quiltlover03 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I am using Lava on a Customer Quilt and it keeps snapping constantly. I cleaned the machine, rethreaded it, used another cone of thread, changed the needle, makes no difference if I use MR or Organ, have no burrs I can see and feel, it just happens. i am using a threadnet over the cone, loosely, and I just don't know what could be wrong. Anyone have any words of wisdom? I must add that I usually use a 3.5 needle for lava, always bottomline in the bobbin, which by the way i have changed to a prewound with one side removed. Everything is squeaky clean and as it should be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoinette Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I've not had any problems running Lava but it might be similar to Rainbows/Highlights. Slow down your speed and loosen your quilt, not so it sags but not taut at all. If that doesn't work, try backing off on your tension. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Have you tried not going through all of the holes in the pigtail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltlover03 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I have never had problems before with lava, as I said I use it in a size 3.5 needle without problems. This must be something mechanical maybe? Could something be stuck somewhere? A piece of thread, lint, etc? My tension is great when it stitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 loosen your bobbin tension a wee bit. Loosen your top tension too. See if this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltlover03 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Its all been done Shana, thanks, tension is perfect when she stitches between snapping, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tchamberlain1 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Try moving up a needle size. You never know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Really loosen your bobbin tension. Then really loosen your top thread. Really. Try it some more... loosey gooosey wooosey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltlover03 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Okay Shana, you convinced me. I have no bigger needles, used the last of my 4.5 and I am fresh out, didn't think I would ever use them again. Gonna go and loosey woosey goosey everything, ya never know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 If the loosey woosey goosey did not solve your thread breakage.... If it is snapping above the needle plate, check for grooves or burrs on your pigtails--especially the last one before the needle. Poly thread will cut a groove eventually. It can be smoothed with fine sandpaper or emery cloth and usable until it can be replaced. If the thread is snapping below the needle plate--check for burrs on the hook. Good luck and I hope the loosey goosey worked for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I had that problem today too. My machine is a Gammill so this won't work for you Monika, I'm sorry. But if anyone else out there has a problem with thread breakage----try everything first, then call your tech guy. That's what I did. I was stitching a computer E2E and on the tight corners and small details, the thread would snap every time. It took two and three times to stop, rip, start over again, and get past the pain. When I called my tech guy, he told me to use a feature called "stitch the points". It makes the machine slow down and take one stitch in the corner, then go on. Except for those tight spots, the machine kept on humming at its normal speed. I just have to remember to enlarge any design that has a lot of sharp corners and double--backs---or use the STP feature. What shapes are you quilting? Is it at a herky jerky spot? When the machine stops suddenly or slows way down, and then starts up again fast, that will cause the thread to snap sometimes. I'll bet someone could write a whole book covering thread issues! Here is the design I was using. . .you can see the tight corners where the paisley doubles back on itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Did loosey woosey goosey work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltlover03 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Thanks Shana, it wasn't the loosey goosey woosey it needed, but a piece of tape over the front pigtail screw. For some reason the thread kept snagging in there and break. I had to make an adjustment to the pigtail a few days ago because my thread kept slipping out of it, and in the process I suppose I put a burr in the screw head, being soft metal, that is not hard to do. So now I will just keep a piece of duct tape on it. Thank you all for your welcome words of wisdom. Quilt is done, problem is solved....aren't we good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I love happy endings. PS: I keep a few spare pigtail screws in my stash in case I need to replace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I took my pigtail off and put the stock loop back on. Haven't had that problem in a long time. That "metal" on the pigtail has got to be made of putty---bad stuff. The thread can saw right through it. Maybe hay baling wire would work as well as the duct tape, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jclark Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Boni--your comment about baling wire is so funny--while Mike and I were in Des Moines last week attending maintenance classes pigtail wear came up and Mike asked me if baling wire would work and I swatted him! Maybe we should try it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltlover03 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I am wondering if that pigtail in the front is really necessary? My thread slips out of it 99% of the time anyway and I have no problem. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 My thread always jumps out of the thread loop on the side of the machine just below the tension disks...then it settles in along side the cover and snaps my thread. What a pita. Any suggestions for fixing this. I tried to turn the loop just enough to help hold the thread in, but still jumps out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Monika, Yes, that thread guide is necessary:). If you look at your needles, you'll see a long groove running all the way down the needle's length. That groove helps guide the thread into the needle's eye. If the thread approaches the needle from the side, the needle's up and down "sawing action" would slice the thread much more often. If you are still having trouble, here are a couple of "old school" tricks to try: [*] If you haven't already done so, stick a small piece of cotton batting into the thread guide just above the cone of thread, so that the batting rests on top of the thread. It will put just enough pressure on the thread to keep the thread smooth and taut all along the thread path. It shouldn't put a lot of pre-tension on the thread--just enough so the thread doesn't sag between the rear guide and the first three-hole guide. This does essentially the same thing as a thread net, and is very helpful for any thread (my batting is a permanent fixture in that guide). But it's especially great for slippery thread like Rainbows, invisible thread on a cone, Carol Brytes, and even Lava. It also helps manage King Tut. [*] Rotate the thread guide 180 degrees so that the round end points to the right instead of the left. It will feel awkward to thread, but will have less of a tendency to pop out. [*] Now we're going really old school, as my machine's been in service for over 16 years now, but...being the lazy quilter that I am, I got tired years ago of changing out pigtails after wear and tear. So, I replaced them with fishing pole eyelets or line guides. I figured if my dad could reel in a 15-lb. northern pike with fishing line and those guides didn't cut his line after thousands of casts, they'd surely work for my thread. And work they did! These are found in a well-stocked sporting goods store, and are available in different sizes. Look for ones that have a straight shaft above the circular guide, and ideally have a ceramic insert. To mount them to your machine, bend that straight shaft into a loop so that you can insert the current screw holding the pigtail guide in place into the loop and attach the guide. Now remember, this is a McGyver-type deal. If you aren't having any trouble with the threads you are using, stick with the pigtail guides, as they're much easier to thread. But if you are like me, and are jumping around between lots of different threads (especially invisible and metallics, which will cause premature wear on the guides) then you may be willing to sacrifice that threading inconvenience for fewer replacements of the pigtail guides. I have had the same circular guides on the machine now for over a dozen years. The pigtail guides are a "wear and tear" item, just like needles, and should be replaced occasionally for optimum performance. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltlover03 Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Kristina, I turned the pigtail on the side just a smidgen and it keeps the thread inside now too. And I fixed the front one by putting a small strip of duct tape over the screw, that is where the burr was that kept shaving and snapping my Lava. I finished my Quilt and another one after that successfully without breakage. Oh the marvel of duct tape! Thank you Dawn for your input. Wise advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Thanks Dwan and Monika...I will turn the thread guide a little more...and then look for the fishing guides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tchamberlain1 Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 I would love to see a picture of the fishing guides attached to someone's machine. I bought some but can't figure out how to make them work... Pictures say a thousand words. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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