Brand New Cb3200 Is Breaking Needles

[CCPhotog]

My brand new CB3200 is still snapping needles left and right. I think the problem is the hooked piece inside the bobbin assembly is catching the needle; I'm not an expert but I think the timing of the machine is off.

I've checked everything I can think of, from the threading to using new needles and making sure they're installed correctly. This is incredibly frustrating; sometimes I can sew for 5 minutes without a problem, other times it jams up several times in a minute.

I've tried capturing this on video, but of course as soon as I set up a camera it starts working just fine. It seems to bang the needle sideways on the downstroke, and then catch it on the upstroke. Needles for this thing aren't cheap, plus when it breaks, it interferes with whatever project I'm working on.

[Wizcrafts]

Until you can speak with Bob Kovar, try tightening the two spring loaded screws that secure the shuttle and bobbin case to the end of the arm. Then back off between 1/4 and 1/2 turn each.

Next, remove the leather and unthread and replace the needle with a brand new one. Make sure the needle is all the way up in the needle bar and well secured, with the rib on the left and scarf on the right. Set the stitch length lever to the middle - zero length position. Slowly rotate the flywheel towards you from the top (always rotate it counterclockwise) and stop when the hook point is just about to meet the plane of the needle. Shine a flashlight or the machine's LED light so you can see the alignment of the two pieces. Is the hook still about to contact the unthreaded needle, with no material under the feet?

The hook should intersect the center of the needle about 1/8 to 3/16 inches above the eye, on the needle's upstroke, and miss the cutout scarf of the needle by about the thickness of a business card. If the hook actually makes contact with an unthreaded needle, with no material under the feet, the shuttle and hook need to be moved to the right a little, until the hook clears the needle.

At this point you should speak with your dealer.

[CowboyBob]

Yes,I'm almost certain since you said your sewing along & it jams it leads to to believe that either your needle thread isn't threaded correctly OR your upper tension is to loose.So make sure your going around the second tension 1 & 1/2 times.

Please give me a call if you need more help.Also hold onto the thread the first 3 stitches.

[Cobra Steve]

Froim the picture,(and I could be wrong), it looks like you are using too small of a needle. I don't know what size is in the machine, but based on the thickness of the leather you should be using a #24 needle. Steve

[Tree Reaper]

The needle also looks slightly turned to the right too far.

[Wizcrafts]

CCPhotog;

What size needle and thread are you using?

What type of leather is that? IS there any chance it has rawhide inside it? I ask because it has happened to me in the past. You sew along fine, then unknowingly hit rawhide, and katish, the needle breaks.

[CCPhotog]

Those would be size #23 needles with 138 thread.

The leather is either veg tan, latigo, or hot stuffed harness leather. I occasionally use chrome tan garment leather or canvas, but that doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

I do have larger needles and thread, but those break in the same way; the hook in the bobbin assembly seems to catch the needle and push it sideways. Also, the larger thread (#346) seems to get caught in the bobbin, even when I back off the tension a lot. So I've been using the smaller stuff.

I have pulled apart the bobbin assembly, cleaned it, and checked the measurements as Wiz instructed and everything there seems to be okay. I only had a few minutes to test it this morning before I left for work but it seems to be sewing okay; I will post more if it happens again, and I'll keep trying any advice. I appreciate everyone's help.

[Eddie1968]

did u ever resolve this issue?

[CCPhotog]

I think so, but I'm seeing a new issue now.

When I use larger thread (#346) it seems to catch in the bobbin. It either is getting caught up in between the needle part of the bobbin and the back wall, or, the little opening in the back of the bobbin doesn't open enough to let the thread slip out. This doesn't happen on lighter thread. I've fiddled with the bobbin tension to no avail. I'm wondering if the whole bobbin and race assembly is seated properly? This also started happening recently.

The screws that hold the silver bobbin cover on, how tight should those be?

[CowboyBob]

When you start sewing with the 346 it will have a tendacy to jam easier than thinner thread so you need to be sure to hold it(needle thread) the first 3-stitches.You will usually have to tighten the upper tension alittle when going to a larger thread.

The screw that holds the race on you titghten all the way then loosen 1/2 turn,also make sure the give the shuttle some oil in the groove it runs in everytime you sew & everytime you change a bobbin.