Help With New Pfaff 335

[starvist]

I am about to throw my new Pfaff out the window (if I could lift it, it would already be gone)! Hi everyone I'm new here and new to sewing leather with a compound walking foot machine!

I got a great deal on a new Pfaff 335 cylinder arm machine. I mostly make pursers/handbags, and just recently started working with leather. When my Bernina dealer told me I was going to ruin my machine if I kept trying to sew leather with it well... my search began. I tried my pfaff in the show room on a few occasions and did not have any issues with it. Now I can't even sew a straight line with out thread getting all bunched up in the bobbin casing and thread breaking and the machine locking up. I don't know if something got bumped during transport or what is going on. Of course since then I have tried to adjust the tension hoping this would help, but I'm scared maybe that has made things worse. I have tried rethreading both bobbin and needle threads per the manual. I even tried the bobbin thread backwards to what the manual said just in case. I have oiled the machine and done everything I can think of to get this machine to sew. As you can imagine I am extremely frustrated when I have this new expensive machine and I can't be productive with it. Oh and i have tried different threads and stitch lengths. I am hoping and praying someone will enlighten me. This machine appears more complicated than I expected, definitely not a plug in and go like my Bernina. My next step is to pay someone to come help me, thankfully I know a semi local service guy.

Please help and thank you in advance!

[Northmount]

Too little top tension is one of the most common causes of the birds nest under the backside of the leather. Make sure the thread is pulled into the tension discs. If that is okay, then increase the top tension in steps and test it. Go back to the thread that was first installed, or at least to the same size. Check the needle for damage or a bend.

Tom

[starvist]

Thank you for taking the time to respond! I wish the problem I was having was bird nesting as I've dealt with that before. My issue is that the thread is getting tangled/jammed down in and around the case. I have tried changing th top tension with no success. I have not changed the needle as I haven't sewn with the machine but very little cause it's been acting up since I brought it home, but I will try that. I'll call the dealer tomorrow after work and hope that he'll be able to provide some assistance. Just hoping someone would say "Oh I had that problem and it's an easy fix"

[catskin]

Recheck the threading. I know you did it to the book but I have known several cases where it all seemed right but somehow the thread slipped beside the tension discs even tough it looked like it was between them. So my suggestion is make sure that didn't happen. Hope this gets you going quick.

[starvist]

Ugh... the sigh of defeat! I think I'm going to have my local service guy come out. A bushing popped out of the bobbin case and I have no idea how it goes in. So FRUSTRATING! I spoke to my service guy today who also recommended I rethread it and tighten my tension, but now my thread is breaking. I'm about to pay him what ever it takes to get this thing working! Thanks for all your feedback! I appreciate any input that might save me a couple hundred dollars!

[Constabulary]

take some pictures and post them, maybe one can help when he sees what is going on.

[starvist]

So I found a video and some better diagrams on line! What did we do before the internet? I rethreaded the top thread according to the better illustrated images online and still no luck.... So i went on to rethread the bobbin according to the directions... still no luck. On a fluke I threaded the bobbin the opposite of what I saw in the diagram and Voila I am sewing again. Weird! fingers crossed that this is my last issue around this for a while!!!!

Thanks again for all the help!

[Bru]

I'm also a beginner with my Pfaff 335 and I'm having a similar problem.  My main issue is that I can't figure out how to bring the bobbin thread up.  My instruction manual is absolutely no help, and I can't find anything online.  Can anyone help point me in teh right direction, either with a video link or a diagram?  Thanks!

[Hockeymender]

Guess the first question is: was it sewing and will no longer pick up the bobbin thread? If so then it's most likely a timing issue re hook to needle. That will require readjusting the hook point to the needle scarf. Report back and we can go from there. 

[Wizcrafts]

2 hours ago, Bru said:

I'm also a beginner with my Pfaff 335 and I'm having a similar problem.  My main issue is that I can't figure out how to bring the bobbin thread up.  My instruction manual is absolutely no help, and I can't find anything online.  Can anyone help point me in teh right direction, either with a video link or a diagram?  Thanks!

Are you rotating the handwheel towards you from the top-right? It needs to rotate counterclockwise to pick up the bobbin thread.

Other causes include a needle bar than met resistance and moved up, throwing off the hook to eye of the needle timing. I don't know if your machine is equipped with a safety clutch that pops if there is a thread jam in the bobbin case, but if it is, the clutch may have disengaged the bobbin drive to protect the gears and hook.

Finally, make sure that the needle is the correct system and that it is up all the way, and that the ribbed side faces left, while the cutout scarf faces due right.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Wizcrafts