Mini Cranker

[skinmech]

hey skinmech my mini cranker has the metal clip instead of the o ring on the drive bar i heard this makes it no give do you recomend i use it this way or opt for the o ring i told dan i was using it for lining and color packing and he sent it with the metal clip so im wondering your opinion . also i see some running bands over the a bar whats up with that

IMO, you don't need any give with this machine,doesn't matter if it is for Lining, Shading or Packing, let your volts and hanspeed do all the work..It is "slightly" dampened, but treat it as a no give machine..I think some people run it with bands over the top of the Abar as that is the way they come packed...I removed that band, and run mines with out it..

[skinmech]

...... direct drives- whats their pro's n con's and feel?

The cranker isn't a Direct Drive, it is a Linear machine (imo) the abar goes straight up and down, which makes for accurate line work, a Direct Drive machine is Cam driven, the cam moves in a circular motion, and the needle bar loop clips onto the cam, so your needles will move in a side to side motion or "wobble"...I can't line with a DDR,but they are great for colour work...Basically you have 3 main groups of Rotaries,
Direct Drive- Mike Metaxa, Old Timer etc
Give System- Swash, Centri etc
No Give System- Rotaryworks, Bazooka etc.
There are variations,adjustable and infinite give and Hybrids, but this is the basic guide I go by.....Long Live No Give...P.

[Fatlad5]

IMO, you don't need any give with this machine,doesn't matter if it is for Lining, Shading or Packing, let your volts and hanspeed do all the work..It is "slightly" dampened, but treat it as a no give machine..I think some people run it with bands over the top of the Abar as that is the way they come packed...I removed that band, and run mines with out it..

you line with no bands and no needle runner? Do you put a bend in the needle bar or at the solder at all?

[peter clements]

you line with no bands and no needle runner? Do you put a bend in the needle bar or at the solder at all?

I snap on the needlerunner just past halfway towrds the needles,then I put a slight bend between the needle group and the end of the needlerunner. Regarding give-as Paul says there is already a tadge of dampening on these machines, but if you would like a little more simply use a softish peice of silicon tube for your grommet ( look at my photos, the machine on the left ) and then simply use your own hand skills to do the rest.
Regarding hand skills, let's take for instance "Rotaryworks" those machines have no forgiveness at all ,but I have done some very nice B&G with them, once again using a silicon grommet. In fact today my mini Rotaryworks with 2.5 stroke and Maxon motor will arrive today, I just know that's gonna be awesome for B&G.

[skinmech]

you line with no bands and no needle runner? Do you put a bend in the needle bar or at the solder at all?

LOL..No I use one band which I attach to the front lugs...I meant I removed the band which goes over the top of the abar....Do what Peter says and you won't go wrong..

[thesmokingmirror]

I think the band over the Abar is just the reset position for the band kinda like some people do with coils if they reuse the bands. I watched a few of his videos when I first got mine to make sure he didnt use it this way

[adamfromessex]

sorry skinmech, i meant as i am looking to pos buy one of DK's direct drives aswell