MtlBiker Report post Posted March 5, 2021 Lately I'm having a lot of trouble with my Consew 206RB-5 breaking the top thread when I try to pull the work from under the presser foot. I've replaced the needle (#20) and checked that the threading is correct, and I really can't figure out what might be causing this. But I am very much a relative newcomer to sewing. I didn't have any trouble with the v92 blue, red or white bonded poly thread I'd been using for the last month, nor with the black thread I'd been using before that. When I changed back to the black thread a few days ago I did have to readjust the top thread tension (black thread always seems to require different tension settings than white, red or blue threads and I don't know why that is either). Before trying to pull out the work I always turn the hand wheel so that the arm (not sure what it's called) is at the top and I raise the presser foot usually with the knee lifter. This has always worked fine hundreds of times. But now almost every time I try to remove the fabric, my top thread breaks. What could be causing this? What should I check? Thanks for any help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted March 5, 2021 Examine the top tension disks for burrs. Also, make sure they separate enough to let the thread pass freely when you lift the feet all the way up. You may have overtightened the top tension to compensate for the stiffer black thread. If this is the case, back off the top and bottom tensions to center the knots. Change the needle! It may have a burr that is finding the thread. Watch your check spring action as you sew. It should keep the top thread taut until the needle passes into or through the material, then stop moving down. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MtlBiker Report post Posted March 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Wizcrafts said: Examine the top tension disks for burrs. Also, make sure they separate enough to let the thread pass freely when you lift the feet all the way up. You may have overtightened the top tension to compensate for the stiffer black thread. If this is the case, back off the top and bottom tensions to center the knots. Change the needle! It may have a burr that is finding the thread. Watch your check spring action as you sew. It should keep the top thread taut until the needle passes into or through the material, then stop moving down. Thank you! I'll check what you suggested when I get home tonight. One of the first things I did when this started happening was to put in a new needle. Problem was still there. I also doubt there are burrs on the top tension discs as there was no problem at all with the red, white and blue threads. Unless the stiffer black thread would show up that problem and the others wouldn't. I'm suspecting it's user error. It just could be (and I'll confirm tonight) that perhaps I was being lazy with the knee lifter and maybe, just maybe, I wasn't lifting the presser foot all the way up... maybe just enough to pull out the material. Newbie mistake. I will check for that. The other thing it could be (again per your suggestion) is that I've got the tensions too tight. I don't think I readjusted the bobbin tension for the black thread when I switched to it. I'd gotten used to (for the last month) being able to pop in the white red or blue threads and not having to change any tensions. But the black IS more stiff and I probably should have loosened the bobbin tension. Great call on your part! I'm sure your suggestions will help me solve this. Thank you very much, kind Sir! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandmanred Report post Posted March 5, 2021 There a little pin in the center of tension discs that is supposed to push the outer disc away when you raise the presser foot. The stud that everything mounts on is hollow and the pin rides in there. The pins are small diameter and have a tendency to get shorter over time. I've found that even brand new ones aren't always the correct length. You should be able to see the outer disc push out a bit as you lift the presser foot, if not that could be part of your problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MtlBiker Report post Posted March 6, 2021 On 3/5/2021 at 10:37 AM, Wizcrafts said: Examine the top tension disks for burrs. Also, make sure they separate enough to let the thread pass freely when you lift the feet all the way up. You may have overtightened the top tension to compensate for the stiffer black thread. If this is the case, back off the top and bottom tensions to center the knots. Change the needle! It may have a burr that is finding the thread. Watch your check spring action as you sew. It should keep the top thread taut until the needle passes into or through the material, then stop moving down. Just to follow up, thank you again for your kind help! You got me on the right track to solve the problem. As far as I can tell, it was a combination of two things: First I was probably a bit lazy in using the knee lift all the way... there's a pronounced stop/resistance near the top of the lift and I guess I was usually stopping right there. But if I push past it, it raises the presser foot even more and releases the top tension. The other thing was that I hadn't readjusted the bobbin thread tension when I changed back to black thread. So to compensate the upper thread tension was really tight. I'd gotten so used to simply changing between red, white and blue threads (same type and weight) without having to change the tension that I forgot to change for the black. Now it's much much better. No quite perfect yet (I still sometimes break the thread) but day and night better. Thank you again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonInReno Report post Posted March 6, 2021 That’s great news! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
