Sew, What's Up

Sew What’s Up Presents

The Sew What’s New Archive

This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was retired in August 2007. It is being provided by “Sew What’s Up,” which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: nico
Date: 03-20-2006, 02:19 PM (1 of 9)
:Canada: I have a singer serger Ultralock 14u32. My problem is that when I am trying to surge, it does a rolled hem, instead of cutting the material and serging normally. I can't figure out how it got that way, and I can't seem to fix it.

Any suggestions?
User: nico
Member since: 03-20-2006
Total posts: 3
From: Kylnne2
Date: 03-20-2006, 04:49 PM (2 of 9)
It sounds like the serger is set up to do the rolled hem. The stitch finger needs to be changed back to regular overlock stitching. I don't know if your model requires a plate change or not to do the rolled hem but if you have another plate you may wish to change it. Your cutting width also needs to be changed. Do you not have a manual to help?
User: Kylnne2
Member since: 07-10-2004
Total posts: 629
From: mommydionne
Date: 03-20-2006, 05:32 PM (3 of 9)
I think you need to change your throat plate, that should fix the prob with this serger.
Jeanette
User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004
Total posts: 838
From: nico
Date: 03-21-2006, 07:35 AM (4 of 9)
I do have a manual, and have read it. I have tried everything I can think of. I have a plate that needs to be attached in order to do a rolled hem.
I haven't changed anything..I'm stumbled on this one.
User: nico
Member since: 03-20-2006
Total posts: 3
From: Kylnne2
Date: 03-21-2006, 05:20 PM (5 of 9)
Look at the plate that is in your machine and the extra plate. If the plate that is in your machine has a smaller stitch finger than the extra plate..that should be why you are getting the rolled hem so changing the plate would help the problem. If the larger stitch finger is already on the machine then try changing width. You also might want to increase your stitch length. I suggest to start over from scratch again and set your serger up for an overcast stitch making sure your threads are seated well in your tension discs and also pull your thread antenna up as high as it will go.
User: Kylnne2
Member since: 07-10-2004
Total posts: 629
From: nico
Date: 03-23-2006, 08:26 AM (6 of 9)
The plate is the original that was on the serger. It has never been replaced.
User: nico
Member since: 03-20-2006
Total posts: 3
From: wghmch
Date: 03-23-2006, 10:55 AM (7 of 9)
When doing a regular serging stitch, the stitch is formed over a finger, drawn snug, and then fed off of the finger by the motion of the feed/fabric. When switched to a rolled hem, the finger is removed so that the drawing up of the stitch draws up the fabric. Some sergers have the finger on the plate, some on a swing away device, and some on the presser foot. Whichever way yours is set up, the likelihood is that the finger is broken off, and there is no support for the stitch to be drawn up against.

Bill Holman
User: wghmch
Member since: 03-04-2003
Total posts: 249
From: dmoses
Date: 03-23-2006, 11:08 AM (8 of 9)
Have you adjusted the tensions for the loopers? Make sure the threads are are placed properly in the tension discs, and try adjusting the tensions. It sounds like the lower looper tension may be too tight, or the upper tension is set too loose, or a little of both.

Use some scraps, and try adjusting the tensions, a little at a time to see if you can get the effect you want.

Also, make sure there is nothing in the thread path that could be pulling on the lower looper thread---e.g. lint, or maybe the thread jumped out of one of the loops, or is getting caught on something along the way.

I hope this helps. Good luck! :smile: With so many variables, sergers can be a real pain in the neck when they act up.
Take care,
Donna
User: dmoses
Member since: 02-22-2002
Total posts: 964
From: Clarkia
Date: 03-23-2006, 12:18 PM (9 of 9)
I have fought with, loved, hated, but mostly used with great pleasure three different sergers over the last 20 years. Here are some things that I have put into my bag of tricks.

Save serger scraps. I have a whole box full and sometimes I need them all!

Study the situation first. The internet is a wealth of information if you enter just the right words in the search box (I use google). Second, make sure you are fresh and rested when you sit down at the serger. Third, make only tiny changes in the tensions at a time, then serge a few inches and see how the stitch changes. These machines, I swear, have a personality of their own.

After all these years, sometimes I just miss getting the machine threaded correctly. So I completely unthread the machine, and start over.

One time several years ago, I found some lint in one of the tension discs. My husband was afraid I would wreck the whole thing, but I took the discs apart and cleaned them. There was lint in there, as I suspected, because nothing I did with the tension on that particular thread made any difference. Took quite a while but I was very careful, and my reward was a smoothly running serger again. I would not recommend this to anyone, but as a very last resort if you have a reliable repairman handy, it may help. Be sure he DOES take the tension apart. I would almost stay right there to watch. Yes, I have been burned before. In fact, my machine had just been serviced, that is why I took the tensions apart myself, because he didn't do a thing for me. The machine was just as useless when I got it back as before I sent it to him. I think I was just lucky that my model was one that I could manage to fix. It was a slow painstaking job.

My present serger is a Husqvarna 936, and has been the most trouble free of any of them. I absolutely love it. I have had good service for this one, clean it out myself quite often with a small set of vacuum tools, and take it in for a professional job occasionally. I would almost buy a machine on the basis of the quality of the service available.
Kay
User: Clarkia
Member since: 05-05-2003
Total posts: 23
Sew, What's Up
Search the “Sew What’s New” Archive:
Visit Sew What’s Up for the latest sewing and quilting tips and discussions.
This page was originally located on Sew What’s New (www.sew-whats-new.com) at http://www.sew-whats-new.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-18637.html