Anything about sewing machines and the tools we use.
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By CnC
#12462
I purchased an old casting Pfaff 1245 706/07
machine and being inexperienced hadn't realized it was missing a key element, the lifting arm. This is a bit of a weird request but is there anyone out there with one on these machines with an extra arm or even handy enough to get me the exact footprint and measurements from the one on their existing machine? It is secured with one simple flat screwdriver shaft the is threaded on one end and could easily be removed and reinstalled in 30 seconds to take these measurements. I'll just make one out of a good quality flat bar on my milling machine. They are available from China but won't get here (if ever?) for a couple months. The machine has a foot lever so it does raise the feet but my inexperience using these machines makes it difficult to operate and this lever would make it much easier learning.
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By Curtis
#12463
Did you try to remove the screw. I can’t see the screw where it should do through the lifter arm and thread into the following block. It probably snapped. Mine is threaded all the way but have no groove for a screwdriver. I dismantled the front to have access from the other side thinking the head of the screw would be on that side but there is no groove either. I don’t know to help you, Sorry.
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By John G
#12464
@CnC if you know the screw diameter, do a rough scale measurement on the photo. Mock one up in card and check the clearances on the machine (I always mock up in card, it cuts with scissors and bits can be added with tape). Then get some flat bar as you say and a grinder and away you go.

Then you have a working machine whilst you spare part arrives from Overseas.
By CnC
#12466
Hey Curtis the screw is not there and the threads look fine. I will check the size with an appropriate tap and make a new threaded stud leaving the shoulder bare of threads so the arm will ride smoothly. I just need a good measurement to make my own. Metalwork is my thing but I'm trying hard to expand my skills.
By CnC
#12467
Hey John I do make up and fab things out of metal (it's my hobby/passion) frequently but it would make life much easier if I had measurements beforehand. If anyone here has this machine can I ask for as many closeup photos from different angles as possible?? I just want to make sure there isn't anything else I'll be missing? Some quick measurements regarding length, width, height etc would be appreciated. I looked at exploded views and found them not much help. I see several photos on the net but none of this side of the machine. Lots from the front and thread path side but none of what I actually need
By CnC
#12470
Going to throw this back out there again. The photo and link Superdoo sent me is in fact the proper arm which differs from the above picture I posted (which is for the 1245 706/47 model). Anyone who is willing to snap a few pictures would be a huge help. Maybe hold a ruler up beside the arm even? I'm going to order this today but may not see it until some time in April which helps me very little til then. Anyone??
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By Curtis
#12471
I used this photo for drawing but it is the measurements of the Pfaff 1245.
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Image Henderson Sewing has PDF files of pretty much all machines
Last edited by Curtis on Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By sandmanred
#12473
It will help to know the full model number. It may affect the part you want to make. There usually and H followed by 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 as part of the model number. This is an indication of the lift of the presser foot, the higher the number the higher the lift. I have a 545 H4. The 545 hook is gear driven and the 1245 the hook is driven by a belt so I don't that affects the Hx part of the design. The distance from the screw hole to the end that lifts the presser foot assembly is about 20 mm on mine.
By CnC
#12475
Thank so much to each of you. I managed to come up with a lever using a scrap piece of flat bar in the right gauge. I'm not sure what the difference is in the 07 and the 47 model but I tried to mimic the 07 as close as I could filing here and there. The foot raises and the tension washers disengage as they should. I now only need to thread a piece of round stock to the proper thread pitch.
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By sandmanred
#12476
Nice!

Here's some photos of the pin. Sorry for mix of units but the Pfaff doesn't seem to have any consistency either. The ruler is metric and the caliper is SAE. And yes, the only fit to the thread gage was 30 per inch!

Doesn't surprise me though. I have made a few screws for my machine and it's rarely a common thread count or even diameter. For instance, the screw that captures the hand wheel had a 0.264 diameter and 26 threads per inch, not even close to any metric or SAE standards.

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By CnC
#12477
This is great stuff. Thank you sandman. I did find a couple threaded machine screws but not at all sure what they translate into for pitch. I tried them against all my taps and dies and nothing matched. Very close but not exact. I may just use one of these in the meantime when I wait on the lifting arm and screw to arrive. Only trouble is they are completely threaded with no shoulder so will wear rather quickly
By CnC
#12479
This will probably sound like a completely amateur sounding question but is there a lever, lock, button or magical fairly inside this 1245 that disengages the needle and foot from operating if you want to simply wind a bobbin or two? Or do they automatically operate the whole time?
Thanks in advance
Cliff
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By Curtis
#12480
They run the whole time. These are robust machines. The previous owner hauled it around in his mobile shop during 22 years and he had purchased it used. Still running strong and didn’t have Any issues for the 30 months i’ve Had it. :grinning:
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By souperdoo
#12482
When winding a bobbin, just unthread the needle and tuck the thread up out of the way. I wind with the motor turned up to 11, so I take the bobbin out, too, just so the standing end of the bobbin thread can't get anywhere I don't want it to be...

Excellent job on the lever!
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By Adam12
#12483
Lock your feet to the up position when you are only winding and not sewing. Dont want the feet and feed dog slamming into eachother without something in there. And like @souperdoo suggests, un thread the needle and bobbin. Other than that...let her rip
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By CnC
#12484
I should probably be scolded for doing this but I kind of compromised with the lever shaft and rethreaded it with a #8 × 32 tap after looking for an appropriate bolt that I could fab up. No luck with the dimensions Sandman gave me and being cast the stuff threads like butter. Took a good quality #8 machine screw, snipped off the head, cut it to the correct length and slotted the end of the shank to fit a flat driver. Fits like a glove. The new servo motor is now installed and I think its going to make learning this stuff much easier as everyone has been stating. Wow, you can really dial these things down. My only concern might be torque at low speed but I'll cross that bridge if it becomes an issue. Maybe make up a reducer pulley setup if need be. Only complaint I have with the machine now is the fact that the side bobbin doesn't work. I suspect there are internal parts missing that provide that options use but having zero experience I wouldn't even know what I'm looking for. I need to throw out another thank you to all of you for the pics, advice and guidance. Thank goodness for the connectivity (if thats even a word?) of the net for help because my younger years consisted of speaking to anyone with experience, service manuals or a trip to the library hoping for information. So far I'm really liking this forum and the willingness of others to help out.
Regards Cliff
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By John G
#12485
souperdoo wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 5:04 am When winding a bobbin, just unthread the needle and tuck the thread up out of the way. I wind with the motor turned up to 11, so I take the bobbin out, too, just so the standing end of the bobbin thread can't get anywhere I don't want it to be...

Excellent job on the lever!
As said above, I left a bobbin in my machine whilst rewinding a bobbin, ended up with a big birds nest in the machine :scream: not good.
CnC, John liked this
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