Pfaff 138

[scottymc]

i'm looking at bidding on at bidding on this machinehttp://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110710658777&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT a pfaff 138, I was hoping to use it to repair sails  and general light sewing as all I have is walking foot machines, have any of you had any thing to do with this model?
                                    Scotty

[fingers]

  I own a 138. It's a solid machine.

[lamx]

I also have one.  It's a stretched version of the bulletproof Pfaff 130 family machine.  Price looks good at the current level.  Two caveats: if you plan to use it for sails, the zig zag is not very wide.  I only get 4-5mm out of mine.  And second, if it has been sitting for 15 years unused, it MIGHT take some work to get it running smoothly again.  Could have dried-up oil gumming up the works and rust on critical parts that need to be smooth.

Ed

[scottymc]

Thanks fellas, I mainly want it to do some lighter work and sometimes the kite surfers come by and ask me repair there kites, i always tell them to take it to a sail maker and most time they talk me into using my straight stitcher and I dont end up charging cause I know it wont last, but I think 4-5mm will work for small repairs on old sails.

Didn't I say at some stage I was giving this trade away? 

[Bob T]

Most seams on kitesurfing kites are 3-step zigzag.  My wife repairs quite a few of them using a Bernina home machine.  She's used a 1230 and now a 435 which has a 10mm wide 3-step zigzag.  The home machine is easy on the kite fabrics.  My industrial machines put so much pressure on the delicate cloth that damage can result, but the home machines do great.  You'll need some size 46 UV polyester thread.  The 138 may be ok for sails, but only the small boat variety.  Even my Industrial Bernina 217 is too light to sew sails for boats over 25' in length.  If I were going to sew big boat sails, I'd find an Adler 266 or clone, or an Adler 525 or the numerous clones by Global, Minerva, etc.

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

Pfaff 138s come through our shop quite a lot for repairs.  I've seen them used for all kinds of light to medium/medium heavy work.  OLD machine, but as good as any, and anybody would be lucky to get thier hands on on for $150 Aussie

[Jim101]

We have a Pfaff 138 and have used it for sail repairs for boats up to about 17-19 feet. I wouldn't try to use it for anything larger than that.  It looks like that machine may be set up for double needle but with no real close up photo it's hard to be sure.

If it is a double needle I wouldn't hesitate to buy it especially at the price shown.  It can still be used as a single needle machine.

I'm not sure I care for the table all that much as it doesn't appear to be adjustable but a good buy for the price and assuming that you check it out well before you buy it will be a good addition to your shop.

Things to check for might be:

Has it been oiled recently?  If not oil it liberally, especially after 15 years of non-use.  Turn the balance wheel.  Does the balance wheel wiggle?  Do you feel a "bump" as you turn the balance wheel?  Does the zig-zag work as easily as the straight sewing?  It should. Look at the needle bar for "bluing" If the machine has been run without oil for a length of time the needle bar in particular will develop "bluing", similar to a motorcycle exhaust pipe which can cause warping to the needle bar and elsewhere on the machine.

Good luck!  Your looking at a great old machine worth much more than what they're asking for if its working properly.

Jim

[fingers]

 Dried up and gummy oil....mine was a 'rescue' of sorts. ...had sat unused for several years. Substitute some automatic transmission fluid on your first oiling and let it set a day or two. Seems to cut through the gummy stuff. Caution>>>>ATF is red...BE SURE to use enough regular oil to flush the color out when she's runnin' smooth.

[scottymc]

I emailed the seller, he said he had not used it at all in 15 years and has not oiled it since and also made it clear it is a sale as is , so there is no backing out on the pick up, that is one of the problems with ebay I'm not going to go all that way to look at it if I can't buy it on the spot. I might take a punt on it though.

[Mike8560]

Here is a question I've way had on sails
what t
os the difference  between a zig zag  stitch a d two rows of a straight sitch ?
Tue zigzag makes two rows ow holes as doese the two rows of straight stitch

[Bob T]

I've worked on sails for more than 14 years and I don't have an answer for that one.  On boat sails, the zigzag was a way to spread out loads on a seam so the sails wouldn't tear in a straight line.  It was also a way to provide the sail with some stretch and give.  Many modern sail materials don't necessarily need that stretch and give.  Other than "that's the way we always did it" I can't explain why it persists.

[scottymc]

Just picked up the machine, it is a 138-115 a double needle. Was seized, but with liberal spraying of Inox and a bucket of oil it was running smoothly within the hour, seems to be alright. It all seems tight with no bumps, I am now going to go against mans natural instincts and read the instruction manual that came with it. I think it will need some new feet as the one on it I think is for single needle straight stitch. I have no idea what the attachment that came with it are for, they are mostly Singer. It has a plate on it from where it was sold and it is the from the guys I get all my parts from in Melbourne so I will eventually take the head up there and I can get an idea of what I can do with it. So far it looks like a good deal.

So when you guys are dealing with ebay or craiglist is it always  as far away on the other side of town as can possibly be from you, we have a thing called the Trading Post it used to be a paper, it was legend that no matter where you live or what you are looking for it was always on the other side of town.    

[scottymc]

Just want to know a few things, this is a twin needle machine. I have never even looked at a twin needle, I assumed they had 2 bobbins underneath , I can't see what use it will be with the 2 top threads being picked up by the same bobbin underneath. In the instruction manual it says it is for cording, but it does not explain it very well, it looks like it would just be decorative. I am a bit frustrated at the moment as I have no needles for it(Yes I drove past the Pfaff agent with the machine in the back of the van after I picked it up) so I can't play with the new toy, it all runs real smooth too. I just need a new belt, it has a leather one that does the job but the clink as the staple goes around is annoying, anyway if some one can enlighten me on twin needle machines that would be good.

Scotty

[scottymc]

someone just has to much time to spare ::)

[needles eye]

http://get-up-and-go.com/upholstery-forum/index.php?topic=9898.0

http://www.buzzerco.com/pfaff/index.htm

;)