Twisting, Binding And Breaking Thread

[BigRiverLeather]

I was really hoping to find the answer to my problem here as I am having the same issues. It's unfortunate that I started having this problem on a $200 Elephant belt.

I think the twisting is when the thread begins to fray it starts unwinding and balling up on the bottom of the leather and the other side of the needle.My needle isn't that old but I'm going to try changing it and run a practice piece. I knew those bellies would be good for something!

BTW, I'm using 346/277 as I have been for months.

[mmirob]

I'm curious if this was BLACK 277? My white works flawless, my black is not bonded properly I think, as it kinda looks gooked up and stuff scraps off it when its sewn. It did exactly what you are describing.

So tell us... what color was this?

White 277 nylon... and still binds sometimes????

[Peter Ellis]

I've been getting an issue that may or may not be related. Sometimes I see the thread fraying and getting that separation build up at the eye of the needle that you're describing, and sometimes when that is happening I'll find that the top thread has done something cockeyed further back along the line.

For example, there's a screw head that sticks out a bit below the top tension spring on the back of the machine at the top (the one labeled #1 in the manual). This screw head will occasionally catch the thread between the head of the screw and the body of the machine. This throws the tension off and my first warning sign is a change in stitch length and the appearance of the bobbin thread on top of the piece.

I have no idea how the thread gets itself caught on that screw - but every so often it does.

The second thing I've had happening is in the lower tension spring, where the thread comes down through the eye, wraps around the tensioner and back through the eye, then through another eyelet and into the arm. Sometimes the thread hops out of the discs where it belongs, wraps itself around behind the discs, and once again throws off the tension.

This one seems to happen pretty consistently when I start getting up to any sort of decent speed with my sewing. It throws itself out of the discs and slams on the brakes by throwing the tension sky high.

I suspect the bottom line may be operator error, as I am not entirely confident in my threading process. The manual that comes with the machine really needs to be re-written from scratch with good pictures and drawings and I'm not certain that I'm correctly following instructions

[mmirob]

I've been getting an issue that may or may not be related. Sometimes I see the thread fraying and getting that separation build up at the eye of the needle that you're describing, and sometimes when that is happening I'll find that the top thread has done something cockeyed further back along the line.

For example, there's a screw head that sticks out a bit below the top tension spring on the back of the machine at the top (the one labeled #1 in the manual). This screw head will occasionally catch the thread between the head of the screw and the body of the machine. This throws the tension off and my first warning sign is a change in stitch length and the appearance of the bobbin thread on top of the piece.

I have no idea how the thread gets itself caught on that screw - but every so often it does.

The second thing I've had happening is in the lower tension spring, where the thread comes down through the eye, wraps around the tensioner and back through the eye, then through another eyelet and into the arm. Sometimes the thread hops out of the discs where it belongs, wraps itself around behind the discs, and once again throws off the tension.

This one seems to happen pretty consistently when I start getting up to any sort of decent speed with my sewing. It throws itself out of the discs and slams on the brakes by throwing the tension sky high.

I suspect the bottom line may be operator error, as I am not entirely confident in my threading process. The manual that comes with the machine really needs to be re-written from scratch with good pictures and drawings and I'm not certain that I'm correctly following instructions

Thanks, I will check those. Yes the manuals for these machines are terrible! )

[Ferg]

Thanks, I will check those. Yes the manuals for these machines are terrible! )

I could be totally wrong of course but isn't the needle you are trying to use with this size thread too small? I have had thread "ball up" at the needle eye when this is true.

ferg