Sewing has acquired recognition all across the globe as one of the best hobbies. It is mindful. When you sit and sew, you manage to pay attention to all your thoughts. Sewing also provides a sense of accomplishment. According to recent studies, people suffering from anxiety and depression have noticed an increase in their self-esteem after completing projects related to textile craft. Other benefits of sewing include –
1. If you know sewing, you can fix clothes on your own.
2. Being a social activity, sewing helps you make friends.
3. Sewing enhances hand to eye coordination.
4. It also improves your concentration levels.
Do you plan to pursue sewing? Well then you must be thoroughly acquainted with its nitty-gritty. The following write-up specifies how tight a sewing machine belt must be. That’s something every seamstress must know. Please check it out now.
How tight should a sewing machine belt be?
A sewing machine belt must not be excessively tight but it must be tight enough to never slip. Better if the slack is ½ inch. Loosen the belt a bit when the motor gets hot and starts whining or groaning.
How tight should a belt be? There are different types of sewing machine belts, thus, the tightness or tension varies. The belt must not be so tight that you can play songs on it. To be safe, keep the slack around ¼ inch.
Few reasons why a sewing machine belt needs to be tight
When the belt fits, you can operate the machine and create a product without much trouble. A properly fit belt ensures that a machine is running seamlessly – zero resistance and abnormal noises.
Not to slip the belt
Sewing machine belt slipping is a huge problem that you need to keep at bay under all circumstances. If the belt continues slipping, you would not be able to use your machine. The belt must fit in a way that you get a grip over the handwheel and apply cent per cent power.
To ensure the motor doesn’t get too hot
When the belt is immensely tight, it puts undue pressure on your machine. The machine heats up and your project goes down the drain. Experiment with varied kinds of tightness and find out which one is fully compatible with the motor.
Decrease the stress on the motor
If the belt is loose, it will flap around or slip. Again, if the belt is too tight, you have to exert extreme effort to turn the handwheel, inflicting stress on the motor and burning its bearings. As stated earlier, please try out different variations of tightness to come across the one that does not damage your machine’s motor.
How tight is too tight for a sewing machine belt?
A sewing machine belt must have around ½ inch to ¼ inch of slack. That’s the appropriate tightness. Anything more than that is considered too tight, and can cause sewing machine belt problems.
How do you tighten the belt on a sewing machine?
It may seem a bit challenging, but if you want to be a successful seamstress, you must learn how to tighten the belt on the sewing machine. The knowledge will come handy if you accidentally broke the belt and fail to rotate the handwheel. Before carrying out the steps stated below, please unplug the machine. You would not want to hurt yourself, right?
1. Take the screws out that fasten the bolt cover.
2. If there are screws holding the motor in place, please loosen them. Otherwise, you will not be able to push the motor in an upward direction and release tension.
3. Place the belt beneath the pulley. Tighten the belt in a way that you can feel it while rotating the handwheel.
4. Turn the motor and repair the tension. Tighten the screws after you are done.
Plug the machine and see if everything is working properly.
Always remember that if the belt is not in a proper shape, the sewing machine would not function smoothly. At times, when sewing, you will smell burnt rubber, and that’s when you should change the belt.
What part of the sewing machine holds the belt in place?
The balance wheel lying at the right-hand side of the machine’s head is generally driven by the belt. The balance wheel rotates and makes your sewing machine operational.
The treadle drive is a huge wheel placed under the board in a treadle sewing machine. It is attached to the balance wheel with a belt. When the treadle drive rotates, the power is transferred by the belt to the wheel.
What is the function of the belt in a sewing machine?
A sewing machine belt could be defined as a loop created by a flexible material. It is used for mechanically joining two or several rotating shafts, generally in a parallel way. Belts are used as a motion source for transmitting power in an efficient manner or for tracking relative movement.
Are sewing machine belts Universal?
Some belts are branded universal but this label is conditional. It means the belt is universal only for a few brand models and products. If you have purchased a common slash or generic machine, universal belts would work in a hassle-free manner. If the machine is new, exclusive, or high-end, universal belts would unfortunately not work. You have to then get belts customized for your machine.
How do you put the belt in a sewing machine?
Putting the belt inside a sewing machine is quite easy. We have already stated the steps earlier in this write-up. Always replace sewing machine belts as per manufacturer instructions. Also, turn the machine off, or in other words, unplug it before beginning. Doing so would keep accidents at bay.
Bottom Line
Do you wish to take up sewing as a hobby? If yes, you must learn how to tighten the belt in a sewing machine. The belt after all helps a machine work perfectly, and allows you to work on projects as per your convenience.
