Juki 1541 thread stuck in tension dial

[Mel42]

I have a new job working with a juki 1541 leather machine. I work with size 69 1/2lb nylon thread and size 22 needles to see through quite thick leather. The thread consistently gets caught in the tension disk and snaps while sewing. Online wisdom is this is caused by threading the machine with the foot down, but when I thread it with the foot up it actually makes the issue worse- the thread feels stuck as soon as I put the foot back down. If I loosen the top thread tension spring I get loops on the bottom of my seams so it's not too tight. Any insights? 

[Wizcrafts]

Please post a close up photo showing how the thread is feeding into the top tension disks. Show the entire tension plate. It could be threaded incorrectly. Also, examine the thread path from the spool to the needle. See if it encounters any burrs along the way, or gets twisted around a guide or post, or gets caught under the spool, or wraps around itself coming off the spool.

Gotta go to work. Good luck..

[MtlBiker]

Besides the possibility of the threading being wrong, I wanted to comment about your use of v69 thread with size 22 needles...  Seems like you're really using a much too large needle for the thread.  With v69 thread, usually a #18 or 19 needle is more appropriate.  A #22 needle would be normally used with v138 thread.

 You are sewing leather?  Are you using leather needles?  That would be the 135x16 (in appropriate size for the thread) instead of the more common 135x17.

With the assumption that your threading is correct, you should be threading the machine with the foot up.  And then with the foot down, are you able to sew?  I suggest you sew some material and check how the stitches are being formed.  Have you adjusted the bobbin case tension properly for the thread you use?  If you did, then look at the stitch being formed... if the top thread is being pulled to the bottom, you need to increase the upper tension.  If the bottom thread comes up to the top, you loosen the top tension.

My suspicion is that the bobbin case tension isn't set correctly for your thread.

 

[kgg]

3 hours ago, Mel42 said:

I work with size 69 1/2lb nylon thread and size 22 needles to see through quite thick leather.

I can see using up to a #20 needle in thick or sticky material for added needle strength and making a little larger thread hole but a #22 is to big a needle in my opinion for V69. I think the problem is probably also related to other factors. Detailed pictures or a video of how you are threading the top thread from the top of the small 1/2 pound spool to the needle would help a lot. Being a bit more specific on how thick the leather your are sewing would help. What direction is the bobbin spinning in the bobbin holder, CW or CCW. How are you tensioning the bobbin thread? What size of thread are you using in the bobbin?

kgg

[bj139]

There is a breaking strength to thread which you may be exceeding with the thickness you are sewing.  Have you tried V92 thread?