troubleshooting Sewing machine trouble

[Akmike45]

Hi all!

I am new to everything sewing... so you can bet that I have watched every tutorial out there that I can find. However, I cannot figure out why my machine sews 2 full stitches before my skipping many, many stitches. 

I have a Rex607z (shh! I am poor). I have been trying to learn for its equivalent machines like barraccuda 200z amd sailrite LSW.

I have rethreaded, changed the needle (135x15 tri and upholstery thread...should be #69 but it does not say clearly), re-done bobbin, changed needle bar height, checked for burrs and bent things, and re-oiled everything.

The kicker, the sewing machine will sew through jersey knit fabric (1 layer) with no skipped stitches.

When I sew deer hide with a straightline, the ol' Rex makes two stitches then skips everything after. If it is in zigazag, it will only pick up the bobbin thread in a straight line..not in zigzag.

Anyways, if anyone has any auggestions at all about what is going on and how to fix it, please let me know! Thank you all!

[brmax]

What happens to the bottom thread. Also the needle bar height adjustment. Is the hook point on time here. 

 

Good day

Floyd

[Matt S]

Hi Mike, there could be a few things going on here. The symptom is that the hook is failing to catch the needle thread loop (after the first two stitches) in leather. Now we must find the cause.

First thing, and please forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, is that we must check the size, type and class of needle you are using. Jersey fabrics are sewn with a ball-tipped needle I think. Leather should wherever possible be sewn with a sharp needle designed for the task. Among the various advantages this can reduce the chance of needle deflection, which itself is a leading cause of skipped stitches (and needle crashes). At the same time make sure that the needle size is correct for the size thread you are using, as this can also cause all sorts of problems. Also make sure that the needle is as fully deep into the needle bar as possible and rotated correctly (usually so that the long groove is to your left and the scarf to your right). It's probably also worth checking that the class of needle is correct for your machine -- these things are not universal (I have to keep on top of about 5 different needle classes!). Your machine appears to need class 135x16/17 (16 for leather, 17 for fabrics). These are a popular class for industrial machines and readily available.

When you start a seam, are you holding the threads slightly taught for the first few stitches? This is the correct thing to do however if you're not this hints that the needle tension is too high. Dial it down a couple turns, try a seam, then repeat until it starts to work. If you run out of adjustment you can increase bobbin tension a tad.

Zigzag machines have the added complication in that the clearance between the hook and the needle (which is crucial for to catch the loop) varies for each throw of the needle. I don't have much experience here, only with one ZZ machine which has a pinned shuttle driver so I can only adjust the needle bar timing.

[kgg]

Hi AkMike45,

The Rex you have seems to be very close to the Reliable Barracuda and or the Techsew 611 it uses a type 135x17 needle and for V69 thread size 18 needle. I would first replace the needle as Matt said. Another thing to check is the tension of the bobbin thread also check to see if the bobbin is releasing the thread in the right direction. It is easy enough to place the bobbin in backwards if you are in a rush, I have done it myself. I would also do a youtube video search for the Reliable Barracuda (threading, not stitching, etc.) and start as if you just took it out of the box.

kgg

[Akmike45]

9 hours ago, brmax said:

What happens to the bottom thread. Also the needle bar height adjustment. Is the hook point on time here. 

 

Good day

Floyd

The bottom thread looks fine. I re-checked and the bobbin is wound correctly and spinning the correct way. The bottom thread does not look damaged at all. The top thread keeps shredding though.

I adjusted the needle bar height and that helped but only on my scrap fabric, not on anything even slightly thick.

From the limited youtube videos I found, it looks like the hook point is on time... I am probably missing something here though.

Thanks!

-Kaylie

[Akmike45]

8 hours ago, Matt S said:

Hi Mike, there could be a few things going on here. The symptom is that the hook is failing to catch the needle thread loop (after the first two stitches) in leather. Now we must find the cause.

First thing, and please forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, is that we must check the size, type and class of needle you are using. Jersey fabrics are sewn with a ball-tipped needle I think. Leather should wherever possible be sewn with a sharp needle designed for the task. Among the various advantages this can reduce the chance of needle deflection, which itself is a leading cause of skipped stitches (and needle crashes). At the same time make sure that the needle size is correct for the size thread you are using, as this can also cause all sorts of problems. Also make sure that the needle is as fully deep into the needle bar as possible and rotated correctly (usually so that the long groove is to your left and the scarf to your right). It's probably also worth checking that the class of needle is correct for your machine -- these things are not universal (I have to keep on top of about 5 different needle classes!). Your machine appears to need class 135x16/17 (16 for leather, 17 for fabrics). These are a popular class for industrial machines and readily available.

When you start a seam, are you holding the threads slightly taught for the first few stitches? This is the correct thing to do however if you're not this hints that the needle tension is too high. Dial it down a couple turns, try a seam, then repeat until it starts to work. If you run out of adjustment you can increase bobbin tension a tad.

Zigzag machines have the added complication in that the clearance between the hook and the needle (which is crucial for to catch the loop) varies for each throw of the needle. I don't have much experience here, only with one ZZ machine which has a pinned shuttle driver so I can only adjust the needle bar timing.

The jersey knit - I was uaing the 135x16 ballpoint. The leather I was using the 135x17 TRI needle. I am using an upholstery thread..the label does not have a weight on it..jusr a cheapo thread. I am going to order better thread this weekend.

I rechecked the needle position...it is inserted all the way and facing the correct way.

I hold the first two stitches down and have messed with the tension to try to fix it... did not work. 

Thank you for your suggestions!

8 hours ago, kgg said:

Hi AkMike45,

The Rex you have seems to be very close to the Reliable Barracuda and or the Techsew 611 it uses a type 135x17 needle and for V69 thread size 18 needle. I would first replace the needle as Matt said. Another thing to check is the tension of the bobbin thread also check to see if the bobbin is releasing the thread in the right direction. It is easy enough to place the bobbin in backwards if you are in a rush, I have done it myself. I would also do a youtube video search for the Reliable Barracuda (threading, not stitching, etc.) and start as if you just took it out of the box.

kgg

Okay thank you so much!

 

[Matt S]

1 hour ago, Akmike45 said:

The jersey knit - I was uaing the 135x16 ballpoint. The leather I was using the 135x17 TRI needle. I am using an upholstery thread..the label does not have a weight on it..jusr a cheapo thread. I am going to order better thread this weekend.

I rechecked the needle position...it is inserted all the way and facing the correct way.

I hold the first two stitches down and have messed with the tension to try to fix it... did not work. 

OK, so we have most of the basics covered. Get some thread of a known size, and appropriate size needles, and see what happens. You may have a timing issue but I wonder it's related to your particular combination of thread, needle and material.

[brmax]

If you have the hook point meeting in the cut out portion (scarf) of the needle when it comes around with a couple paper thickness’s clearence, 3’s fine. Well then your in the range for sure. 

 

Keep us posted

Floyd

[Akmike45]

17 hours ago, brmax said:

If you have the hook point meeting in the cut out portion (scarf) of the needle when it comes around with a couple paper thickness’s clearence, 3’s fine. Well then your in the range for sure. 

 

Keep us posted

Floyd

Turns out...that was it!

One more question. My tension is perfect for the straight stitch but I can't seem to get good tension (top thread) for zigzag. I loosened it to 2 and still couldn't fix it.

Is there anything besides the tension knob to adjust this? Just trial and error?

 

Thank you so much everyone!!

[brmax]

Uhm this can get crazy deep so keeping a standard troubleshootin method is best. 

To be fair and really on point, photos can be a best discussion start or ice breaker. 

To be quite honest I would very much like to have and then know more with zig zag and that benefit.

In my mind the tension should be very very similar. 

But I will ask some others to chime in on this as This dog needs to stay on the porch this time. 

 

For sure try and have a Good day

Floyd

[Northmount]

Just a point of clarification.  The needle direction for a zigzag machine is with the groove facing the front of the machine.  Has to be that way for the hook to pick up the thread as it zigzags.  If the angle is off, it may drop stitches only on one or both sides while doing a zigzag stitch.  If the needle is positioned with the groove on the left, it is highly unlikely for the hook to pickup the needle thread.  And if it does, it's likely to bind up in a couple stitches and make a bird's nest under the needle plate and around the bobbin.  Don't ask how I know.

There are some posts here about selection of the correct needle size for thread.  One method described is to take about a yard of thread, thread it through a needle (not in the machine!).  When holding the thread at a diagonal, the needle should be able to slide down the thread.  If it won't it has too small an eye.

Tom