Cobra 4 Problems

[KND]

I am having mega problems getting proper tension my Cobra 4. It's been months of hours, trying and giving up. Going back to hand sewing and my old crappy flatbed machine. But I am thinking it might be more than just tension. There are times when I am able to wheel the machine by hand, so, the wheel IS turning, but the rest of the machine doesn't move. Ie, the needle (and everything else) stays put, near the top of it's rotation. Im wondering if this may be effecting the tension some how, maybe if something has come loose ? Im really at a loss...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8rBZfq29_E

(I posted about the tension problem yesterday, under a different user name, but thought I should instead start a new thread because it does seem to be more than just a tension issue and I didn't want to hijack that thread. I also for some reason wasn't able to sign in under my old name, so I had to make a new account)

Here are the tension issues:

I finally got it tensioned for one type of sewing I do, took DETAILED notes of the tension settings, then went back to try and tension the other way I sew, and it took hours and hours. Then I need to go back to the first way I sew, and my notes don't work. I can't get it tensioned back to the way it originally was. Am I missing something? It's wasting so much of my time, and a lot of materials. I've asked Steve, but his feedback hasnt seemed to have helped. I am hoping someone else with a Cobra or 441 clone can offer me some tips?

The first type of sewing I do is one layer of veg tanned about 6-7oz to one layer of chrome tan 3.5 oz. I use a 25 needle, with appropriate thread.

The second type of sewing I do is min 2 layers of chrome tanned, to max about 4-5 layers. I use a 21 or 22 needle, with appropriate thread.

I have got the machine to flawlessly sew both, eventually. But every time I try and tension for the other type of sewing, it takes me hours, days. Or longer. Or I give up (and thank God my old crappy machine still works well enough!)

In these photo examples, you can see how it varies between top tension is too strong, and then too loose. I CANNOT find the balance. (and yes, the top & bottom thread are the same thickeness & brand). It seems I cannot make a small enough adjustment, so it goes between too little and too much tension immediately. Sometimes I can get it to sew normal for 5-6 stitches, but then it always reverts to one way or the other (top is too loose or too tight)

I have adjusted bobbin tension as well. It seemed to like being just off the tightest setting for the thicker sewing, and as tight as possible for the thinner sewing. But so far its made no difference..

http://img824.images...69/tensionp.jpg

[Wizcrafts]

Pull the thread out of the machine, including the bobbin thread. Close the empty bobbin case.

Place the same thickness of leather under the feet and try hand or slow machine sewing without thread.

Does the machine hang as the take-up lever is rising? Does the needle stop while the hand wheel turns?

If so, try tightening the screws that secure the wheel to its shaft! It could be that simple.

[KND]

thanks, Im just checking that now

[KND]

I did a few tests, taking out one variable each time, and it appears to be the top thread that is causing the machine to stick (whilst the wheel is still tuning) ...

[KND]

the wheel had come loose on the shaft, so I have just tightened that and are doing more tests now

[KND]

I did some more sewing tests, and back to the same tension problems. I guess the shaft made no real difference (but at least that is one less thing to worry about now)

[cajun]

the wheel had come loose on the shaft, so I have just tightened that and are doing more tests now

I have had my cobra for over a year and have tons of broken needles and have never been able to sew a project yet. Steve now says my problem is tension. I have spent hours working on that and no lucka, the last time I talked to him, it sounded like he was fed up talking to me. So the machine is now sitting in a corner with flower pots on it and I am back to hand sewing and guess I will hand sew from now on. The machine is not worth the hassle. Hand sewing sure is faster and better for me.

Regards,

Cajun

[Wizcrafts]

I have had my cobra for over a year and have tons of broken needles and have never been able to sew a project yet. Steve now says my problem is tension. I have spent hours working on that and no lucka, the last time I talked to him, it sounded like he was fed up talking to me. So the machine is now sitting in a corner with flower pots on it and I am back to hand sewing and guess I will hand sew from now on. The machine is not worth the hassle. Hand sewing sure is faster and better for me.

Regards,

Cajun

Cajun;

Why don't you start a new topic requesting help from other Cobra owners? Somebody may have experienced the same problem and knows how to fix it. I sew with a Cobra Class 4 at work and am responsible for adjusting and maintaining it. I may be able to help you get yours working right.

[Wizcrafts]

I did some more sewing tests, and back to the same tension problems. I guess the shaft made no real difference (but at least that is one less thing to worry about now)

With the hand wheel properly tightened, is everything now moving in sync? Check the other screws on moving parts you can see. Make sure screws are not loose. But, make sure moving parts are not binding.

Let's work on the top thread problems.

Grab a kitchen funnel, or go to an auto parts store and buy an oil funnel, which is just slightly bigger on the bottom than the spool of thread is on top. Make the spool into Tin Man,with the thread feeding out the long narrow spout of the funnel. Feed it up, through the thread guide hole and pull the thread. See if it unwinds from the spool, feeding through the tornado of the funnel spout. If so, let's continue wit the Tin Man concept. If not, remove the cap and we'll try something else.

Whether the funnel trick helps or not, feed the top thread from the hole in the top guide bar through the top hole in the post on top of your machine. twist the thread against the direction of any coils, to loosen it as much as possible. Now, thread the rest of the way as shown in the instructions.

Choose the correct needle and thread combination for the leather thickness and hardness you want to sew. That might be a #25 or #26 needle for #277 thread, top and bottom, depending on the hardness of the leather. Don't try sewing thick nylon thread into thin leather. This requires a different, softer type of thick thread that you are using.

Using a larger needle than required sometimes makes it harder to balance the position of the knots than if a smaller needle is used. Too small of a needle may cause the knots to stay on or near the bottom no matter how hard the top pulls. Try different size needles with your thread and stick with the ones giving the best, repeatable results.

Make sure that the bobbin spring presents smooth friction for the bobbin thread and make sure the bobbin is loaded to feed backwards to the slot in the case. Remember what I told you last night about checking the bobbin for any starting thread that may be looped out of the little hole and around the top of the bobbin disk. These leftover threads are grabbed by the spring inside the bobbin case and cause tension variations.

Make sure the top thread is not twisting around anything it should be passing through. Set the tension adjustment around the middle of the top disk adjuster. Sew a few inches and see what you get. Adjust the top adjuster for the best consistent result.

Hints:

If both top and bottom stitches are loose, tighten both top and bottom spring tensions. If both are dug into the leather too far, loosen both tensions. If the knots are all on the bottom, tighten the top tension. If the knots are all on top, loosen the top tension. If the knots are all over the place, tighten the bobbin case spring and try again to balance the thread.

Finally, change to a different brand of thread and try again. If you can't do that, spray the spool with silicon, or place it into a can of pure mineral or sewing machine oil for a few minutes. Dry off the excess lube and try using your lubed thread. If this helps, consider buying only pre-lubricated thread (e.g.: http://www.tolindsew...com/thread.html).

Another thing that just came to me: Make sure your thread doesn't say RT, or right twist! Our single needle sewing machines require left twist, also known as LT, or Z twist.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Wizcrafts

[dirtclod]

KND in watching your video i noticed you have the thread running twice through the guides on both of them. Not sure if that's your problem, but i thread my machine just like Bob does in this video at the bottom of the page going through the guides one time http://www.tolindsewmach.com/cb4500.html . On my machine i set the tension sewing through two pieces of chap leather and it's good for ever thing else and i sew 3/4 " thick quite a bit.

[busted]

I am having mega problems getting proper tension my Cobra 4. It's been months of hours, trying and giving up. Going back to hand sewing and my old crappy flatbed machine. But I am thinking it might be more than just tension. There are times when I am able to wheel the machine by hand, so, the wheel IS turning, but the rest of the machine doesn't move. Ie, the needle (and everything else) stays put, near the top of it's rotation. Im wondering if this may be effecting the tension some how, maybe if something has come loose ? Im really at a loss...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8rBZfq29_E

(I posted about the tension problem yesterday, under a different user name, but thought I should instead start a new thread because it does seem to be more than just a tension issue and I didn't want to hijack that thread. I also for some reason wasn't able to sign in under my old name, so I had to make a new account)

Here are the tension issues:

I finally got it tensioned for one type of sewing I do, took DETAILED notes of the tension settings, then went back to try and tension the other way I sew, and it took hours and hours. Then I need to go back to the first way I sew, and my notes don't work. I can't get it tensioned back to the way it originally was. Am I missing something? It's wasting so much of my time, and a lot of materials. I've asked Steve, but his feedback hasnt seemed to have helped. I am hoping someone else with a Cobra or 441 clone can offer me some tips?

The first type of sewing I do is one layer of veg tanned about 6-7oz to one layer of chrome tan 3.5 oz. I use a 25 needle, with appropriate thread.

The second type of sewing I do is min 2 layers of chrome tanned, to max about 4-5 layers. I use a 21 or 22 needle, with appropriate thread.

I have got the machine to flawlessly sew both, eventually. But every time I try and tension for the other type of sewing, it takes me hours, days. Or longer. Or I give up (and thank God my old crappy machine still works well enough!)

In these photo examples, you can see how it varies between top tension is too strong, and then too loose. I CANNOT find the balance. (and yes, the top & bottom thread are the same thickeness & brand). It seems I cannot make a small enough adjustment, so it goes between too little and too much tension immediately. Sometimes I can get it to sew normal for 5-6 stitches, but then it always reverts to one way or the other (top is too loose or too tight)

I have adjusted bobbin tension as well. It seemed to like being just off the tightest setting for the thicker sewing, and as tight as possible for the thinner sewing. But so far its made no difference..

http://img824.images...69/tensionp.jpg

I borrowed a photo from the archives of LW to illustrate what I mean. It is not a very good blow up but you are able to see the thread coming down from the upper tensioner to the lower tensioner. Your machine does not do that. You need to put the thread on the back side of the tensioner then do the two counterclockwise wraps before going to the thread take up arm. There should be only one thread running through the retainer loop to the take up leaver. You are not allowing the lower friction disc to do it's job. Good luck.

[gringobill]

I am having mega problems getting proper tension my Cobra 4. It's been months of hours, trying and giving up. Going back to hand sewing and my old crappy flatbed machine. But I am thinking it might be more than just tension. There are times when I am able to wheel the machine by hand, so, the wheel IS turning, but the rest of the machine doesn't move. Ie, the needle (and everything else) stays put, near the top of it's rotation. Im wondering if this may be effecting the tension some how, maybe if something has come loose ? Im really at a loss...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8rBZfq29_E

(I posted about the tension problem yesterday, under a different user name, but thought I should instead start a new thread because it does seem to be more than just a tension issue and I didn't want to hijack that thread. I also for some reason wasn't able to sign in under my old name, so I had to make a new account)

Here are the tension issues:

I finally got it tensioned for one type of sewing I do, took DETAILED notes of the tension settings, then went back to try and tension the other way I sew, and it took hours and hours. Then I need to go back to the first way I sew, and my notes don't work. I can't get it tensioned back to the way it originally was. Am I missing something? It's wasting so much of my time, and a lot of materials. I've asked Steve, but his feedback hasnt seemed to have helped. I am hoping someone else with a Cobra or 441 clone can offer me some tips?

The first type of sewing I do is one layer of veg tanned about 6-7oz to one layer of chrome tan 3.5 oz. I use a 25 needle, with appropriate thread.

The second type of sewing I do is min 2 layers of chrome tanned, to max about 4-5 layers. I use a 21 or 22 needle, with appropriate thread.

I have got the machine to flawlessly sew both, eventually. But every time I try and tension for the other type of sewing, it takes me hours, days. Or longer. Or I give up (and thank God my old crappy machine still works well enough!)

In these photo examples, you can see how it varies between top tension is too strong, and then too loose. I CANNOT find the balance. (and yes, the top & bottom thread are the same thickeness & brand). It seems I cannot make a small enough adjustment, so it goes between too little and too much tension immediately. Sometimes I can get it to sew normal for 5-6 stitches, but then it always reverts to one way or the other (top is too loose or too tight)

I have adjusted bobbin tension as well. It seemed to like being just off the tightest setting for the thicker sewing, and as tight as possible for the thinner sewing. But so far its made no difference..

http://img824.images...69/tensionp.jpg

It looks like you've got the thread threaded through the top tensioner wrong, it's running through the guide just ahead of the top tensioner TWICE, forward and backward, oing in and then back out. I think that means you've got the thread wrapped through that tensioner twice, it's only supposed to go through it once, straight forward through , horizontal, between the discs then down to the bottom tensioner.

This has to be part of your problem.

You may have the thread properly routed through the bottom tensioner. It is supposed to go through the chrome thread guide then immediately back to the left, counter clockwise and around the smooth groove twice and then back out through the chrome guide and then through the black guide and up to the take up lever. It looks correctly threaded from that point on.

Now I'm wondering if all the "adjusting" to other parts of your machine hasn't exacerbated the problems originating from not having the machine threaded properly.

Also, if you have broken your thread at the needle or the bobbin you may have small bits of thread stuck in you bobbin mechanism, I have done that before and it will sure throw everything off. You may need to remove the exterior plate that holds the whole bobbin in it's cavity and make sure you don't have pieces of thread stuck in there.

Getting it machine threaded right should go a long way towards solving your problems.

Good luck!!!

Bill

[steve mason]

I do not have a cobra so take my advise with a grain of salt.

from looking at your video at the 1.51 second mark, your take up spring looks like it is set to high, try lower the the spring and see what happens.

Steve

[Steven Kelley]

I borrowed a photo from the archives of LW to illustrate what I mean. It is not a very good blow up but you are able to see the thread coming down from the upper tensioner to the lower tensioner. Your machine does not do that. You need to put the thread on the back side of the tensioner then do the two counterclockwise wraps before going to the thread take up arm. There should be only one thread running through the retainer loop to the take up leaver. You are not allowing the lower friction disc to do it's job. Good luck.

I'm definitely no machine expert, but I did notice how the thread was running through the thread guides twice as well. I have no idea if that would cause the thread to over tension and create an issue, but it would be worth a try to rethread. On my Cowboy 4500, I thread through the first thread guide, over the top of the tensioner, then down to the second tension disc (not around and up to the thread guide again). It wraps 1.5 times counter clockwise around the second tension disc (without going through the thread guide first), then goes through the thread guide, through the spring, and up to the take up arm. That's how Bob does it on his video.

Edited January 20, 2012 by Steven Kelley

[Cobra Steve]

Hello. If there is a problem with your machine please do not hesitate to call me. We may not get it right the first time, but we will succeed, one way or another. If we tell someone to do a certain thing to the machine, and we don't hear back from that person, we naturally think that the problem was solved. If not, please call back and we will try something else. We are always willing to help with your machine, and other machines as well. I have never been upset with anyone that I have talked to regarding service, it's not my style. Please call me at 1-866-962-9880, thanks, Steve

Edited January 20, 2012 by Cobra Steve

[Spinner]

With the hand wheel properly tightened, is everything now moving in sync? Check the other screws on moving parts you can see. Make sure screws are not loose. But, make sure moving parts are not binding.

Let's work on the top thread problems.

Grab a kitchen funnel, or go to an auto parts store and buy an oil funnel, which is just slightly bigger on the bottom than the spool of thread is on top. Make the spool into Tin Man,with the thread feeding out the long narrow spout of the funnel. Feed it up, through the thread guide hole and pull the thread. See if it unwinds from the spool, feeding through the tornado of the funnel spout. If so, let's continue wit the Tin Man concept. If not, remove the cap and we'll try something else.

Whether the funnel trick helps or not, feed the top thread from the hole in the top guide bar through the top hole in the post on top of your machine. twist the thread against the direction of any coils, to loosen it as much as possible. Now, thread the rest of the way as shown in the instructions.

Choose the correct needle and thread combination for the leather thickness and hardness you want to sew. That might be a #25 or #26 needle for #277 thread, top and bottom, depending on the hardness of the leather. Don't try sewing thick nylon thread into thin leather. This requires a different, softer type of thick thread that you are using.

Using a larger needle than required sometimes makes it harder to balance the position of the knots than if a smaller needle is used. Too small of a needle may cause the knots to stay on or near the bottom no matter how hard the top pulls. Try different size needles with your thread and stick with the ones giving the best, repeatable results.

Make sure that the bobbin spring presents smooth friction for the bobbin thread and make sure the bobbin is loaded to feed backwards to the slot in the case. Remember what I told you last night about checking the bobbin for any starting thread that may be looped out of the little hole and around the top of the bobbin disk. These leftover threads are grabbed by the spring inside the bobbin case and cause tension variations.

Make sure the top thread is not twisting around anything it should be passing through. Set the tension adjustment around the middle of the top disk adjuster. Sew a few inches and see what you get. Adjust the top adjuster for the best consistent result.

Hints:

If both top and bottom stitches are loose, tighten both top and bottom spring tensions. If both are dug into the leather too far, loosen both tensions. If the knots are all on the bottom, tighten the top tension. If the knots are all on top, loosen the top tension. If the knots are all over the place, tighten the bobbin case spring and try again to balance the thread.

Finally, change to a different brand of thread and try again. If you can't do that, spray the spool with silicon, or place it into a can of pure mineral or sewing machine oil for a few minutes. Dry off the excess lube and try using your lubed thread. If this helps, consider buying only pre-lubricated thread (e.g.: http://www.tolindsew...com/thread.html).

Another thing that just came to me: Make sure your thread doesn't say RT, or right twist! Our single needle sewing machines require left twist, also known as LT, or Z twist.

Wiz,

Just wanted to say thanks for this, you answered a few questions I haven't had a chance to post yet.

Chris

[particle]

Different machine, I know, but they're basically the same from what everyone says. Look at this video and make sure you threaded it just like they did.

[Mike Craw]

KND,

CALL STEVE!

I bought a Cobra 4 less than a year ago and I couldn't make it sew no matter what I did. Steve spent hours with me on the phone going through various re-threads, tests, and fixes. Finally he asked that I send the head back to him and that he would pay the shipping himself. When I got the machine back, it sewed like a dream. I'm still not convinced that it wasn't something I was doing wrong, but Steve assures me I'm not as incompetent as I think.

If Steve had reason to be short or disgusted with anybody, it was me. I figured that I was too old to learn a new trick and that I should just go back to hand sewing like I'd done for the past 25 years. Steve never got out of patience or lost his sense of humor (although I came close a couple of times.) He stands behind his products and will make it right regardless. One of the nights we spent an hour on the phone was when he called me out of the blue on a Saturday when he could/should have been doing something with his family.

My Cobra now sews better than I could have imagined and I'm working on raising my abilities to meet the machine. I can't say enough about Steve and his organization. There are alot of folks on here who can help you, but Steve is your best option. He knows that machine as well as anyone and he really lives and breaths service. Call him.

Hope this helps,

Mike

[Cobra Steve]

Hi KND. First of all your hand wheel is on backwards, please turn it around so the bolts are on the outside.This could cause the belt to be on a severe angle causing a drag on the machine. If you are using a #25 needle to sew 10-11 ounce leather, the needle will make too big of a hole for that thickness. When you say you are using the appropriate thread, does that mean for the #25 needle, or the thickness of the leather? You should be using a #23, or at the most, a #24. The thread size should be 207 top and bottom. You may have to re-calibrate the top tensions and/or the bobbin tension as well. You will have to start from scratch, but it should solve your problem. This is definetly a tension problem either caused by the wrong needle/thread combination, or calibration, but either way, it will be a simple fix. I know that we discussed this a while back, but when I didn't hear back from you, I thought that the problem was solved. Please contact me for more instruction on how to calibrate your tensions. If anyone else is experiencing a similiar problem, with any machine, please call me at 1-866-962-9880 and I will walk you through the calibration procedure. Thanks, Steve

[Trox]

Hi KND, The guys are right, your machine is threaded wrong.

Did it fix the problem?

Hi Cobra Steve, it is a good Idea with a video on troubleshooting treading an simple stuff on your website (youtube), This are issues happening to all brands of sewing machines.

Trox

[Ken Nelson]

I have had my cobra for over a year and have tons of broken needles and have never been able to sew a project yet. Steve now says my problem is tension. I have spent hours working on that and no lucka, the last time I talked to him, it sounded like he was fed up talking to me. So the machine is now sitting in a corner with flower pots on it and I am back to hand sewing and guess I will hand sew from now on. The machine is not worth the hassle. Hand sewing sure is faster and better for me.

Regards,

Cajun

Cajun, would you like to sell this machine. Ken

[KND]

Thanks EVERYONE for the suggestions. I have a lot to try, and look into, and so far a few things MAY have made an improvement, but I've not done enough testing yet. I will be sure to come back and explain once I know what worked. And yes, I've been in contact with Steve. So far nothing has worked, and me not living in the US makes it all the more difficult, but I have talked to Steve, and I know we can work it out. I was just trying to get suggestions of other things to try, since so far, advice I have been given has worked for me.

I am threading the machine correctly, as I have been instructed to do, via video & written manual made specifically for the Cobra 4. I've trying to thread it the Cowboy way, but so far that isn't working either, and my thread keeps jumping out of the tensioners! So I guess there is a bit of a difference in the machines. Thanks for pointing out the wheel too, Steve!! My husband and I set the machine up, and we didn't notice! But that hasn't seemed to have hindered the sewing, as the belt wasn't rubbing, but makes me wonder if there is something else we missed.

Wizcraft, your advice and set-by-step have been so great! I've checked through all the points you mentioned, and we've got no thread hang-ups, everything seems to move through each point seamlessly. We did adjust the bobbin spring slightly, to get a tighter fit, and that has made the bobbin thread move through more smoothly, which has no doubt helped as well. I feel like I am close to solving this.

In regards to leather thickness & thread, we may have to switch it up, but from previous projects, we've not have a problem with the needle or thread sizes we've picked here. AND I have sewed both of my leather sizes before, perfectly, on the Cobra 4 (and other machines, without a hitch). It's just the randomness in getting the tension back to be able to sew these projects again, repeatedly. I can't wait to get this worked out, and I am so grateful for all the help so far!

[Wizcrafts]

KND;

Please get some other thread and see if it fixes the problems. Thread can vary, spool to spool, batch to batch, color to color.

[KND]

Threading the machine the way others suggested above has sort of helped. I have done only one loop around the lower tensioner (which has given me the best results) but my results are inconsistent still. Not quite as bad as before, but not good enough. I'll try & post a photo (using an iPhone at the moment & not sure it's possible). I will try using other thread too, but at the moment I only have size 270 (which I use with the #25 needles) & 90, so I might have to order some in & that will be week or so (I live in an area where it's very hard to get industrial sewing supplies and usually always have to order online). I tried using this combo of needle, thread & machine threading on more layers of veg tan, but results are same my lighter sample (even with re-tensioning). So, still stuck, but will keep this thread updated on any progress.

[KND]

Hello!

It seems the issues have been resolved! Of course, it was simpler than I thought it would be, but I also knew it could be done. (Cajun, call Steve!)

I arranged a Skype call with Steve & David from Leather Machine Co. I was able to show them some live webcam images, so they could see exactly what was going on, and what I expected to get from the machine. Steve asked me to re-calibrate the tension discs, which was very simple to do. All I needed to do was loosen the nuts on both tensioners, and then put them back on, just until they were putting pressure on the tension springs. I threaded the machine as usual (the original way I was threading the machine was 100% correct, shown in the video above), with the key to my problem being the needle size. I changed from a #25 to a #24 and began to test sew. Once I found a close enough tension setting, I noticed immediate difference in the look of the stitch. It was already much neater & consistent looking. I kept the same size thread (T270 as I always used with the #25 needles). But I was still getting slight problems with the tension varying between too tight, and too loose, with almost no adjustment to the machine. So, I changed to a #23. This time, any adjustment made an immediate impact, but was consistent. So, if I adjusted too much or little, I could easily see what I had done. It seems my leather thickness has been too thin for the holes I was punching, and therefore, the knots were too easily pulled through the leather (either top or bottom) and any tension adjustment I would make worked for only a few stitches, and then didn't seem to matter anymore. With smaller holes, the knots are more easily held inside the leather. So, though I have sewed with a #25 needle & T270 thread for years on my old machine, with this new machine some of those "rules" weren't working the same way. Here is a photo of the improvement, with top and bottom views of the same stitches. I may decide to try other thread in the future as well.

Steve also mentioned that black thread can be harder to sew with, as usually it has the most amount of dye, therefore making the thread a little stiffer. I first did testing with only black thread, and then went to my contrasting black bobbin, white top thread combo. Both worked great with the same tension settings, though sometimes this might need to be adjusted. Since finding a nice balance, I re-tensioned the machine back and forth a few times to do testing for both styles of sewing I do (#21 needle & T90 thread on thinner chrome tanned layers - approx total 7-14 oz / #23 needle & T270 on 1 layer chrome + 1 layer veg tanned - total 10-11 oz). So far, I have been able to go back and forth, with no problems, which was my original hang-up - not being able to go back and forth quickly between my two tension settings. Also, it's so important to (listen to the video he sends to Cobra customers and) adjust both top tensioners in conjunction with each other, and only adjust no more than 1 full turn at a time. I had done that at one stage, but I am sure in my frustration must have got them off kilter from each other, which wasn't helping my problem!

My bobbin settings have remained the same for both thread thicknesses as well, which also makes for a faster job in setting the tension for both sewing styles. I keep the bobbin spring barely loose, and the tension screw done up all the way.

I am SO happy this has been sorted out, as problems can be so frustrating. Steve was great to talk to, and easy to get a hold of as well. He also called back the next day to check and make sure everything worked out OK, so if not, we could move to step 2. He re-assured me of all the testing they do before the ship a machine out (especially so far, as I am located in Australia), and obviously that is the case. This problem was a USER problem (ME!!!) and not the machine itself. Of course, most new machines will have a slight learning curve, and like my old machine, figuring out they way it likes things is a bit of trial and error. I also want to thank everyone on here for their suggestions. In the past when looking for troubleshooting, it's been extremely helpful. I hope this post has also solved some problems for people.

PS, for those wondering about the machine threading, the reason the thread passes through the guides on the way through the discs, and then on the way out, is because of what I mentioned WAS happening to me when I tried new threading techniques - the thread just jumps out of the discs. The way I threaded the machine originally, and on my video is exactly how the manual & video CobraSteve provide me with shows me to do. Interesting how machines can differ on those small points, yet it makes a HUGE difference in the quality of sewing.