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From: doro
Date: 04-15-2004, 06:44 AM (1 of 10)
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Hi I have an old New Home machine which must be around 25 years old. It has a problem with the upper tension discs. When the foot is up the thread flows as it should, ie with enough tension to slightly pull. However when I put the foot down the tension discs grab the thread so tight that it cannot be pulled through at all and if I try to sew the thread snaps at once (or is pulled through the needle's eye, whichever). I took the mechanism apart to check that it was clean etc, changed to a new bobbin of thread and replaced the needle. None of this helped. Further inspection has shown that the spring which goes on the inside spindle where the foot lever touches looks a bit warped. Could it be this? I have noticed a tension screw which seems to adjust the force with which the foot lever presses against this spindle (with the spring) but I am reluctant to touch this as a friend who knows how to repair machines had it all set to be just right (she's moved away so I have to learn to do this stuff myself now). Anyway, I have often had this problem with different machines so i wondered what the main cause was. ie what causes the upper tension discs to 'lock' the thread when the foot is down. (even at the very lowest tension setting on the dial). many thanks in advance doro |
User: doro
Member since: 04-15-2004 Total posts: 7 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-15-2004, 10:06 AM (2 of 10)
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My Bernina is best to thread with the presser foot up because when I put it down it activates the tension disks. If your machine does the same, it would explain why your tension is tighter when you put your presser foot down. If this is the case, you probably have some old thread frayed in the tension disks that is crowding your thread as it goes through. Ok, so if that if the problem, take a piece of cotton or other simular weight fabric and fold it in half. Raise your presser foot and run the folded edge of the fabric through the tension disks. My dealer says that you can hammer a qtip almost flat, put a little alchohol, let it almost dry and then run it through the disks to clean it, but I've not had the nerve to do it with a qtip..afraid that I'll bend something...then I'll have to take it to him to fix (lol).
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: wghmch
Date: 04-15-2004, 11:40 AM (3 of 10)
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Doro, Don't mess with anything else at this point. You have your tension set WAY OFF. When the presser foot is raised, the disks are supposed to completely part and exert zero drag/grip/pressure on the thread. This is so that you can easily remove the material without causing the thread to bend the needle. You need to back it way off so that the tension on the thread is proper when the foot is down, and then the release should work to eliminate the tension when the foot is raised. Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
From: doro
Date: 04-16-2004, 04:56 AM (4 of 10)
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thanks for that you two fisrtly there is no lint or anything there because I dismantled and cleaned the whole assembly. secondly, when you say the tension is way off and needs to be adjusted do you mean the screw or the discs? here is what happened 1. thread m/c with new thread, fit new needle, tension set at '3' or midpoint, thread runs through upper tensioner ok. 2. slide in fabric and lower foot. 3. start to sew, thread snaps immediately (sometimes it just gets pulled through the needle eye) 4. remove fabric and inspect m/c. When the foor is up no problem (as it should be). when the foot is down the tension discs grab the thread too tight for me to move it! 5. reduce tension on discs to '0' or lowest setting. 6. foot down, thread is still being gripped too tightly for ir to move at all. why is this? there must be a problem with the spring? as it's a really old m/c I doubt whether I can get replacement parts so I'm hoping to be able to repair it myself, but first I need to know if this really is the problem. I am mechanically minded so don't worry about using technical terms HELP 
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User: doro
Member since: 04-15-2004 Total posts: 7 |
From: paroper
Date: 04-16-2004, 08:56 AM (5 of 10)
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Where do you go when your tension is set at zero? Well, I'll tell you, if it were me, I'd probably take my machine, old or new to a REPUTABLE sewing machine dealer and ask him to clean and adjust it. I'd tell him what my problems are and tell him that I love my machine and don't want to part with it, but if he finds something wrong that is not a simple adjustment to call me before he proceeds. It could be a simple screw. Although we expect the worst, most problems with any machine are generally simple, we just remember the bad ones. I always think that it is better to take something in while the problem is small rather than try to fix it and get everything out of adjustment so that it will cost a fortune.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: wghmch
Date: 04-16-2004, 09:10 AM (6 of 10)
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In a case like this, the numbers on the upper tension mean nothing. It has been assembled wrong and they do not indicate what they should. Without seeing it, it is almost impossible for me to know what was done wrong, but it has been put together in such a way that the actual amount of tension exerted on the thread when the dial is at about 3 is the amount that should be exerted when the dial is turned as high as it will go. It must be completely reset so that the tension is correct when it is on about 3-5. There should be NO tension when the presser foot is raised, so comparing the two does nothing but confuse you. Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
From: doro
Date: 04-19-2004, 05:02 AM (7 of 10)
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I am really grateful for all your help and replies but you seem to be missing the point yes - there is NO tension when the foot is raised, that bit is ok BUT when I put the foot down the discs grab the thread too tight for it to be moved AT ALL and YES this is with the tension dial at it's lowest, it's not the dial being on wrong that is the issue as I am actually looking to make sure the discs open, and the spring releases the tension, when I turn it. I KNOW it is on the lowest setting. Everything is fine when the foot is up, the problem is when the foot is down. does anyone know why this is? Since I have this problem with other machines I was thinking perhaps it was quite a common problem? Plus the machine doesn't need to be cleaned as I've only used it a few times since it was last serviced, and I cleaned the whole tension mechanism myself. My servicer has moved otherwise I'd ger her to check it  I'm getting desperate now lol thanks in advance for any more help
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User: doro
Member since: 04-15-2004 Total posts: 7 |
From: doro
Date: 04-19-2004, 05:03 AM (8 of 10)
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hey wghmch I will try and take a close up photo of the mechanism and post it, maybe it will help? thanks again
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User: doro
Member since: 04-15-2004 Total posts: 7 |
From: wghmch
Date: 04-19-2004, 09:56 AM (9 of 10)
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Doro, Sorry for the confusion, but in one message you said: "When the foot is up the thread flows as it should, ie with enough tension to slightly pull." Then more recently you said: "there is NO tension when the foot is raised, that bit is ok" There is a difference between having a slight pull and none at all. Regardless, when a mechanic sets up a tension, they first get the tension set, and then when it is finally correct, they set the numbers on the dial so that they correspond to the tension. The dial only allows a certain range of adjustment from this point. That is why the dial is usually set at approx the mid point to allow adequate adjustment. In your case, the dial apparently has been set at far too high a position and is preventing the adjustment from being able to be reduced to the range where the tension should be. Just try to forget about those #s on the dial until you get it set correctly. I don't know how your specific assembly is put together, but on many common ones in the past, you had to push in on the dial so that the thumb nut that adjusts it could be rotated lower than the dial would allow. Bill Holman |
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003 Total posts: 249 |
From: doro
Date: 05-04-2004, 08:08 AM (10 of 10)
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hi all finally got it fixed the lever between the 'foot cam' and the rod which releases the tension must be a bit worn, I loosened the screw and moved the lever forward slightly so that it's nearer the rod, and now it works perfectly. thanks for all who tried to help I will definately take some photos so you can see exactly what I meant!
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User: doro
Member since: 04-15-2004 Total posts: 7 |
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