Stitches on a Juki Lu 563

[Nate88]

Hello,

I am reaching out for help again. I got my machine working now! Very excited about that. I ran into some trouble with skipped stitches. I put  a new size 18 needle in with TEX69 thread. I messed around with tension alot which didn't seem to affect the skipped stitches. Here's a photo to see a sample. I did different stitch lengths and that seemed to help just a little bit. Smaller length stitch = less skipped stitches. Any tips to get my machine stitching every time? Thanks!

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Northmount
Uploaded photo

[nylonRigging]

15 hours ago, Nate88 said:

Hello,

I am reaching out for help again. I got my machine working now! Very excited about that. I ran into some trouble with skipped stitches. I put  a new size 18 needle in with TEX69 thread . I messed around with tension alot which didn't seem to affect the skipped stitches. Here's a photo to see a sample. I did different stitch lengths and that seemed to help just a little bit. Smaller length stitch = less skipped stitches. Any tips to get my machine stitching every time? Thanks!

So you did Not have skipped stitches, before you changed needle and thread size . ?

Can be timing with Hook and needle .
or, Distance from Hook to Needle scarf on the pass-threw . also in relation to small or large size threads being used .
also, take a look and make sure your Scarf presents a nice flat 90deg to the Hook, and you not tweaked left or right.
.

[Northmount]

@Nate88 Please upload photos here rather than using third party hosting.  If permissions are changed, photo deleted, or moved, the link becomes useless, and makes this thread useless for others to refer to in the future.  We have enough dead links here when you really start looking around.

Tom

 

[DonInReno]

Often that is a hook timing and/or hook-to-needle clearance issue.   
 

Hook point should just reach needle when the needle has risen the thickness of a nickel (3/32”) from bottom.  Point of hook should be as close to needle as possible without actually deflecting the needle.

If the point of the hook isn’t as sharp as it should be, or is bent from a needle crash, that can also contribute to a skipped stitch.

edit:  I now see this was already covered in your other post.

Edited July 12, 2020 by DonInReno

[Nate88]

Thanks for the tips with the photos. I do most of my posting with My iPad but the forum doesn’t allow for me to upload the photos because file size is too big. Any tips for downsizing photos on an iPad? 
 

I try out hook timing and hopefully that will solve the skipped stitches 

 

**edit. Got photo uploading figured out!

Edited July 12, 2020 by Nate88

[Northmount]

10 hours ago, Nate88 said:

Any tips for downsizing photos on an iPad?

For other iPad users since you  have yours figured out, look at these links.

https://osxdaily.com/2014/04/21/resize-photos-from-iphone-mail/

This one requires installation of an app.  https://www.imore.com/how-crop-resize-photos-your-iphone-and-ipad

Tom

[Nate88]

So, I messed around with hook placement and needle height some more. Still lots of skipped stitches. Ugh. Feeling pretty frustrated since I spent a few days getting the hook timing and rotation set up correctly. I must be just a hair off. Has anyone experienced this problem before? And do you think just tiny little adjustments to the hook/needle height can make a dramatic difference in how the machine stitches. I definitely notice that skipped stitches tend to happen more when I'm running the machine fast

17 hours ago, nylonRigging said:

So you did Not have skipped stitches, before you changed needle and thread size . ?

Can be timing with Hook and needle .
or, Distance from Hook to Needle scarf on the pass-threw . also in relation to small or large size threads being used .
also, take a look and make sure your Scarf presents a nice flat 90deg to the Hook, and you not tweaked left or right.
.

I bought this machine used, and it came in rough shape. It had stitching problems since the first time I tried it out. I have switched up a bunch of different needle size and thread size combinations, as well as top thread tension. Still skipping stitches.

[Northmount]

Looks like it's time to go back to the basics and start over again from there.   Make sure the machine is threaded correctly.  Do you have a manual?  If no manual go to this thread.  The groove on the needle should be facing the left end of the machine when seated in front of it.  Twisting it one way or the other slightly can make a difference to how the hook picks off the loop.  The typical needle / thread combinations are in this link. 

In the photo you posted above, the knot is appearing at the top of the leather.  That means the top tension is too high as compared to the bottom tension.  How thick is the leather?  It needs to be maybe 3 to 4 times the thickness of the thread to be able to hide the knot inside the leather.  Try thicker leather and see how it behaves. 

The skipped stitches (if the hook and needle bar are adjusted right) is because the loop is dissolving before the hook can catch it, or it is not forming large enough.  If the presser foot pressure is too low, the leather can lift with the needle, thus no loop to catch.

Hope this helps you.  Most of my machine problems have been of my own making.  It sometimes take me quite a few test runs to properly adjust the tension when I change leather and thread sizes.

Tom

 

 

[DonInReno]

Can you post a clear picture showing the needle to hook gap and condition of hook?

[Nate88]

Yes I will take some pictures today. I haven’t made any progress on it, so I plan to get back tot the basics and start from scratch with the whole process. I’ll post more pics this afternoon 

[Nate88]

**update on the skipped stitches situation.

I took Northmount’s advice and went back to the basics. I mentioned earlier that I bought this machine in rough shape. The table it came on was broken from a move, so I had to make a new table. After setting up the machine on my new table, I noticed the fit wasn’t perfect but figured it wouldn’t matter too much.

well before messing with the settings on my machine, I decided to put shims in the spaces where there were gaps between the table and the machine head. Now the machine sits really snug and doesn’t not move or vibrate at all while running. And....no more skipped stitches. Another factor is that the fly wheel is a little bent so the machine rocks a bit from that wobble. Maybe that was contributing to the problems I was having. I tried to straighten the shaft by taking off the flywheel, using a pipe, and attempting to bend the shaft. I had no success with that. Anyway, the journey continues, and I can finally start working on projects again.  
 

pic shows gap , now I have this space fitting more snug using shims 

Edited July 17, 2020 by Nate88

[Bert51]

I have had good luck doing the main shaft like you have done, with a piece of pipe, but I used a dial gauge to fine tune it and I think you could get within tolerances with a gauge.

Bert.

Edited July 18, 2020 by Bert51