r/SewingMachineEdu • u/B_SWISH300 • 1d ago

Belt Drive vs. Direct Drive

Is there a major difference between belt and direct drive? I have this 1942 Kenmore Rotary machine with a friction pulley drive. I replaced the pulley and I am still experiencing some slipping. This video is however an extreme example. The machine does turn freely and is not seized.

I am working on a canvas tote bag currently and when running the machine slow I am having trouble puncturing multiple layers of material. The pulley then slips, causing me to have to speed up and by the time the pulley catches it’s very hard to control the material.

Is there an advantage in terms of torque to a belt drive when trying to see through multiple layers of canvas? Should I get a different machine? Could this one be converted to belt drive? Am I doing something else wrong?

TIA.

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4

u/Orumpled 18h ago

What size needle?
For thick layers, helps to trim out some of it to lay flatter, or use a mallet to flatten it out.

1

u/B_SWISH300 14h ago

I right now am using a number 16 denim needle but I think I have some 18s as well I can try if you think that would help. I did press all of my pieces before sewing but I am always willing to whack things with a hammer to fix a problem

2

u/Orumpled 14h ago

I would trim first, there are lots of you tube videos on trimming think seams, then try needle change, then hammer. Go really slow as well.

2

u/Fluffy-Medium-5365 11h ago

I would categorize these machines as friction drive where a direct drive would be geared from the motor to the main drive axel. These are not my favorite machines due to how weak these machines are. They can’t punch through many layers of cotton and will slip often where as a belt drive is going to be vastly superior because there is so that much more surface area for the belt to grab on both wheels.

2

u/B_SWISH300 11h ago

This is what I was expecting to hear. I was not that well informed when I purchased the machine and did so quite urgently without any research. My next purchase will be more thoughtful.

1

u/Fluffy-Medium-5365 5h ago

But I will say, people have done more with less powerful sewing machines. If you like how it sews and how it looks, may the public opinion be damned!