Skipped Stitches

[cmantz]

I had to see 8 nosebands tonight on the new Toro 3000 that I picked up this pat weekend. It went pretty well for my first time but I did notice on one noseband I had an area with a few skipped stitches.

What would cause that? It only happened on one noseband.

Thanks

Chris

[Wizcrafts]

Was the leather or Biothane lifting with the needle? If so, that causes skipped stitches. Crank down the pressure screw over the outside presser foot, until the leather stays down while the needle and thread pulls out of it.

[cmantz]

It didn't seem like my leather was flagging. In fact, there was some minor indentations on the top of the leather from the pressure foot.

I did have some birdsnesting on one of the items...had done several nosebands and then at the end of the fourth one, the machine just didn't sound right but then seemed to correct itself and when it was done I turned it over and there was a birdsnest on the backside....not bad but something was off. Then next one sewed fine in some areas..and just looks off in others. But this leather is a little thinner and lined with pigskin so maybe that had something to do with it.

Or it could be that I had the wrong thread in the bobbin. When I went to switch thread colors I realized that I put 137 in the bobbin and 207 on the top on the first batch

[billymac814]

Something definitely doesn't look right. It looks like too much tension on top or not enough on the bobbin. You should be fine running 207 on top and 138 on the bottom. Its possible you'd need to increase the bobbin tension with 138.

[cmantz]

The top tension seems REALLY tight...at least tighter than any other machine I have sewn on. Are you supposed to be able pull the thread through the needle when you lift the pressure foot to remove the item (of course when the needle is in the correct position)? I can NOT pull any thread through the needle. I have to pull some through the first tension disks and then pull through the second and then through the needle. Is this correct?

If not, where do I do my primary tension adjustments for the top thread? On the first tensioner or the second?

I find the manual a little lacking in explaining how to adjust tensions.

I didn't play at all with the bobbin tension as it said that rarely needs to be adjusted.

I am going to try again tonight (machine is not at my main shop but at home) with the same weight of leather now that I have 207 in the top and bottom and see if there is any difference.

[billymac814]

When you raise the foot it should release some of the tension. When I thread mine around the third wheel a complete revolution as per the diagram I can't easily pull the thread out but if I only go around it and then through the loop I can easily pull the thread out without pulling it from anywhere else first. This is the way I leave mine threaded. The first tension disk you go through is your primary.

I'd start with backing off the top a bit until you get your not balanced in the center, it looks from the picture its very close to the top, that's either too much top or not enough bottom. That could also be the reason the stitches look inconsistent.

[Wizcrafts]

You should be able to pull the top thread when you lift the tension release mechanism all the way (by pedal).

Here is how I adjust my machine. First, loosen the bobbin tension until it has a smooth pull that is neither too loose nor too tight. This varies each time you change thread sizes in the bobbin! The tighter the bobbin thread, the tighter the tiop must be to pull up the knots.

Back off the secondary spring until it is just barely engaging the disks. Now adjust the tension on the top disks until the knots look consistent. If you need a lot more tension to pull them higher up, use the bottom tensioner for that purpose.

Finally, use the best needle size for the thread combo. If you have #138 in the bobbin and #207 on top, a #23 needle is good. If you change to #207 in the bobbin, or #277 on top, move up to a #24 needle. For #277 thread top and bottom, use a #25 needle.

If the stitches suddenly change with an obvious sound, stop and look to see if the top thread has jumped out of the upper tension disks. When this happens you get a birdsnest on the bottom. Conversely, if the top thread gets wrapped around itself and doubles over the primary or secondary disks, it pulls the knots to the top and may stop the machine in its tracks after a few stitches, or may filigree the leather.

[cmantz]

Thanks for the tips. The shop guy that was sewing my items before also thought it looked like it was too tight on the top. I checked the thread tension on his machine (Weaver Lockstitch) and you could easily pull the top thread through with the pressure foot up.

I am used to balancing tensions on my embroidery machine but it makes it easier on those as I have a tension gauge for the bobbin tensions so I adjust that and then just tweek the top tensions. I am assuming you want the same on these machines as I would want on my embroidery machines...the loosest possible balanced tensions that give you a good stitch.

[Ferg]

Pay close attention to what Wiz says. I pull my thread from the tension discs every time when I end a stitch line. Have gotten into that habit and just continue since when you are sewing with a small needle pulling the thread through the needle can bend or even break the needle. Larger needles will bend before they break.

I have found when the tension is actually correct you need very little adjustment when changing thread sizes or material thickness. I adjust my bobbins exactly the way Wiz described. Also, never turn that adjustment screw more than about 1/8th of a turn each time, it is very short.

ferg