Should my 227R-2 be releasing the upper tension at any point?

[williaty]

On a domestic sewing machine, the mechanism releases the upper tension at one point in the stitch and also releases the upper tension when you lock the presser foot up. My Consew 227R-2 doesn't do either of these things. It's full tension all the time. Is this a normal difference between a typical domestic sewing machine and a larger industrial, or does this indicate a problem with my 227R-2?

[mikesc]

Upper tension should release when you lift the feet "lift lever" ( either by hand or by knee control ) ..tension discs ( the ones with the spiral spring on them ) should move apart.

[cdthayer]

1 hour ago, williaty said:

On a domestic sewing machine, the mechanism releases the upper tension at one point in the stitch....

It does?

CD in Oklahoma

[mikesc]

Yep, I let that one "go by me" CD.. :) None of my ( nor any I ever saw* ) domestics, or Industrials ever released the upper tension during the stitch. Unless they had a problem / were broken/ missing a part / or more than one part.

 

*I haven't seen them all ( sewing machines ) by any means, very far from it, so am always willing to hear of one that does..deliberately.

[Matt S]

1 hour ago, williaty said:

On a domestic sewing machine, the mechanism releases the upper tension at one point in the stitch...

12 minutes ago, cdthayer said:

It does?

No, but this idea was mentioned in an enthusiastic hobbyist's video on one particular model of domestic machine that became popular, and appears to have become part of the fuddlore very quickly. I've owned over a dozen different lock-stitch sewing machines, domestic and industrial, and operated a good few more. Full gamut of 1800s to current manufacture. Chinese, German, British, American, Japanese. Not an expert but a wider range of experience than many operators. I have never come across a design that released thread tension as it stitched.

In answer to the OP's question, as mentioned already the vast vast majority of industrial designs release the thread tension as the presser foot/feet is lifted, either by hand or foot, but not at any point in the normal stitch cycle. Most machines have a check spring which takes up slack thread after the stitch cycle TDC (when the take-up lever reaches its highest point), when the needle thread is at its lowest tension, which on a domestic machine is often quite low. This might lend some credence to the idea of the thread tension being released but it's definitely not, otherwise the check spring would return to its lower stop immediately.

The one exception I've come across is the wonderful but obsolete BUSM/Pearson No6 heavy harness stitcher, which doesn't release tension on lifting the pedal but does to an extent during one portion of the cycle. Even then it's not a proper release of tension as upper thread tension derives from about 4 or 5 points and only the first one of these (the thread clamp IIRC) releases its vice-like hold at any point. If it didn't the machine wouldn't be able to draw new thread. It's an odd beast designed over a century ago and operates quite differently to what's common these days.

[Pintodeluxe]

Industrial machines use a lot more upper tension than domestic machines.  There will always be some top tension, but the foot lift / or knee lift should release most of the upper tension.  Look and feel the tension discs as you lift the foot.  Do the discs separate slightly?

If not, you may need to replace the tension assembly and related parts.  

[mikesc]

Quote

Industrial machines use a lot more upper tension than domestic machines.  There will always be some top tension, but the foot lift / or knee lift should release most of the upper tension.  Look and feel the tension discs as you lift the foot.  Do the discs separate slightly?

If not, you may need to replace the tension assembly and related parts.  

If they don't separate, it isn't usually the tension assembly that is at fault, but usually it is the tiny metal rod inside the machine behind the tension assembly , that is actioned ( pushed towards the tension discs ) when you lift the foot, when it works properly, it pushes against the outer tension disc, thus separating it from the inner tension disc.The amount of this movement is tiny ( a few mm ) but if the rod is broken, or worn, or missing.. then the tension discs will not be pushed part when the feet are lifted..This metal rod is not sold as part of the tension assembly..no point in replacing a tension assembly if the problem is with the rod or elsewhere.

re .BUSM/Pearson No6..Interesting Matt , I've never seen one in action / IRL , although I think one was for sale ( about €800.00 ) last year about 50 kms from me.I'd have no use for one so didn't "go see". Likewise there was a very cheap large powered clicker for sale last week about 100 km away ( may still be ) , but I'd have no use for it.

Edited August 19, 2019 by mikesc

[cdthayer]

3 hours ago, Matt S said:

No, but this idea was mentioned in an enthusiastic hobbyist's video on one particular model of domestic machine that became popular, and appears to have become part of the fuddlore very quickly....

It's some of that "Fake News" that you hear about all of the time.  Harry and Youtube will leave that fake news video up from now on, steering folks wrong...

CD in Oklahoma

[mikesc]

Harry ?

[cdthayer]

31 minutes ago, mikesc said:

Harry ?

Watch the video in this thread.

CD in Oklahoma