Twisting, Binding And Breaking Thread

[mmirob]

Just got my Cobra class 4 and am doing my best to learn on it. On occasion while sewing two 8oz leathers, 277 both sides, #24 needle, I notice that the thread twists to the point of creating a knot like twist before the needle eye and when needle lifts from the work it breaks the thread. Are tensions too tight for the leather load? It does not do it every time... Just when I am working on a nice piece )! Always the way it goes I know. What causes the twisting thread. I am using the nylon thread that came with the machine. It is the top thread twisting not the bobbin.

I called Steve, he seemed stumped.

Art, I know you can fix anything! What am I doing wrong.

Rob

Art... I know you can

[mmirob]

I think I figured this out...user error. I missed the threading hole in the the rod that holds the needle. I will report back if this doesn't fix it.

[Luke Hatley]

I think I figured this out...user error. I missed the threading hole in the the rod that holds the needle. I will report back if this doesn't fix it.

And why might, i ask would you not use a smaller thread on the bobbin ?

mine will sew better with 277/207 thread ?

[mmirob]

And why might, i ask would you not use a smaller thread on the bobbin ?

mine will sew better with 277/207 thread ?

Simple, I don't own any. )

[Luke Hatley]

Simple, I don't own any. )

Come on over to Memphis and i will wind you a few Bobbibs full..........I'm only 2hrs away ....if you drive fast.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Luke Hatley

[mmirob]

Come on over to Memphis and i will wind you a few Bobbibs full..........I'm only 2hrs away ....if you drive fast.

Thanks! I've paid state trooper salary making it in two hours! lol

[dirtclod]

First thing i would try is putting a new needle in and see if that helps. Is the needle in with the groove to the left ? Is the needle the right size ?

If you have tried all of those i would loosen the tension up and try to sew on a piece of chap leather folded and slowly tighten the tension till had it sewing fine on that. Then it should male a nice stitch on ever thing else.

Just a couple of days ago i went and took a look at a guys machine it was breaking the thread and skipping stitches and he had the tension screwed as tight as he could get it on the top and bottom. Loosen them up and then seen he had tightened the bottom so much it had caused a spring to come unhooked. Fixed the spring it sewed fine.

One those might help or might not.

Edited July 18, 2010 by dirtclod

[CDragonworks]

Sometimes it is the twist of the thread... they come in Rt and Lft twist...You need to make sure you have the right thread for your machine! Hope this helps...

[mmirob]

Sometimes it is the twist of the thread... they come in Rt and Lft twist...You need to make sure you have the right thread for your machine! Hope this helps...

May ba a silly question but how do I know what thread I have and does anyone know what a Cobra class 4 requires??

[ShortBBL]

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?

[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