May 5, 2017

Pfaff Tiptronic 1069 (1980's)

As stated earlier I have been on the quest for the better machine then the Necchi Nora, and also as stated I have become a champion of rotary hook machines.

My Pfaff 332 is more quiet than even the Bernina 830 and quiet is good.

After seeing some reviews and looking over the options on the 1069, 1171 and the like I found one.

I usually am enamored with each new machine and gush over them, if I think they have potential I put them into service and go with the feel of it... do I love it more than the Nora?

The 1069 has a number of amazing features, I'll get to them in a minute. The engineering mastery is what has me sold after the features. This is one precision machine; I'm beginning to think that the 80's was a rare time where old and new technologies converged to make machines that included both old school machining expertise and well developed electronics.

It includes the minimum F,R,L,R and C, and something I just can't get out of my head; needle position. The switch for that and the high and low speed switch are just above the needle.

It is a mostly die-cast aluminum machine with just a few plastic covers; the white part is aluminum and the base.

It had a loud screech when running so I tried to open up the top cover; NOT EASY. I recommend not doing it unless you posses great patience and have experience with plastic covers as I do.

With that off the front cover comes off. The only thing that was frozen up was the locking knob for the hand wheel; they used a white grease that turned hard and froze the hand wheel to the main shaft.
After prying the hand wheel off I was able to clean out all the old gunk and make the system work again. The lock system is unlike anything I have ever seen; very nice.

For those of you that would like to look under the hood I'm including these shots.









Upper thread tension system




Super nice take up threading system

Bobbin winding system

Motor


Easy access to the bobbin case (Made in West Germany) and nice snap on foot system


The case is Viking like in that it drops down from the top and the handle comes thru from the machine

The light is properly positioned

 Flat-bed attached
Doors open

Flat-bed second level

Flat-bed swing away


1st attempts at sewing are very favorable, excellent slow speed control however, when I put the machine to the table the foot controller cord was way too short??
As an all aluminum machine it can't match the sound of the cast iron beauties and so at high speed it has a sound.

Then I remembered that it has possibly the only one like it, a take-up reel in the foot pedal!!

I would never bother showing the cord plug and the foot pedal but Pfaff thought of everything.
the fully retracted foot pedal cord, and the 110 cord goes either way amazing!

It really is a strong machine, have tried layers of leather and some of the styles, all good so far.

10 comments:

  1. Your blog is good .Your sewing machineis good and your blog helpful .Keep sharing and posting

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, I blog about a bunch of my interests but none of them come close to generating the views that my simple sew machines do.
      Sew Machines are fun; there are worse ways to spend time and money

      Delete
  2. Good Work and Good site. Your all blog is very good. Keep sharing and posting.

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  3. How DID you get the cover off to check the insides? I have this machine and would like to get to the insides to clean and oil it.
    Do you have any tips that'll help me get it off more easily?
    Thanks!
    Patricia

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    Replies
    1. Hi Trish, I couldn't remember how I did it so I went down and had the top cover off in about 2 minutes, I don't recommend it.
      Check out Walter before you do
      https://www.youtube.com/user/Discoversewing/videos
      He has a lot of time on the Pfaffs
      Don't take out the screw by the bobbin winder, LOOSEN don't remove the screw for the left side cover, take out the two tiny Phillips screws and don't break any plastic!

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  4. Hi Tom, my heart skipped a beat on seeing it. I was instantly transported to when I owned it in the 80s. I SO miss this model. I wish I kept it. Beautiful machine! I wish the stitch selection pics undet the lud were clearer & also the push button pics. I wish you could please take a pic of the sew slow, etc buttons panel. I love this model. Which year was this sold in Australia? I bought it for $999.00 a xmas special price, reduced from $1,299.00. Thank you so much, Anna.

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  5. Correction: Stitch selection under the lid. Thanks, Anna.

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  6. Hello! I was just given a Pfaff 1069, but it is missing the foot control! Argh! Do you have any suggestions on where to find a proper foot controller?

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