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Problems with top thread pulling to back.


quilted charm

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I have been quilting with my milli for 8 years and just recently started having a problem with the machine pulling the top thread to the back, and getting caught up in the hook and bobbin area.  I would have to cut the thread and then pick out the thread that was in the hook assembly.  I thought it must be a timing issue, so I redid the timing.  It got worse!  Now the top thread goes to the back, and  makes a big knotted mess, and then continues on as if nothing happened. Then occasionally, there will be a big loopy stitch.  It doesn't actually skip a stitch, just leaves a loop, then continues on with normal stitches for a while.   When I pulled the last quilt off the frame, it had these "knots" about every foot or so of quilting.  When I cut the knots out, it takes some of the stitches out. I would post photos, but the lady really wants her quilt so I already trimmed all the mess.  (I should mention I was using King Tut thread.  Normally, I use Glide)    Any ideas?

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Have you WD40 cleaned the hook area recently.  Some old lint may have collected causing a problem.  If you did that, As King Tut is cotton, I would look for a tiny burr on the hook assembly.  My guess something small that is catching the not so slick cotton, but is not an issue with Glide.  Best of luck to you.

Cagey

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Leslie:  It sounds like your top tension might be too loose.  When I run Glide or Sigma or the like, I have to loosen my top tension to keep from breaking the thread.  When I switch back to my usual YLI Longarm Professional, if I don't tighten the top tension up again, I get results like your describe.  Give the tension adjustment a try and see if your results don't improve.  Good luck.  Jim

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17 hours ago, Cagey said:

Have you WD40 cleaned the hook area recently.  Some old lint may have collected causing a problem.  If you did that, As King Tut is cotton, I would look for a tiny burr on the hook assembly.  My guess something small that is catching the not so slick cotton, but is not an issue with Glide.  Best of luck to you.

Cagey

Yes, I did the WD40 and then oiled it.  Made no difference.  I can't see any burrs, but maybe I need to pull the hook assembly and feel for one.

Thanks for the ideas.

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Iquiltit:  If you have a TOWA bobbin tension gauge, you can use it to check the quality of your bobbins.  Wind the bobbin as usual, put it in the TOWA gauge and pull about 3 feet of thread through.  Watch the reading on the gauge as you pull the thread through.  If the reading fluctuates significantly, you may have a bad bobbin.  I do this whenever I buy any new bobbins.  Any bobbin that fails the test is discarded.  If you don't own a TOWA, buy one.  Jim

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On ‎2‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 4:58 PM, jimerickson said:

Iquiltit:  If you have a TOWA bobbin tension gauge, you can use it to check the quality of your bobbins.  Wind the bobbin as usual, put it in the TOWA gauge and pull about 3 feet of thread through.  Watch the reading on the gauge as you pull the thread through.  If the reading fluctuates significantly, you may have a bad bobbin.  I do this whenever I buy any new bobbins.  Any bobbin that fails the test is discarded.  If you don't own a TOWA, buy one.  Jim

thanks Jim

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Cagey:  All the bobbins I have are steel with holes in both sides, and I haven't paid any attention to which direction I wind them.  I check them for roundness, and for uniform thickness.  I have M size hook, and have used both the black bobbins, and the bronze colored ones like Gammill uses.  I've found the quality control to be much better with the bronze, so I've pretty much stopped buying the black ones, even though they're less expensive.  I just bought some aluminum ones without holes, and will test them out.  Jim

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I've been thinking about this since Leslie first posted.  One possibility comes to mind is the bobbin backlash spring (brake).  When you insert the bobbin in the case the bobbin should be stick up slightly from the so when you put the case in the machine the bobbin is pushed slightly against the brake preventing backlash.  You could also try using your cell phone to video record your thread path as you are quilting, I'll bet you can see the thread jump every time you get one of your knots on the back.  It may give you a hint if something is happening on top causing your issues.  Maybe the thread is snagging and releasing or you are getting a twist or knot passing through the tension discs.

i really don't know just throwing it out there to see what sticks.

Nigel

 

Also I've had a hopping foot set too high that caused loops on the back.  You could check that and up and down play.

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Jim

I use solid aluminum L bobbins that came with the machine, and others that I purchased.  I do not have any with the holes.  I will have to start marking my bobbins and see if winding them one direction changes tension.  I have found that I need to pull off two to three feet of bobbin thread making sure the tension feels correct.  If it does not, I immediately remove and reinstall the bobbin.  That has cut down a great deal on my tension issues.

Cagey

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Cagey:  If you have to pull off 2 or 3 feet of thread to get the bobbin to tension properly, you may be filling your bobbin too full.  If you over fill, the thread will drag on the bobbin case until the thread winding gets small enough not to touch the case as the bobbin turns.  I have my winders set so I'm sure the bobbin sides extend beyond the thread.  I had a problem with overfilling years ago, and have since made the adjustment so it doesn't happen now.  Jim

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Jim

No that is not it.  I use a TOWA gauge to set/check tension between every bobbin change.  I have simply found that sometimes when you thread the bobbin, put it in the machine, and then pull the bottom thread to the top, things do not line up as they should.  If the tension of the bobbin thread does not feel correct when I pull off a few feet of thread after doing all that, I pull out the bobbin case and do it all again.  I have learned that if the tension does not feel correct, there is no reason trying to quilt with it.

Cagey 

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