Singer 17-23 new to me

[TJ959]

I have just aquired a Singer 17-23. It seems in good shape and I'm pleased with it. I think it needs to be timed and it's shredding the top thread though. It came with #22 needles which according to my chart I should be using 138 thread. The bobbin was loaded with 69. The Singer manual says it will take up to a #25 needle. That would mean it would take up to 277 thread. I didn't think these machines were that heavy duty. Soooo, my question is how do I find out how to time this thing. I'm enjoying messing around with it but the model is new to me and I'm rather new to sewing machines as well. I am fairly mechancal and it seems simple, yet I'm in danger of tearing out my few remaining hairs, without some form of reference material. I'd take it to Bob but he's 160 miles from me and I can't take it there every time I screw it up. I'd include pictures but I can't figure out how to do that on this site. I'd appreciate any input I can get on this machine and any direction toward more info.

[Wizcrafts]

From my personal experience with sewing machines, just because a given needle bar and throat plate/feed dog will clear a #25 needle does not in itself mean that the shuttle or take-up/tensioning system can handle #277 bonded thread. I found that only the largest leather stitchers can actually handle this size thread efficiently and pull its knots well up inside the leather. I also learned that trying to force feed #277 or #346 thread to a machine that wasn't built with this in mind will damage it.

[TJ959]

That is my opinion as well. Im not very experienced with this stuff but it seems to me that I should be using a #16 or #19 needle.

[Constabulary]

#19 needle sounds good for this machine - the bobbins are very small (I had an Adler 48 - pretty much the same machine w. same hook) and therefore it cannot hold much 138 thread though I was able to run 138 top and bottom (polyester thread). When the machine shredding thread it often is just the needle bar that needs an adjustment (often a little bit lowering). But of course hard to tell from the distance and depends on if the machine is setup for the original needle system and you are using the correct needle. But also could be a burr in the needle eye or somewhere in the thread path.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Constabulary

[TJ959]

It has the original needle system and it seems to me that the needle bar is set a little bit high. Looking at the thing, it isn't obvious how to adjust it. That may also be why it is reluctant to pick up the bobbin thread. It may not be a timing issue at all. I'll go give it a look. Thank you both for the replies. 

[TJ959]

I have now discovered how to adjust the needle bar but I'm not sure where it should be set at.

[TJ959]

Gave up and consulted a local tech. Real nice guy. He showed me some stuff and it seems I was mostly correct in my attempts. Now all I have to do is get better at sewing on a machine. Thanks for the replies. It's good to have a resource like this and hopefully I will be of help to someone else down the road.