Consew 226R thread breaking and tension controller sticking

[Carrie88]

HI, I am hoping to get some help with my Consew 226R. I have had it for a few weeks, purchased from an ex upholsterer. It was very dirty and some parts were not attached, so i have been cleaning it up, putting it back together and ordering the odd screw, spring etc online to replace things. I now have it sewing and operational, however I just can't get the thread tension right. I thread it up according to the manual (and according to the amazingly helpful youtube videos that I've found). But what happens it that the thread seems to be too loose when the needle comes up and then the thread jumps off the thread controller disc, out of the spring and then wraps itself around the back of the thread controller nut, or sometimes the back of the thread controller itself. I have tried various settings by turning the thread controller more to the left or more to the right, I have tightened the spring, moved the spring stop up or down - and I just can't crack it. I pulled to whole tension bracket set up apart and checked each component, and everything 'seems' to be working as it should. I have read posts on this forum referring to worn pins behind the bracket, but it's difficult to tell if this is worn, with nothing to compare to it too. 

Also, even on the few occasions where the thread does stay inside the thread controller for a while, the thread ends up breaking because it seems to get stuck up inside the tension discs and then it just breaks down at the needle. I got this machine quite cheap and I'm now feeling very frustrated that it won't even sew for 10cm without something going wrong. I'm really hoping there is something simple I've missed. 

Really appreciate any help offered that will save me going to a sewing machine mechanic just yet (will be my last resort due to finances) - and I can see that there are many experience users on this site. Carrie. 

Edited June 24, 2017 by Carrie88

[dikman]

Ok, 3rd photo is almost right. You could probably try coming into the top tension disk and straight out the bottom into the lower disk, i.e. not wrapped around the pin. In the lower disc the thread should come around the disk, as you've done, and then up past that little bent lug you can see in the second photo pulling the check spring (that little bent spring) with it. If this doesn't make sense I'll see if I can get a suitable photo of the path.

[mikesc]

Like dikman said the thread should not be wrapped around the little pin in the the 3rd photo, it should go directly from the tension discs down to the the spring controller..
that little pin is there to stop the tension discs from rotating and thus releasing tension, it is absolutely not there to wrap the thread around..and the person who made the video that says that you should wrap the thread around the pin should be taken out and beaten with a clue by four..and the video ( and any thing on the web that is based upon it, should be taken down and burned or nuked from off planet ( it is the only way to be sure )..passing the thread around the pin is an abomination and will always end in tears and gnashing of teeth.

Edited June 24, 2017 by mikesc

[Carrie88]

Hi, thanks so much for you quick responses. I will definitely stop putting the thread around the pin and just come straight out the bottom of the tension discs - that's really disappointing that what looks like a really helpful video, is actually wrong - a lesson learnt for me. Regarding the spring, so when the thread pops past the bent part of the thread controller disc, sort of sitting outside it (which I have tried to show in the last photo but it is not easy to see) and then rests against the spring - what stops it from jumping out again while you sew? I seem to have so much extra thread at the point when the needle is fully up, that nothing can stop the thread from just kind of falling off the thread controller. 

[Uwe]

The thread will be somewhat loose at some point during the stitch cycle, but it should not pop out of the check spring. Here's how I thread the check spring:

 

 

Edited June 25, 2017 by Uwe

[dikman]

Uwe, you've done it again! Much clearer than my attempt to describe it.

[Carrie88]

Thanks so much for the video, Uwe. It was very helpful and seems to have solved my tension problem plus my thread has stopped breaking. I think I was also using a needle that was too small for the thread - and it was kind of piercing the thread and tangling up. I have read all of the threads (no pun intended  ) on this forum and so I have tried to match a few different thread sizes to needles sizes, for sewing lighter leather for bags etc. The thread sizes are so confusing, between the tex, the ticket and whatever other number they have. And then here in Australia, the numbers seem different again. I've just played around for a few hours and managed to sew a few things - but I can see it really takes practice and experience to create nice work with these machines. Now I just have to get the beast under my control - it's so powerful and just takes off if I put my foot down too hard. This is a wonderful forum for beginners, thanks to all of you for your help. Carrie. 

[mikesc]

Needle sizes and threads guide..
http://tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html
For speed control ..get a servo motor and a speed reducer..
for threads here about them copy and paste this next line into any search engine.
site:leatherworker.net servo motor speed reducer

Btw..Here is a link about thread that should keep you busy reading
http://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TTE&Category_Code=polyester-thread-information

Edited June 25, 2017 by mikesc

[leecopp]

I am surprised that the modern Seiko manual and older consew manual do not go into details about threading. 

Lee

[dikman]

As Mike said, a servo is an excellent investment to "tame the beast". As for thread sizes, yep, it made my brains hurt for quite a while trying to come to grips with it! Here in Oz we generally use the Metric designations, so #69 (commonly used designation in the US) is M40, #138 is M20. These are probably the two most commonly used sizes of thread, from there you start getting into the heavy stuff (which is not easy to find here in Oz). What do you intend making/sewing?