Singer 111W155 Timing/thread Issues

[gottaknow]

Once your upper and lower shafts are timed. You can check the height of your needle bar as follows:

Turn the needle bar all the way down then bring it up 3/32". If the point of your hook isn't close to the needle, now's the time to move it closer to the needle. Using the point of your hook as a reference, the hook point should be about 1/16" above the eye of the needle. I usually move both the needle bar and hook at the same time, but I do this everyday. Move your hook point to be centered on the needle, then adjust the needle bar to get the 1/16" above the eye. Once the needle bar is the correct height and your hook is close by, you can set the distance to the needle as I described earlier. After you get the hook and needle timed, you need to check your latch opener adjustment. It's the flat curve piece in the picture that contacts the bobbin basket. As your hook carries the needle thread around the hook, this latch opener pulls the little tab that fits into the throat plate open to allow the thread to slip through. You want it just enough to allow the thread to pass. If you open the gap too far, you'll bring the tab over and contact the opposite side or your throat plate. I check this setting with fabric as the machine is forming stitches.

Regards, Eric

[TSquared]

Eric,

Many thanks for your help. I am heading for the basement to make the adjustments. I will let you know how things turn out.

Tom

[TSquared]

Eric,

Thanks to you I am a step closer! I can make a stitch, not pretty but functional. The thread I want to use is Tenara Gore, with this I can not make a stich. The thread that came with the machine (a couple of bobbins full) is a poly thread. It is the same thickness as the Tenara but much limper. The Tenara thread just wants to make multiple wraps around the hook. The poly thread behaves as it should. The other issue is that I am back to having the needle bar hit the walking foot. I can not make one revolution. I will post photos tomorrow from my pc as this iPod will not post.

Getting closer,

Tom

[gottaknow]

It sounds like you need to move your needle bar and your feed dogs foward in order to clear the walking foot. The attached pics show the clamp screws and location of them to make the adjustment. I would start with the feed dog adjustment. Loosen the two clamp screws (16). You can then move your feed dogs foward. After tightening that up, loosen the clamp screw (12) for the needle bar and move it forward to match the feed dog needle hole. Insert a needle and center it in the hole in the feed dogs. This should give you the clearance you need. Hope it helps. After you can sew without interference, we can get it working with your thread. The first thing will be getting a really good stitch with the poly thread you have, then making adjustment for the other you want to use.

Regards, Eric

[TSquared]

Eric,

thanks for the thumbnails. I will check my machine when I get home from work tonight. In the meantime, I am attaching photos I took last night. The photo of the stitch shows top and bottom stitch. the other photos show the loose thread when the take up lever is down (walking foot not attached) and the needle bar hitting the walking foot.

[gottaknow]

Tom, check your threading with my attached pic from my manual and also on the corrections I made on your picture, if you can understand it. Oh, when you go under your take up spring, pull up on the thread. If it's correct, you'll see the spring go up and down like a shock absorber. Looks to me like the way you've threaded it, you're pulling too much thread into the stitch. From there, go straight up to the upper wide guide, then the take up lever, then back down through the upper wide guide. Then down through the smaller guide. Skip that lower smaller guide on your way up to the take up lever. I know, a bit confsuing.

Regards, Eric

Edited November 9, 2012 by gottaknow

[TSquared]

Eric,

I will change the way the thread goes past the first three holes. the rest is the same except where you have an X. I assume that you don't want me to put the thread thru that opening?

Tom

[gottaknow]

Eric,

I will change the way the thread goes past the first three holes. the rest is the same except where you have an X. I assume that you don't want me to put the thread thru that opening?

Tom

Yeah, I edited my post above to make it clearer, I hope...heh

[TSquared]

Eric,

I haven't been able to get back to my machine this week. Been busy at work and getting a lot of "honey doos" done around the house. One thing I did get accomplished is changing out the motor. I removed the tacsew motor and replaced it with a DC drive unit that has a 25 to 1 gear reduction on it. I coupled that with a Dake DC controller and a larger pulley. I now have variable speed from zero to 250rpm. With the larger pulley, I calculate max stitch per minute to be just over 300spm. Even at the lowest setting of 5spm you can't stall this motor. I can post some photos if anyone is interested. I will get back on the machine adjustments tonight. Hopefully with your continued assistance I will be up and running by the weekend.

Tom

[dmar836]

Don't stop now, guys. I'm working on my 111W155 along with you!

Mine would stitch fine, then 4 - 10 stitches later would break the top thread while going around the hook. I sync'd the two shafts - my mark was off by about 1/8". Going to adjust the hook tomorrow.

Not trying to derail the thread - just don't want it to die.

Good stuff!

Dave