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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-13-2006, 06:38 AM (1 of 11)
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I change my sewing machine needle every time I finish a project but I have to special order my serger needles and that is somewhat of a pain. I clean and oil the machine between projects but how often should I change the needles -- or rather how long can I stretch it? It's a Pfaff Coverlock 4862. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Kylnne2
Date: 03-13-2006, 05:56 PM (2 of 11)
Dorothy, I surely don't change my serger needles after every project. It is good to change needles often however because sergers go at such fast speeds but the industrial type of needles used on the Coverhem machines will usually tell you by listening to your serger and seeing the stitch quality to assume if new needles are needed. It also depends on the types of fabrics being serged because some synthetic fabrics with metallic threads can dull a needle faster than a natural fabric. I assume you use the Schmetz ELx705 needles on your Pfaff and you posted you have to special order your needles? Where I live most dealers carry them in the shop and I believe one of the well known fabric stores has them also. Have you tried your local dealers, fabric stores and repair shops? There has to be an easier way  . Hopefully you can find a good needle source close by.
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User: Kylnne2
Member since: 07-10-2004 Total posts: 629 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 03-13-2006, 06:48 PM (3 of 11)
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I order the needles through the dealer where I got my serger. It is a quilting shop and thy don't sell a lot of sergers so they don't keep them in stock but get them for me within a couple weeks. It's only 20 miles away from here and almost everything is 20 miles from here. I really don't mind going to the quilt shop anyway. I haven't found the needles at JoAnns or Hancocks or the other independent shop. If I have to special order I'd just as soon get them from the nice ladies at the quilt shop as the big box chains. I can call them when I need needles and they get me several packs. They would mail them to me if I asked but I like their fabric too. I guess I'm changing the needles often enough since I haven't noticed a problem with stitch quality. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 03-13-2006, 09:24 PM (4 of 11)
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Dorothy, you might try ordering the needles by the 100 lot. I'm at home and don't remember for sure but a 100 box runs between $35 and $45. Right now you are probably paying around $1 each. Like Kylynne2 said you can actually hear when the needles are dull. A burr on the needle will causes snags or just a lower quality knot in the stitching. I only change needles when they need it. Unless I am sewing on a delcate fabric and don't want to risk even the slightest damage to the fabric (satin is very unforgiving if your needle is just a little dull or has a slight burr). Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 03-14-2006, 07:09 AM (5 of 11)
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Tom -- That's a good idea. Next time I am in the shop I'll ask about the 100 lot. I have another question for you. What do you think of using those canned air blowers to clean lint in a machine? Some people swear by them and others don't like them because they might blow lint where you don't want it. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 03-14-2006, 11:25 PM (6 of 11)
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Dorothy, if you take your serger in at least once a year the canned air is probably OK. The problem is that people think they are blowing the lint out when in reality most of it is getting blown back ito the machine. Lint can pack up hard as a rock and cause damage. The lint also absorbs the oil out of the machine causing premature wear.Incidence of damasge is really not that common but why risk it. I recommend using a vacuum cleaner attachment made for keyboards and other small items. They sell for around $10 and last forever. You can probably get one from your dealer or computer store. Canned air is expensive in comparison.
Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: toastydeath
Date: 03-15-2006, 03:29 AM (7 of 11)
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Tom: I just bought a serger, and I'm planning on giving it a workout - five or six hours of real machine time at a stretch. My grandmother is a sewer of 50+ years, but she has always changed the needle for every five hours of machine time for the last few years, so she wasn't able to recall specfic cues to look for. So, I'll more than likely have been running the machine for a couple hours when it starts to get dull and want to be able to catch it before it causes a quality issue. What kind of sound change or specific symptoms am I looking for? Is it wise to just take the needles out and preform the cotton ball test on them once every few hours? Or, because I am very concerned with quality and durability, should I do as my grandmother does and change them based on machine time? |
User: toastydeath
Member since: 03-11-2006 Total posts: 13 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 03-15-2006, 07:15 AM (8 of 11)
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Thank you Tom. No canned air for my babies. And thanks again for being here. We really do appreciate you. Well, at least I do -- and I know others do too. That goes for Bill as well. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 03-17-2006, 03:53 AM (9 of 11)
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You're supposed to change a serger needle? That is the one piece of equipment whose needle I really do forget. I really do keep my serger clean and oil all my machines on a regular basis (just don't change the needle often.) After years of hard work (13) and several years of that being professional sewing, I finally found a time to take my serger in for service. It looked clean as a whistle but the under cover was packed tight. The tech charged me double because he had to take everything out with tweesers, not to mention how much time it took. It was a mess. That was WITHOUT canned air. He told me the same thing that Tom is saying. The lint will wick the oil out of the machine (not good). 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: Kylnne2
Date: 03-17-2006, 05:15 PM (10 of 11)
| Pam, Yes, I know, I rarely change my serger needles also, yet I change my sewing machine needles often. I have serged tons of fleece the past few months and the needles still seem ok. I change the needle positions often because I have 5 needle postions for the different stitch programs and the needle bar tilts for easy changes etc. but I usually use the same needles including the extra needle when I use 3 needles. There are industrial type sergers but even our little home sergers were once used in factories when they first introduced in the USA. It makes me wonder when a serger is used in a factory how often are the needles changed? My old Babylock was a bugger to change needles on and I rarely changed them on that serger also. |
User: Kylnne2
Member since: 07-10-2004 Total posts: 629 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 04-11-2006, 12:57 AM (11 of 11)
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Tom: I just bought a serger, and I'm planning on giving it a workout - five or six hours of real machine time at a stretch. My grandmother is a sewer of 50+ years, but she has always changed the needle for every five hours of machine time for the last few years, so she wasn't able to recall specfic cues to look for. So, I'll more than likely have been running the machine for a couple hours when it starts to get dull and want to be able to catch it before it causes a quality issue. What kind of sound change or specific symptoms am I looking for? Is it wise to just take the needles out and preform the cotton ball test on them once every few hours? Or, because I am very concerned with quality and durability, should I do as my grandmother does and change them based on machine time? Sorry to take so long to repsond, I have been very busy preparing to be out of the shop for a week of training. Dull needles make a thudding sound. The things to watch for are the quality of the stitch and needle hole especilly on the bottom side of the fabric. A dull or damaged needle will make an obvious difference. The other things to watch for are skipped stitches or breaking thread. The most common cause of either is a bad needle. Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
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