Leese Report post Posted August 16, 2014 All- Good afternoon! Love this site and have been searching thru archives to see if this matter has already been addressed, but I didn't find it...(my eyes are fried!) Here's the deal...I am using Consew 228R-11 high lift post machine with roller foot, bought new about a year ago from East Coast dealer (far away) Yes, huge learning curve - more time spent taking apart, adjusting timing, etc than sewing! I too am fortunate but have sooo wanted to toss the machine (it's too big and heavy) and can relate to other members' posts regarding machine frustrations. I make mixed media bags with garment grade leather bonded to bag stiffener and vinyl in layers. Before sewing my actual bag, I check my stitch settings and sew samples constructed of the same materials, but this time it is just not cooperating. I have a flat strap of vinyl bonded (with tanners bond) to bag stiffener and another layer of vinyl that I want to top stitch to vinyl with a layer of foam headliner and a piece of garment grade (scrap) leather on the foam liner to help support the stitches. I use a small piece of double sided tape to hold the strap in place. My samples stitch perfect, but when I try the actual purse, (I am holding the ends of my threads the first few stitches) I get about 6 stitches into the seam and then the bobbin gets all tangled with needle thread. I know it is the top thread as I can pull the bobbin thread right out of the seam and the top thread's knots are all willy nilly on the bottom and even overlap. I have: removed the bobbin and cleared out debris changed my bobbin and thread used another new needle rethreaded my machine left it for days to see if it just needed a time out (oh, that was me!) oiled my machine Why would the stitching work on the samples but not the actual bag? I am trying to find a reputable area machine guru who makes house calls (got some names from custom shoe guy, upholstery shop and the studios, gotta make some calls) and found one shop about 40 miles away, but I can't get the beast off the table to take in for a look-see, and in the mean time thought I'd try the Forum... Anyone have similar experience and what did you do? Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. Leese Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted August 17, 2014 Sounds like your top thread may have jumped out from between the tension disks. With the bobbin thread laying on the bottom, not pulled up into the material, says there is no or too little top tension. Tom Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted August 17, 2014 My partner forgot to pull the top thread all the way into the upper tension disks today. The result was a solid bobbin thread under the work with loops of top thread surrounding the bobbin thread. Pull the top thread all the way down before stitching. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Troy Burch Report post Posted August 17, 2014 Had the same problem, Wizcrafts and Northmount are right it was the tension disk. After 6 or 8 stitches top thread would loop and catch the bobbin thread several times making a hell of a mess. Watch the thread at the needle on the down stroke when you sew and it will get slack and soon make a loop just before or at the time the needle inters the leather, if thread is all the way in the disk then just tighten the disk and problem solved. I double nutted my tension disks and never had the problem again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leese Report post Posted August 19, 2014 All- Good evening. Thank you for your time and suggestions. I moved the needle bar about a mm up thinking there was too much slack and then took the tension disks off, made sure there was no waxy residue, re-threaded the machine, and cranked the tension. This helped some, but the bottom knots were still visible (I'm thinking top tension still), I just had a few short rows so went back over them by hand and pulled the excess thread so the knots are smooth and hand stitched for back tacking. I'll sew the lining on my home machine, but will use the Consew for the top edge final stitch - this will again be a learning curve. The bag is a prototype, but the main thing is getting the pattern and order of construction down. I'll post a photo when done. BTW - what do you mean by double nutting the tension disks? I'm thinking maybe I need to buy an extra one? Attached are pics of another bag I made for a colleague. Many thanks to all again! Leese Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) Why on earth did you move the needle bar up? Was the hook arriving while the scarf was still below it? The needlebar should be set so that the hook arrives in the center of the scarf, on the upstroke, about 1/8" above the eye. This is usually when the best loop has formed. If you have too much top thread at the needle, increase the throw of the check spring. It controls how much slack there is in the top thread. In fact, make sure you are passing the thread around the check spring disks, then the spring, on the way to the take-up lever. Failure to go through these parts will cause the trouble you describe. Edited August 19, 2014 by Wizcrafts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leese Report post Posted August 21, 2014 Thanks Wiz - my bad! I neglected to mention I had previously adjusted the needle bar before all this because the little hole on the front where you can see the needle shank was sitting at an angle and the front divot of the needle bar not sitting flat. (None of my stitches were working on any type or thickness of leather and vinyl.) When I did that, I think I dropped the needle bar down and so I raised it as noted in my post. To be sure my current needle bar position is right, I went back, removed the needle, marked the 1/8" position on the needle itself, (above the eye) and confirmed the hook position comes around to the marked point 1/8" above the eye (thank goodness for bright light and magnifiers!) I also verified the top thread path around the disks and to the spring up to the take-up lever. I ran a few lines of stitching to confirm the hook won't stab and split/shred my top thread and it appears to be okay. Thank you again for the tips, I appreciate it! Leese Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted August 21, 2014 Is the machine sewing properly now? If so, this topic can be closed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leese Report post Posted August 23, 2014 Yes, fixed thank you again! Please advise if there is an option I am to choose to close the topic (couldn't find instruction how to do it when I searched in help topics...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted August 23, 2014 Yes, fixed thank you again! Please advise if there is an option I am to choose to close the topic (couldn't find instruction how to do it when I searched in help topics...) The moderator has to close the topic. You cannot do it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
