There's a piece of metal on the bobbin casing that's supposed to permit the top thread to catch the bobbin thread and pull a loop of it up. But it doesn't do that, so the bobbin thread cannot be brought up. I cannot provide the name of the part because the manual doesn't name it.
Shuttle Hook.
SOURCE: Bobbin thread getting caught
Check your Instruction manual - if you have taken the bobbin case apart to clean it, the shuttle must be reinserted with the little tab pressing against the piece you mention. It is under page 45 - "Caring for your machine" in my book. I missed it the first time I cleaned and oild mine.
SOURCE: I am the one who had the problem of the bobbin
Now you need to adjust the tensions, make sure you thread the machine with the presser foot up, top tension should be about 4 or 5, you should be able to pull the bobbin thread through with slight resistence, if it is too tight slacken the large screw on the bobbin case about a quarter of a turn at at a time anti clockwise and test sew until you get it right, do not use very thick threads.
SOURCE: Huge loops on back of fabric!
Please TRY the solution BEFORE giving your considered rating.
Specific detail on bobbin case adjustment (with picture) near halfway down reply, the remainder will help you achieve a balance of top and bottom tensions.
Ensure that all is clean and free of lint and jams, this is the most likely cause....now for tension troubleshooting .......
This solution is for tension problems...if you cannot form any sort of stitch, the issue is quite different, so please let me know if you need a different problem solved.....
It is quite long, but just work through each section in order.
The "knotting up" can reveal a lot. If you have loose threads on one side or the other, the tension on the opposite side will be the culprit.
QUICK SUMMARY FIRST:
Ensure sharp new needle,
Thread guides and Bobbin are Clean & Clear of lint
Set Top Tesion to 4 ....then....
Balance Bobbin to suit.
TOP THREAD TENSION:
If the looping threads are on the underside as you sew, it is the top tension. Top tension ought to be between 4 & 6 (this variation to allow for the different weights of fabric in your projects).
IS YOUR NEEDLE SHARP ?
If you are using a needle that has seen quite a deal of work, or you suspect it may be blunt, change it for a new one !
TOP TENSION & GUIDES:
Make sure that when you thread the machine the presser foot is up so the thread goes between the discs and not to one side, top tension between 4 and 6, and that you have threaded through all the guides, including the last one, usually on the needle arm, just above the needle clamp.
It may be there is lint trapped between the discs, this will keep them slightly apart and reduce the actual tension, sometimes dramatically.
If tensions appear correct, and the thread is definitely in the channel between the discs, but still too loose and looping, try raising presser foot and remove your thread.
Now, with a 2" (50mm) wide strip piece of fabric 8 - 10" (20 - 25cm) moistened with methylated or denatured spirit, gently insert the fabric strip and clean between the discs with a see saw / to and fro action.
In the worst cases, gentle use of a needle to pick & remove the jam may be necessary, but be very gentle and make sure the tension is set at Zero and the presser foot is raised, (to disengage tension plates).... do not gouge or score the plates, they need a polished surface to work correctly.
BOBBIN TENSION:
Far less common, but if the loose threads are on the top, it is bobbin tension that is loose, it too may have lint in the spring and be giving a "false" tension.
I would not recommend fiddling with bobbin tension without good reason, it may end up with missing small screws and spring pieces, however, you can take the needle plate off to clean
the hook race area (where bobbin case sits)
...this is just good housekeeping, my wife does this every time she replaces the bobbin....
just take it out and clean the bobbin case and the fixed metal hook race with a small brush to remove lint. If there is a significant amount of lint, use a vacuum and small brush to get the worst.
Then wipe all this area with a cloth or cotton bud (Q tip) moistened (not soaked) with methylated spirit, especially if there appears to be fine dirty deposits....oil and lint combine to conspire against you.
If it seems likely that you ......really ....do .....actually .....need .....to adjust the bobbin case, first check there is no lint trapped in the metal spring where the thread is tensioned.
TOP LOADER:
Drop-in Bobbin case will look similar to this image with the tension screw in the middle of the metalwork....
...the other screw at one end is holding it all together, so beware....it is not a tragedy to undo the whole lot and clean it, but very gingerly and lay the bits out in sequence and orientation, or you risk tearing your hair out !
FRONT LOADER:
....this is a bobbin case from a front loading machine and works in a very similar fashion to the top loader with drop in bobbin, again, if you dismantle it, take care so you can put it all
back properly.
FINISHING UP
GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT:
When you are certain there's no trapped lint in top tension or bobbin, set the top tension to 4 and the bobbin tension to a point where you just begin to feel resistance.
Try using good quality thread of contrasting colours so you can more easily spot the changes.
Set your zigzag to one width less than maximum (eg. 5 of 6 ...or... 4 of 5 etc) and sew a sample for a few inches and check the result.... adjust the bobbin tension screw very little at
a time, perhaps 1/16 of a turn.
You may find you are playing with this balance for some little while and if you are putting the needleplate on and off each time begin to think it cannot be correct to do this.....BUT....it is,
and eventually, you do get a "feel" for the correct tension and then it happens quite quickly.....as a user you won't be doing it very often unless there is lint built up (or are there small hands at work around the house !?!?!)
OTHER ISSUES:
If you live near the ocean as we do, salt air can play havoc with metalwork inside and out, so to help minimise this, keep a few small packets of dessicant (silica gel) in your machine
case....no case ? then make some sort of cover !
Same applies in any damp or humid environment, keep your machine dry and dust free.
Budget for a proper full service every couple of years (more often if heavily used) and if you don't use your machine for a few years, be aware that old oil will dry out and combining with
dust and form a "clag" like glue (another reason for some sort of cover, even a teatowel !)
FINALLY, A WORD ON THREAD:
If it is worth spending the time, energy and money on making something that you would like to give lasting enjoyment......use quality thread, .......it may seem to cost a little more at the
time, but the results, ease of use and added longevity will be worth the extra, and as a bonus, your tension troubles may be fewer and further between, because there is a more consistent diameter with good thread, and less compensating to be done by your tension plates and less thread breaks !
bargainbox.com.au
SOURCE: Top thread gets caught on crescent piece holding in bobbin case
If you have the manual take a better look at how to put the bobbin in the case,
sounds like you are putting it in wrong,
make sure you put the bobbin in with the thread com-ming off the bobbin in the right direction (left or right) if not put in the right way you will get what you are saying
ALSO: bring up the bobbin thread your self by turning the hand wheal and bring the thread a few inches to the back of the needle and hold when starting to sew the first 2-5 stitches.
when you do not hold the thread the machine will pull the thread in the bobbin area and cause problems.
you will get use to holding and it will get easier.
hope this helps
SOURCE: not quite sure, but, cannot get bobbin thread to
First please double check that the flywheel clutch in engaged and not in bobbin winding mode, ie the inner knob is locked by holding outer flywheel and turning inner wheel away from you.
If you remove the needle plate and bobbin cover and turn the flywheel manually can you see the hook rotating at all?
If the needle is going up and down and the rotary hook is not rotating, then my guess will be that the pinon gear down in the free arm area has failed and will need to be replaced. You don't say what model but if it is a star series you should be able to remove the top plate on the free arm by undoing one screw and exposing this area to confirm this. If its a Stella or Lotus it won't be so easy to view. Either way, if its a Swiss made Elna parts are still available and there are serviceman around who can do this repair. If you are in the USA I would suggest you browse www.whitesewingcenter for parts/repair info on Swiss Elnas.
Or try www.sewingpartsonline.com and search by your model number to see the parts available.
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