jtlevitt Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Hi all. So I'm a newbie and it was going smoothly until tonight. I'm having thread breakage issues. I'm using Aurifil 50wt. I did some sample pieces and a whole quilt with it and really had almost no problems, so I know my machine can handle it. But I have a new quilt loaded so I wound bobbins with my new bobbin winder (the Gammil one which is 10 million times better than the sidewinder my instructor gave me because I still don't have the one that was supposed to come with my machine) which is certainly a variable. I think maybe they're wound a bit tighter but I have the winder tension pretty loose. I cleaned the machine, changed the needle, and re-threaded it. Right away the thread broke pretty quick. I adjusted the tension and checked the bobbin tension. Then it worked OK for a bit. Maybe 45 min. Then it broke again. and again. Then worked ok. Now keeps breaking. SOOOO... I've been re-threading and changed the needle, and rethreaded the bobbin and adjusted the tension. But now I'm kinda stuck. I'm sure I can figure it out, but I'm without a manual!!! I can't believe there isn't one online. I have the 2 CDs that came with the machine somewhere in this house, but I don't know where they got stashed. And I can't find online anywhere how to thread the machine and bobbin. I can't believe there is no printed manual (I'll totally print it myself when I find the CDs) or online reference. I really need to know how to thread the bobbin. I think I'm doing it right but not 100%. Also if I remember correctly the manual didn't say anything about the tiny little pigtail thingy on the bobbin case. Can I assume I'm supposed to go through that? I know I didn't for the last quilt because I wasn't sure and it was fine, but I'd be surprised if it was there and I wasn't supposed to use it. Anyone know a reference for the thread path and how to thread the bobbin online??? Any help is appreciated! Thanks. Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Jessica for any bobbin case you need to put the bobbin in so that when the thread comes out the notch it has done a complete u turn. Do you have an APQS machine and which model unless we know this you could get fiftden different thread paths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtlevitt Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Lyn- I have a Lucey. Not totally sure I get the u-turn. When I pull on the bobbin thread should the bobbin be turning clockwise or counterclockwise? Pretty sure I've done it both ways and had success and failure with both. And now I've re-done it so many times I totally forget what way I had it when it was working well. Thanks. Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreadWaggle Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Jessica, When I use Aurifil in my bobbin, I loosen my bobbin tension. Since you have a Pigtail bobbin, I am going to assume you also have an M bobbin. I don't use a towa, I set my bobbin tension by feel. And when I do it on a M bobbin I do it before I put it in to the Pigtail. So starting with the bobbin case in your left hand with the open side facing you. Insert the bobbin with the thread waterfalling off the right side of the bobbin. When you put the thread through the slit, it will go under the bobbin finger and then out the other side. It kind of clicks under the finger. I then pull on the thread with my right hand. I want the bobbin case to stand up in my hand, on it's side, but not come off my palm. Once I have the tension set where I want it I put it through the pigtail and then work on my top tension. The pigtail is optional. With cotton thread, looser tension works better. I love Aurifil MAKO 50 and use it often. It is my go to cotton thread. It should be fine to use the winder you are using. I know several people that wind their bobbins on their domestic sewing machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtlevitt Posted January 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Thank you Angela. That's how I have it done and I was able to get it to work nicely for a bit before calling it a night. I do my tension by feel like that and I did discover I have to do it before I put the thread in the pigtail or it just falls out. I might try going just a smidge looser on the bobbin tension. Glad to hear someone else uses Aurifil with success. Seems like very few use cotton but I love it. Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Jessica: The bobbin should turn clockwise when you pull the bobbin thread. The bobbin "finger" Angela refers to is the bobbin case tension spring. It pinches the thread to apply enough tension to form the lock stitch. The bobbin case tension spring should not be confused with the bobbin backlash spring which fits inside the bobbin case, and controls overspin of the bobbin. Have you tested the quality of your thread? Take a piece of thread and pull on both ends til it breaks. Take another type of bobbin thread and do the same thing. If the Aurifil breaks reallly easy in comparison, the cone you're using may be bad. Check the firmness of the bobbin thread winding. It sounds like you may have your bobbin winder set too loose. When you press on the wound bobbin thread with your fingernail it should be firm. If it's soft and you nail sinks in easily, it's too loose. Which thread is breaking, the spool thread, or the bobbin thread. Knowing that will help a little in diagnosing the problem. How many holes in the three hole thread guide are you using, and how do you have them threaded? It's a pre-tension device, and you may need to thread it differently with different threads. As far as threading the machine goes, the thread should come off the cone and go through the wire thread guide directly above it. BTW, it should spool off in a clockwise fashion. If it comes off counter clockwise that could be causing a problem. The thread should then go through the thread guide half way betweenthe front and back of the machine. I have an Ult 2, and that thread guide has 2 holes in it. I use the one closest to the machine. I don't know whether which hole you use affects stitch tension or not. I think there's two so you can sew with two threads. Anyway, the thread then goes to the 3 hole guide. As I mentioned, how you choose to thread it affects tension. The thread goes from the 3 hole guide to the disk tension mechanism. It should wrap clockwise three quarters of a turn around the mechanism with the thread firmly set between the tension disks, then come off the tension mechanism, under the take up spring (which should be adjusted so it rests in the 11 o'clock position), then under the crook shaped thread guide, up to the machine's take up lever, then down through the final guides to the needle. It's a good idea to put a bit of batting or a small spounge in the gap in the wire guide above the cone, after it's threaded to keep the thread from flipping out while you sew. Good luck. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted January 5, 2014 Report Share Posted January 5, 2014 Jessica, Jim gave you some very good, detailed threading directions. With the 3-hole thread guide there are two ways you can thread through it. One method wraps around the outside edge, the other method weaves up and down through the holes. I my George, I usually weave, but don' use all three holes unless I need more tension on the thread. With Aurifil, I think you want a looser tension so I would use fewer holes and the weave pattern. I hope Jim's directions help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtlevitt Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Thank you, Jim! That was exactly what I needed written out. Turns out I was doing it right, and I can't really explain it but a little more tinkering and re-threading and I got it going again. The bobbin was definitely not wound too loose. Not spongy at all. Madelyn, I currently have it threaded through 2 of the 3 holes, wrapped around. But if I run into trouble again I will try weaving it. Thanks! Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Jessica I always wrap polyester and up down cotton threads&monopoly through the three hole guide above the tension discs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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