GaryNunn Report post Posted November 15, 2015 (edited) I apologize, i might not be using the correct terminology here. Tonight my Cowboy 3200 developed a problem over the course of an hour. I didn't make any adjustments or changes, so I'm not sure what happened. It started out with the bobbin just hanging inexplicably and not letting any thread feed off of it, so I cleaned out any dust and debris and lightly oiled. Now, when I sew, the thread just keeps wrapping around the bobbin.shuttle and I have to cut it off. I've been trying to figure it out for the last 2 hours. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Gary Edited November 15, 2015 by GaryNunn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted November 15, 2015 What color is the thread? If dark brown or black, it may be double dyed and extra springy and is uncoiling itself in the machine. Is the thread staying under the bobbin tension spring, or slipping out? If it slips out, flip the direction of the bobbin so it feeds the opposite way. This sometimes happens to me and reversing the flow off the spool cures it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GaryNunn Report post Posted November 15, 2015 It's black thread, but it's the same thing I've been using for months. It doesn't seem to be stretching. Watching the bobbin and spindle, it looks like it starts to loop over the bobbin/spindle, and just doesn't go all the way, and then the next round hangs there too and so on, until there are 4 or 5 threads. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GaryNunn Report post Posted November 15, 2015 (edited) Sorry, I should have attached these images to the first post.... The bobbin/shuttle goes 3 or 4 cycles and then the thread gets so tight, it hangs the machine up. Fortunately I was paying attention so it didn't put too much stress on the machine the first time it happened. Edited November 15, 2015 by GaryNunn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CowboyBob Report post Posted November 15, 2015 Gary,A problem like this is almost always a threading issue.Is the thread through 2-holes in the spool pin on top?This puts alittle pre-tension on the thread to help it stay in the first tension as your sewing and are you sure it's wrapped around the 2nd tension 1 & 1/2x ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GaryNunn Report post Posted November 15, 2015 Bob you were absolutely right. I'm almost embarrassed to admit what was wrong.... Somehow, last night, I missed threading the take-up lever and didn't catch that the entire time I was troubleshooting. In my defense though, I was up almost 24 hours at that point, and I was exhausted to the point I was afraid I was going to sew my finger to something. . Thanks for the assistance! Gary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted November 15, 2015 I totally misunderstood your explanation. It now is obvious from the photos that the multiple thread loops in the shuttle is caused by the top thread losing tension, not the bobbin spring letting go. Do whatever you must to get the bobbin thread to feed smoothly under the spring, without jumping out of its slot in the bobbin case. Adjust for a modicum of tension. Re-thread the top so that if the thread has springy sections, they will be counteracted by an additional reverse wrap around the top post. You can see which way the thread is twisting by totally removing it from the top and starting over. Additionally, you might try increasing the downward travel of the check spring. Its job is to keep the top thread taut as the needle descends. The travel is limited by the movable block under the spring, which is on the lower tensioner post. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
