Pfaff 561 G commercial sewing machine

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cfz2882

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Feb 9, 2010
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Belle Fourche,SD
noticed this machine at a used shop about a month ago and and after examination
got interested in it(i like all machinery and this thing looks awesume)
the machine itself is about 2'long,all metal,built into a table of plywood about
1 3/4"thick.The motor,elecronics box,and control keypad are german"elka"and there
are solenoid valves and air cylinders all over underneath it(air hookup needed)
Once i figure out how to thread it and run it,should be handy for sewing tarps or
other heavy duty sewing tasks:)
Probably will pick it up monday then start to play...(just the work lights on the
machine are worth the price they have on it,not to menton the motor/electronics
and the pneumatics!)
Anyone here use these big "factory"machines or know about them?
 
Unless You Are Used To Them

Commercial sewing machines aren't always for domestic use. However if one has the purpose, space and is willing to learn then things may turn out well.

Industrial sewing machines normally have one or two speeds only, fast and very fast. They also usually are restricted to usually one or perhaps two types of stitches. This is because usually somenone sewing in a plant will only be working on one piece of a garment item (if one is sewing sleeves then that is what one does for eight hours that day), thus there isn't a need to change stitch patterns on the fly or so forth as with domestic machines.

Pfaff produced great domestic and commercial sewing machines back in their (German built) days. Just make sure you have all the parts and or can find someone who has a stash.
 
Looked like everything was there...This machine says"made in brazil"on it,the
electronics 1994 dated,the rest might be from around then too.Looked like this one
will at least straight stitch-all i really need for tarps and the like.
 
Pfaff commercial machines!

My Mother for 22 years was employed by Blue Bell Inc, Blue Bell was the company that made Wrangler and Jantzen years ago, The Lenoir plant had a Navy uniform contract and stayed busy all the time...Anyway, Mother said that Blue Bell switched from Singer to Pfaff in the early sixties, she said a team of engeneers and interpreters came from Germany, not only to teach the mechanics , but also to teach the sewers how to operate the machines, she remembered that the Pfaff machines dramatically increased production because of increased speed and fewer problems.Mother was Personel Director by this time, which included office management, so she was in a position to really see what was going on, she said the women who sewed loved the Pfaffs so much, some of them bought home models for there personel use...Mother already had a 301 Slant Needle Singer she bought in 58, and I still have it.
 
Those PFAFF machines are found in my area time to time at the Sew&vac place-they would come from the closed down garment factories that used to be here-Tailers and others(Quilters of all things) would buy them from the sew&Vac place and put them to work-helped out mike on these a time or two-one of them did indeed come from a truck tarp shop in Rocky Mount-the machine was sent to the repair shop here with no machine desk or motor.Fortunately Mike had a motor and table to try it-honestly that machine looked as though you could power it from the PTO on the truck or tractor!When Mike retuned it-the machine worked super well-you could sew with it by turning it over by hand!and also with those commercial machines---FAST-FAST--watch where your hand and fingers are as you are running it!I treat running those with the same respect as a band saw!
 
I've used a Pfaff 145 industrial and the thing is amazing! It goes through automobile vinyl, batting, and oilboard backing like its a piece of shirt cotton.

For more normal sewing, I'll back up Norgeway's Mom; my Singer 301 is pretty sweet too.
 
Pfaff vs a finger!

My Mother said she had actually seen fingers sewn to cloth...right thru the nail and all...at the speed they ran, it didnt take but a split second, she also remembered women coming to the office with a piece of needle sticking out of there eyes!!
 
Is the Pfaff 145 a "walking foot" machine-the walking foots are best for thick materials such as vinyl upolstry, tarp material,banner material,canvas,leather,and such.and another thing to watch for on these industrial type sewing machines with the external motor under its table or desk-the motor flywheel can spin for a minute or so after turning the motor off-and the machine can still sew for a moment or so when the clutch is engaged.Like the PM motors for these-you can then control the speed.VFD motors can be used,too.again you can control the speed.Otherwise the machine goes at FULL THROTTLE!
 
motor

the pfaff machine at the 2nd hand shop has a big electronic controlled brushed DC
motor on it;didn't notice the HP/KW rating of the german motor,but did notice it's
maximum RPM rating given as 5000 RPM-pulley ratio looked like around 2:1,so about
2500 SPM if controller lets motor rev to maximum rating!
I have two pfaff home machines,one an old (i think early 50s era)black cast iron
one and a gray one of i recon mid-'60s era.Both were dump grabs(!)and though i
havent used either yet,they are in very decent shape and complete.
 

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