dmar836

Awesome stuff. Thanks for taking the time to list all of that. I hope Tom's is coming along as we'll. Dave

So got it going fairly good. Did adjust the latch opener. Every once ina while it will still break a thread or develop a birdsnest but I was using kid skin and was just practicing small runs back and forth. Perhaps needle dullness etc. could contribute. Upper thread tension is much lower now as well. As an aside, is there ever a reason to adjust the pinion gear on the hook? I switched the rounded set screw with the other so I could rotate the groove on the hook shaft(under the pinion gear) and open up a new range of adjustment. Timing might still be a tad off. Could you have the set screws NOT in the hook shaft groove at all? It is so close now the set screw pulls itself into the groove and rotates the pinion as it drops in place. Only turning it 180 would allow free adjustment. I know that would make preload adjustments of the hook difficult without upsetting timing. I have the actual adjustment gear (on the lower shaft) all the way to the left and the hook is still maybe 1/32 to 1/16" ahead. Dave

I'll take a look. Thanks! Dave

So got the top and bottom shafts sync'd and the hook timed. My issue is that there was now a noticeable catch after the hook makes the loop with the top thread. Right as the loop is drawn up to create the "knot" nearest the needle, the loop is not rolling off the hook smoothly - it would make almost a light snapping sound and a jerking movement up at the controller spring forcing the spring to act twice. Weird. The ultimate result is that it isn't breaking threads any more but now the symptom is that no amount of top thread tension will create a balanced stitch - the bottom thread is straight under the fabric and every top thread loop is visible - no matter the tension settings. I did have the hook out and had to adjust the end play at the gear as it was setting too deep and was dragging underneath. Any ideas if this is an obvious sign of something? Sorry, Tom, I hope I am augmenting your adjustment questions rather than hijacking. Dave

Ditto. I'm about to finish timing the hook now. Tension mounting....... pun intended. Dave

Tom, Eric mentioned the mark on the casting related to the mark on the bottom pulley. In his pics you see the metal tab(like a tongue) from the casting that hangs down just over the shaft. There is a fine arrow on that "tongue" which will make it apparent where the matching arrow should be on the inner segment of the pulley. My pulley arrow was counterclockwise about .125 from the arrow on the "tongue" with the take-up bar at it's highest point. My pulley has 4 set screws(2 inside and 2 outside the mounting boss) so I played with that to get it aligned. Mine was sewing but was inconsistent so once I started breaking top threads I knew I needed to start over. I timed it before but not after syncing the top and bottom shafts. Eric's answers to your questions are actually clearer than the manual I have. Dave

Don't stop now, guys. I'm working on my 111W155 along with you! Mine would stitch fine, then 4 - 10 stitches later would break the top thread while going around the hook. I sync'd the two shafts - my mark was off by about 1/8". Going to adjust the hook tomorrow. Not trying to derail the thread - just don't want it to die. Good stuff! Dave