Juki 1541S Stopped Working

[cds]

Well I think I have broken my Juki already or I am just doing something really stupid. While trying to sew some leather this morning, I noticed the needle snapped off and that the wheel would not rotate completely around.

I think this small shaft with arm curved arm on end is called the "opener" which looks to be keeping the casing that holds the bobbin assembly from turning. This shaft is very tight and doesn't move.

When the hook starts to turn up this arm in the top photo hits the metal and causes the lever inside this gear, on the bottom photo, to release the bobbin shaft.

Any ideas? I guess I will be looking for a repair person today. This is quite frustrating as I have not had the machine 3 weeks.

Thank for any help.

Chris

[CowboyBob]

You probably just got a piece of thread jammed in the hook.You need to hold on to the needle thread when you start sewing,hold it the first 3-stitches.What you need to do is put some oil on the hook & rock the handwheel back & forth(don't forget to unthread the needle) and it will free up.That little finger is supposed to be hitting the outer part of the hook.

[Wishful]

Yes, it sounds like the safety clutched popped to prevent damage to the hook. So as stated above, clear out the jamb then reengage the clutch if needed. I am not familiar with your machine but it may reengage like the consew as seen here
On you tube under 'reset safety clutch after thread jamb on consew 206rb'. For some reason I cannot attach the link..

[leatherisfun]

I had this same problem happen to me the second day after using the same model a little over a month ago. Took it back to the dealer and the repair guy was kind enough to fix it immediately. I watched him work on it and asked a lot of questions.

Everyone is correct in saying that the safety clutch did engage to prevent damage. My problem was that there was thread caught in the hook.

To fix it, remove the needle plate and feed dog. Press in the button on the bed and turn the flywheel backwards. If it click and releases, then you are good to go. However you might need to get a tweezers out to remove the offending thread that is stuck in the hook.

Should have said this before, remove the bobbin. It's ok to remove the curved arm, but don't remove the hook. Getting it setup correctly for timing is a pain. Turn the wheel, don't use too much force. Be patient even though you are frustrated, there is thread stuck in there. Mine had about 1/4" of thread stuck in the hook. He removed it and I haven't had a problem since.

As a last resort, you might have to remove the hook from the shaft.

The key to preventing this from happening is to hold the top thread before starting for the first 2 stitches then release. If you don't hold it, this will happen again.

[SARK9]

At one time the were a few instances of needle collisions with symptoms similar to what you may have experienced. I have no idea if this is still common, but its something else to check. See:

http://leiflabs.blogspot.com/2010/05/its-juki-disastro.html

The 1541's are frequently advertised as "sew & go" on the bobbin changes, like the Consew 206x's, which could care less about thread tails. They are pretty similar mechanically, so I wonder what causes such a difference in behavior?

-DC

[leatherisfun]

The top thread is the one that needs to be held, not the bobbin thread.

[SARK9]

>>The top thread is the one that needs to be held, not the bobbin thread.<<

Right, but the interesting part was that the Consew 206xx, which has a similar bobbin apparatus to the 1541, doesn't seem to care if you hold back the thread at all. After a session of fanatically holding thread tails on the LU-563's, its sort of a relief to move over to the Consew and just not think about it. What is different about the 1541's compared to the 206?

-DC

[cds]

Thanks everyone for the comments!
The thread did get stuck in the hook and caused the clutch to engage. I actually thought that the clutch locked the whole gearing from moving at all which is why I did not check this. Sure enough, holding down the button and turning wheel in reverse cleared it right up.

[leatherisfun]

Made in Japan by Juki? If I leave the thread long enough, it isn't a problem. But I have gotten used to holding it, so not a bit deal anymore.

[Wizcrafts]

Sometimes, when I am only able to hold onto the top thread tail, the knot will get pulled to the top on the first stitch. Other times, the knot may be entirely on the bottom. Holding back both threads equally almost always centers the starting knot.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Wizcrafts

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Looks like there is more service work to do on this DNU-1541S;

From the image in the 1st post I copied and blew up larger, you can clearly see that the hook basket has escaped from the hook supporting plate, and has spun out out of this tab.

In the second pic, this is how this bobbin case basket and hook support plate should look when properly working.

[gottaknow]

I thought that looked goofy Gregg. I then looked at the pic of the clutch, and it's still engaged. I'm thinking that instead of re-engaging the clutch, the basket retainer popped back into place. I've seen that happen.

Regards, Eric

[cds]

Thanks guys. I just followed instructions on pressing the clutch release and turn hand wheel in reverse and in started to work again.

[SARK9]

The link I posted earlier in the thread shows photos of a 1541 with exactly the same problem from back in 2010. The text which accompanies the photographs indicates this seemed to happen when he was sewing heavy or thick material.

-DC

[MarineTailor]

On all of my tables I have installed a flat head screw with a rubber washer about six inches out and to the right of the needle path.  Then, before engaging power I grab both threads (upper and lower) I wrap them around and under the washer, this holds the thread from slipping back down into the mechanisms below the feed dog.  I found that unlike the JUKI 1541S the Consew 255 with vertical axis has a bobbin that will spin like hell and cause all kinds of thread problems, bird nests  and the like so I never sew without installing a starfish spring under the bobbin, this keeps the bobbin tight in the case and it will not spin.

[MarineTailor]

Like "CDS" my 1541s is new to me about a month or so. I just also broke a #20 needle while binding about three layers of Sunbrella fabric with vinyl binding, in between those layers was also one layer of medium weight nylon webbing, there was also a layer of two faced tape between all layers.  What I noticed after raising the head is that the bobbin locking arm is facing away from me instead of towards me which is the normal position when installing and removing the bobbin.  And now cannot remove the bobbin from the bobbing mechanism.?  Any thoughts?

[brmax]

Its likely you will need to remove the cover at right if the needle so to see the feed dog screws.

This can be done without much worry, removing the feed dog that is. 

With this removed you can better see the issue, as in previous posted photos, the second one particulary. 

As you may notice in photo and after tilting the head back onto its stand peg. The part that sits between the hook and feed dog, this guides or controls the thread in its path. 

This part has to sit correctly its the tab in alignment and in the slot. 

I found many of the post on forum about this very good.

 

Floyd

[Uwe]

Sounds like your bobbin basket got forcefully rotated out of position and jammed up pretty well. If the bobbin basket rotates out of position, the needle will surely find an early demise.

Normally that bobbin basket will only properly lock into place in exactly one position. If it's not inserted properly and the latch key that keeps the basket from rotating is not properly engaged in the matching cutout, the basket may spin out of place and bind up.

I made a video that hopefully will illustrate what I'm trying to say:

 

[Scoutmom103]

Thanks Uwe for another great video.