MadMorbius Posted July 1, 2013 Report Posted July 1, 2013 Glad it worked out for you. You might have a little smaller thread spool than I do; in which case the weight of the thread spool will not add that much additional tension to the overall settings (as it turns), so your thread tensions would not be influenced. Can you post a photo of the thread race you described? Quote
Members clintsdivco Posted July 1, 2013 Members Report Posted July 1, 2013 (edited) Can you post a photo of the thread race you described? Here's how I modified mine. Edited July 1, 2013 by clintsdivco Quote
Members trekster Posted July 1, 2013 Members Report Posted July 1, 2013 Brilliant, thanks! I don't have a picture of mine, but it is quite similar to the shape of the one just posted by clintsdivco. And, it works the same way. Quote
Members clintsdivco Posted July 1, 2013 Members Report Posted July 1, 2013 Brilliant, thanks! Just to give credit where credit is due, Trekster is the one who gave me the instructions on how to do this. Clint Quote
Members Tex Posted July 12, 2013 Members Report Posted July 12, 2013 (edited) I will have to check my presser foot tension, and also my bobbin tension. I did wind the bobbin with a power drill and it may be too tight. I seriously feel like an idiot with this thing! I wish there was someone local that could give me a freakin tutorial on how to use it. Don't feel like your the only one that feels that way. I feel like I I must be 1 to. I got a TB& I have been contemplating about using a 5lb. sledge on it. That would fix it for good, huh. I spent all day trying to use it, thought I had it & soon as I used it on my project it left bad imprints in the leather, skipped some on the stitching space & of course the thread broke several time. I have adjusted & adjusted & just can't get it to do right in my eye view. I would have been better off to just do it by hand so it would have been done right the 1st time & I wouldn't have to go back & smooth out & refinish the leather from scratches it left. For 20 + years I have been stitching by hand. I thought this would help with the bad arthritis I got but all it has done is create a bunch of extra work, slowed down my time by wasting the whole day with it. I think I will sell it or use the sledge on it. What do you think, LOL? I thought it would be of some help on the 2 saddles, 2 pairs of chinks & 2 pairs of chaps I am in the process of building but I will do it the old fashioned way so I don't have to worry about it. Just get out the stitching horse, my finger-tip-less gloves, awl, pliers, 2 needles, a lot of thread & go for it. Edited July 12, 2013 by Tex Quote
Members trekster Posted July 12, 2013 Members Report Posted July 12, 2013 Don't feel like your the only one that feels that way. I feel like I I must be 1 to. I got a TB& I have been contemplating about using a 5lb. sledge on it. That would fix it for good, huh. I spent all day trying to use it, thought I had it & soon as I used it on my project it left bad imprints in the leather, skipped some on the stitching space & of course the thread broke several time. I have adjusted & adjusted & just can't get it to do right in my eye view. I would have been better off to just do it by hand so it would have been done right the 1st time & I wouldn't have to go back & smooth out & refinish the leather from scratches it left. For 20 + years I have been stitching by hand. I thought this would help with the bad arthritis I got but all it has done is create a bunch of extra work, slowed down my time by wasting the whole day with it. I think I will sell it or use the sledge on it. What do you think, LOL? I thought it would be of some help on the 2 saddles, 2 pairs of chinks & 2 pairs of chaps I am in the process of building but I will do it the old fashioned way so I don't have to worry about it. Just get out the stitching horse, my finger-tip-less gloves, awl, pliers, 2 needles, a lot of thread & go for it. Did you get the TB new or used? Sometimes these machines need adjusting to your particular needle, thread and leather combinations. Before you take the sledge to it... why don't you give the factory a call, and try to get some advice. Ask to speak to Ben. He has experienced just about every problem you can think of, and will usually have some pretty good tips and/or things to try. Quote
Members johnl1 Posted July 12, 2013 Members Report Posted July 12, 2013 Sounds like you probably have twisted everything by now to the point where it might be all out. Lets start again. Take a new needle, hold it in your hand and thread it. Now see if the needle will slide up and down the thread with just its weight. If so then lets install the new needle. The grove on the needle will face left, away from the machine. Now with no thread in the needle, put a piece of leather under the walking foot. Adjust the foot so that the leather will be just held down, and will move when you cycle the handle without slipping. Now, rewind a bobbin. Run the thread between two fingers and hold light tension on it as you rewind. Install the bobbin with the thread coming from the left side, in other words, to continue to wind the bobbin, you would be wrapping the thread counter clockwise. Check tension on the bobbin. Start by backing off the tension until there is almost none, then put just enough tension on it that you feel about as much resistance on the thread as you pull it as you would think a fork would weigh. (Its just a start). Now completely unthread the machine and start over. Look at the diagram carefully and thread exactly. Undo the tension, then tighten until you have pressure or weight on the thread equal to say a pound. Sometimes its easy to mess up. Now try it. Its very important how you stroke the machine. Pull the lever down firmly and all the way. On the upstroke, do it quickly and sharply. If you don't the thread will drag and mess up. Do a few stiches and check the stitch. Adjust the upper and lower tensions until the thread does what you want it to do. sometimes you have to take an extra loop around the thread tensioner on top to make it work correctly, depending on how the bobbin is wound. Remember to operate the lever quickly. Quote
Members morte100 Posted July 12, 2013 Members Report Posted July 12, 2013 FYI, if anyone wants to avoid some of the problems associated with used machines, Tippmann just put the Boss on special on their website for $1,195. I just paid $1,000 for a used one on this forum (that I'm very happy with), but if the new one was just $1,195 a couple weeks ago, I would have bought new. Not associated with Tippmann. Just thought some folks would appreciate the heads up. Quote
Members johnl1 Posted July 12, 2013 Members Report Posted July 12, 2013 A boss is a good machine, new or used, but they can at time be tempermental on the adjustments. Keep at it and once its right, it will sew well Quote
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