bevhquilter Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I am new to the forum, so forgive me if this is a tired topic. But I'm at my wit's end. I have a 12 yr old Millenium, 2nd hand to me, and have just recently begun doing a lot more quilting, now that I retired from my day job! I am having a lot of trouble with thread breakage at the bobbin. It breaks right at the spot where the thread exits the bobbin case, most often without a tail, but once in awhile, it leaves a half-inch long tail at the break. I have changed needles, checked for lint and other obstacles, oiled the hook area, changed bobbin cases, loosened the tension just a bit, and nothing has solved the problem. Sometimes I can hear a click just as it breaks, but not always. Could it be catching on something? I'm wondering if I need to order new bobbin cases, or even a whole hook assembly. It is driving me nuts! And of course, I'm on a deadline to finish some quilts before leaving on vacation. Couldn't happen when I have time to kill. Any advice is gratefully appreciated. BevH Eugene, OR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tella Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Try to loosen the tension on the bobbin case...there is a screw to loosen.....try to slide a pin under the spring part of the bobbin to see if there are threads or lint stuck...check Jamie Wallins you tube video ...I think he shows you how to do this... and you could maybe order a new bobbin case....since the machine is 12 years old it wouldn't hurt... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Check for a piece of thread stuck in your hook assembly, and lint under the finger on your bobbin case, and I assume you tried a different bobbin! Do you have a towa gauge, it can show a bad bobbin, poorly wound bobbin, or tension too tight? Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisae Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Try removing your needle plate and really cleaning the hook area with WD40 prior to oiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Another thing to check is the position of the hook retaining finger. It's the narrow metal piece that is attached with a screw and sticks into the assembly area to stop the hook assembly from rotating. Tightening that is the last step done when timing. If it's sticking into the slot just a bit too much it will catch and break your thread. Adjust it so it's in the slot only far enough to stop the rotation and see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevhquilter Posted January 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I watched Jamie Wallen, and even some of his other videos. Great info! I'll do the pin clean on the bobbin case, and also check the tension. After watching him, I suspect my tension is way too tight! And Linda, I'll check that hook finger too. Thanks everyone. I think I'm ready to tackle it again. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I have to run my tension tighter than he does to get good stitches. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaSteller Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I had a lot of trouble with this over the past few months, and in desperation, I bought some of the bobbin cases that have a little pigtail at the top, forcing the thread to stop at the top of the hook instead of the nine-o'clock position. It has worked like a charm for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 I think Linda Rech's suggestion is spot on. And... Over time the bobbin cases -- just like anything else, wear and tear takes a toll ... the springs wear down, etc..... it's not a bad idea to get a few new bobbin cases. they are cheap. If you drop on on the ground, it's possible to dent it or make it "out of round" and could cause a problem. Dropping bobbins can cause nicks on the edge, too, which could be a problem. Toss those puppies out and get new ones. I'm a big stickler for keeping my bobbin area squeaky clean with regular maintenance. I have an air compressor which I use all of the time to blow out the fuzz from my bobbin area, and when I am changing out bobbins, I am blowing out the bobbin case, too. Every 2-3 weeks, depending on how often my machine is used, I remove the needle bar plate and do a thorough blow out and WD40 and oil treatment. I rarely have any issues with thread breaking or tension problems. My machine hums and purrs after the cleaning. Make it a regular habit. Many times problems with tension, stitching or thread breaking is because something isn't right down under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 Bev It may well be good preventative maintenance to get yourself a new hook, new tension assembly some new bobbin cases and new bobbins. Do you have any idea of the maintenance schedule of the previous owner? If you are now ramping up your use of the machine it may even be timely to ask BarbM to come and do a maintenance check for you and rrplace a few parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibbyG Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 APQS doesn't recommend using a pin to lift of the tension thingy. It can scratch it and cause breakage. Use a business card. I know Jamie said he does that, but his is an M bobbin and it may be different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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