I'd love to find a manual for it if anyone can point me in the right direction. I found a double sided presser-foot for it and I 've figured out how to adjust the zig-zag, but beyond that I'm a fish outta water!
Thanks!
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Riccar badged Adler. I didn't know they did that but this is newer than I mess with. it may not be tough enough for sail covers, but it doesn't hurt to try.

Looks very clean. Oil up everything that moves (or should) while you chase a manual. Tape residue can be rubbed off with sewing machine oil and patience. Don't use abrasives. Just fingers.

Really, this a domestic household machine meant for sewing dresses, kitchen curtains and the like. The Adler name on it shouldn't be compared to the old German Adlers. Fed a steady diet of heavier things that should be done with a heavier duty machine it most likely won't last long.

Cari

I've been using a mid century Japanese machine to make sail covers for many years. That still isn't many sail covers, I only need them so often. Mine has done very well on cover material and webbing. I have also used it repair sails, which is sometimes too much for it. I suggest you search for videos of that machine, or for manuals for similar Japanese machines. You'll figure it out.

Thanks All! Like John, the old machine won't be getting a steady diet of anything. It'll be used to make the occasional cover, sew webbing and maybe the emergency repair. Mainly it's being set up so I can commit fabric sins without getting into my wife's new Janome. For some reason she takes a very narrow view of me playing with Sunbrella acrylic on her new machine!?! :)

You're welcome Raven. There is plenty of great information on this board about vintage machines.
For good information on sail covers, check Sailrite's videos and forum. I also recommend the WoodenBoat, Sailnet and Cruiser's Net forums. Good luck, see you on the water.

It should sew through sunbrella just fine unless it is layers and layers. Sunbrella is realitively lightweight fabric. The webbing might or might not do ok depending on how heavy but just sew the raw ends down good, flip it and sew it only through a layer and it will work fine.

Thanks John. I'm regularly on WoodenBoat forum under HughMacD. Boats are a longtime bad habit :) Here's a pic of "Raven" who we are in process of re-purposing more toward cruising than racing, although she still gets out on a club start now and then.
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Great Pic!
I've seen you on WBF, my screen name there is pretty similar to here, and I've been discussing sewing machines there lately.