Juki 5550N experiencing problem in the bobbin area

[Wizcrafts]

@thobgood

In case you didn't know, Juki machines are top shelf for many applications. Yours is a top notch garment material sewing machine with a fixed foot and bottom/drop feed. Once you get the timing right, it will be a money maker.

Many leather crafters on this forum sew heavy and thick leather projects on specialized machines we often refer to as harness or holster stitchers. Way back around 1986, or so, Juki came out with a heavy duty harness stitcher that they assigned the model name/number: TSC-441. I saw one that was still in a wooden carton in a sewing machine warehouse. At that time, the dealer told me that I could take it home form only just under $6.000. I didn't have that kind of money and they didn't do financing to individual buyers.

Fast forward to around 2011 and a Chinese sewing machine company obtained a Juki 441 and disassembled it. Then they made molds and began casing new versions of that Juki. They gave them new model names and sold them to dealers who assigned their own brand names. I bought one in 2012 that I still use every time I need to sew a thick project. It is a Cowboy cb4500. My best friend has an equivalent brand, called a Cobra Class 4. Both have the same capabilities. Techsew offers their own model as a Techsew 5100. You can now buy one of these machines for between $3500 and $4400, with all manner of accessories! In contrast, I just found a new Juki TSC-441 for sale from a dealer for $9400 plus shipping.

Enjoy your Juki!

[thobgood]

10 hours ago, friquant said:

When I feel two pops it's when the thread has not cleared the latch by virtue of the latch opening but rather by the thread being yanked past it. Maybe you can find out what opens the latch. Removing the bobbin case may help you see additional mechanisms at work.

I had no idea there was such a latch mechanism. I'll definitely investigate it. It definitely feels like the thread is being yanked past SOMETHING! Thanks for the suggestion.

[thobgood]

11 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

In case you didn't know, Juki machines are top shelf for many applications. Yours is a top notch garment material sewing machine with a fixed foot and bottom/drop feed.

Yes! I got the Juki about…8 or 9 years ago? Something like that. (The brain is rapidly disappearing with age.) I primarily make masks for professional wrestlers, and the Juki has really improved my ability to make masks! The knee lift and the large amount of presser foot raise have really been a boon. It's worked flawlessly all this time, so now that it's acting up it's really thrown me for a loop.

I do a little leatherwork, but I'm not very good at it. I just do it for friends and whatnot. I do have a Consew 206RB walking foot machine that I use with leather. I find it amazing that it can seemingly sew through anything and take needles that look like decking nails! It's nothing like y'all's Cowboys I'm sure. I'd love one of those, but I can't really justify it with the small amount of heavy duty work I do. They look like wonderful machines though!