off the side or over the top?

[Hildebrand]

2 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

maybe a bearing... The small home machines use felt pads to help control the spool tension. I have some time now, finally, to play with the machine more, so I will try some things. The darn thing still skips a stitch now and then, but I think it's just the nut on the handle. 🤪

Chuck, when I had my Boss I found most skipped stitches were from not briskly making a full stroke on the handle, it is easy to short stroke it when you are thinking more about making a turn or your next stitch line.

Todd

[kgg]

5 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

Does it matter how the thread is taken off the spool?

Here is my 2 cents worth:

Yes how the thread is taken off the spool of thread will change tensions. Things like thread angles between the spool guide and the top pin, the amount of force required to unwind the thread, spooling tensions consistency by the manufacturer all will contribute to possible sewing problems.

The spool of thread will react better if you follow the 2 1/2 rule as it will allow the thread to properly relax / uncoil. The thread should exit from the top of the spool of thread and enter the top pin of the machine as close to horizontal as possible. On cheaper thread where the constancy can be questionable reducing thread angles and allowing the thread to breath can be noticeable. 

The top thread guide on the spool stand for most industrial machines is usually mounted to the top of the table top and should have the horizontal guide arm placed at about 2 1/2 times the length of the thread spool above the base that the thread spool rests on. This is usually difficult when using 1 lb or larger thread spools and keeping in mind that the thread should enter the top pin of the machine horizontally. That leaves one option, place the thread below the table top.

With your thread spool stand I would either put the spool of thread under the table or make up a thread spool plate with a bearing to keep the force required to unwind the thread as constant as possible. As the thread unwinds from the spool the tension will vary as the amount thread reduces on the spool which may require thread tension adjustments.

An example of under table mounting be it on a motorized class 441:

 

kgg

[TonyV]

I don't use a leather machine but, after watching my mother, a couple sisters, and a daughter use machines to sew many quilts,  I would have to say that small spools do ok feeding horizontally because they can spin easily, but large spools like yours don't spin so well, so should be fed from the top and going through a hook on a riser so that the thread then comes down into the first feed hole.  This prevents the friction when the spool tries to spin.   I don't think clockwise or counterclockwise really makes a difference.  

[Samalan]

5 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

Oh, I am having fun, I'm still wrapping my head around being able to sew with no real preparation lol. 

Don't worry, Chuck sewing machines have a fair amount of a learning curve, even that one you operate by hand.

[chuck123wapati]

54 minutes ago, kgg said:

Here is my 2 cents worth:

Yes how the thread is taken off the spool of thread will change tensions. Things like thread angles between the spool guide and the top pin, the amount of force required to unwind the thread, spooling tensions consistency by the manufacturer all will contribute to possible sewing problems.

The spool of thread will react better if you follow the 2 1/2 rule as it will allow the thread to properly relax / uncoil. The thread should exit from the top of the spool of thread and enter the top pin of the machine as close to horizontal as possible. On cheaper thread where the constancy can be questionable reducing thread angles and allowing the thread to breath can be noticeable. 

The top thread guide on the spool stand for most industrial machines is usually mounted to the top of the table top and should have the horizontal guide arm placed at about 2 1/2 times the length of the thread spool above the base that the thread spool rests on. This is usually difficult when using 1 lb or larger thread spools and keeping in mind that the thread should enter the top pin of the machine horizontally. That leaves one option, place the thread below the table top.

With your thread spool stand I would either put the spool of thread under the table or make up a thread spool plate with a bearing to keep the force required to unwind the thread as constant as possible. As the thread unwinds from the spool the tension will vary as the amount thread reduces on the spool which may require thread tension adjustments.

An example of under table mounting be it on a motorized class 441:

 

kgg

 

37 minutes ago, TonyV said:

I don't use a leather machine but, after watching my mother, a couple sisters, and a daughter use machines to sew many quilts,  I would have to say that small spools do ok feeding horizontally because they can spin easily, but large spools like yours don't spin so well, so should be fed from the top and going through a hook on a riser so that the thread then comes down into the first feed hole.  This prevents the friction when the spool tries to spin.   I don't think clockwise or counterclockwise really makes a difference.  

I put the factory spool holder and riser wire back on it. This is what it does after about 20 stitches or so.  Wont that affect the tension also? The riser is about twice the height of the spool.

[Thadrick]

I'm not a sewing machine guru by any means but is that braided thread? Is that made for sewing machines? I've never used thread that looks like that in a sewing machine, hand sewing with braided thread twists when I use it though.

[dikman]

I made a horizontal spool holder with the shaft running on bearings to enable a smooth feed. It works but I don't use it (much) because I don't normally sew long runs so I rarely have twist problems.

Braided thread - I have a spool, it's really nice stuff (came from a boot factory) but in "normal" walking foot machines it's a bit of a bugger as the needle has a habit of stabbing through the braid occasionally during sewing. I think the braid, being soft, opens up a little during sewing.

[Thadrick]

1 minute ago, dikman said:

I made a horizontal spool holder with the shaft running on bearings to enable a smooth feed. It works but I don't use it (much) because I don't normally sew long runs so I rarely have twist problems.

Braided thread - I have a spool, it's really nice stuff (came from a boot factory) but in "normal" walking foot machines it's a bit of a bugger as the needle has a habit of stabbing through the braid occasionally during sewing. I think the braid, being soft, opens up a little during sewing.

So now I know? 😊 

[kgg]

4 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

I put the factory spool holder and riser wire back on it. This is what it does after about 20 stitches or so.  Wont that affect the tension also? The riser is about twice the height of the spool.

I think the treading is incorrect on your machine when I compared yours to this video. That would probably cause the the twisting???

kgg

 

[AlZilla]

11 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

question... Does it matter how the thread is taken off the spool? Does one-way cause the thread to twist more than the other? 

I'm late to the party here but ... "Cross Wound" spools are meant to feed from the top, as you see on industrial machines. That's why newer domestics have angled or horizontal spool pins, so they can use the newer style cross wound spools of thread.

I've also seen a recommendation that the top of the thread stand on industrials should be ... I think 1.5 times higher than the spool it's coming off. (EDIT: I see KGG earlier said 2.5 times. I'd say he's probably right)

I don't know how any of this would affect the twisting problem mentioned earlier. 

On the domestics, people have trouble using cross wound spools on vertical spool pins, especially after they throw the spool pin felt away. The thread feeds all janky and jerks back and forth.