Slowing down my thread injector?

[Bothwell Voyageur]

So I have just acquired a used Singer 20U for sewing heavy fabrics. It looks like it would happily sew through your hand if you were so inclined and has a 1/2 inch lift on the foot!

I've dropped it off in town for a service etc. before using it in anger (so to speak!) but I'm wondering if there are options to slow the thing down a bit? I'm often sewing quite complex corners and round circles so need good control.

I'm wondering about reducing the pulley size o the motor or maybe it would be possible to regulate the voltage (it's an AC 115v motor).

Any ideas?

BV

[nothermark]

Motor will probably be harder (more expensive) than it is worth. Particularly if it is brushless. Changing pulley sizes will increase the force available while slowing down the maximum speed so should be a win both ways.

[gargoyle]

Servo motors.

[MagicPaddler]

Would something like this work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2000W-Adjust...item53ff1a9d25
Maybe replace the pot with a foot operated pot.

[Pag]

20u is an industrial zig zag right? You could stick in a pulley speed reducer. Basically a big pulley welded to a little pulley. You can slow it down quite a bit with those, but they're usually about $120-$150.

[Bothwell Voyageur]

That's given me some ideas to think about. I only paid $100 for it including an industrial cloth cutter so I don't want to spend too much or I may as well have bought a new one.

The current motor is 4HP so a bit of a beast!