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From: ddreev
Date: 05-29-2007, 01:32 PM (1 of 14)
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bernina 1630 I keep having problems with thread nests on the bottom side of my fabric and sometimes the top thread breaks if I'm sewing at a faster speed. I bought the machine used and I love it when it behaves but this is becoming very frustrating and trips to the dealer are expensive and I'm not getting any good answers. I bought a new bobbin case and it worked like a dream for about 12 to 15 hrs of sewing then the problem started again. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, ddreev Dorothy D.
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User: ddreev
Member since: 05-29-2007 Total posts: 69 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-29-2007, 03:05 PM (2 of 14)
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If this is a 1630 Bernina, and I think it probably is, it is VERY particular about the direction of the thread as it spools from the bobbin. The 5 mm Bernina machines are like Odie...just grateful to have a bobbin...but the wider hook system is different. If I am right about the hook system on your machine, you should be able to thread the bobbin like my 200 machine...so try this. Take the bobbin case out so that you are looking at the open side of the case and the hook mechanism (top) is pointing up or away from you. Put the bobbin in the case so that it is going clockwise (the thread is pointing down). Hold on to the end of the thread and place the bobbin in the case. Now turn the case so that you are facing the slit where the thread goes. Take the thread backwards up the case toward the spring...slipping it under the spring...which is a flat piece of metal with a slight hook at the top. Feed the thread upward until it is inside the hook portion of the spring. Now, I don't know what the top of your bobbin case looks like. If it has a finger extension and you are going to make button holes or do embroidery with the machine, you put your thread into the finger from the inside toward the outside edge of the finger. If you are sewing, you should be able to take the bobbin case, insert it in the machine, holding the thread and snap it in place. On the 1530 there is a finger indention at the door. Take the thread through that and shut the door. On the 200 there is a little cutting hook there, you just lay your thread on the hook and shut the door. That part of the machine should be in business. Now all that being said there are other problems that can cause this. If you wind your bobbin and have any stray end pieces anywhere, through the side of the bobbin, sticking out from the inside of the bobbin, the hook mechanism is sensitive enough on these machines, that it can pick up the tiniest piece and try to make a stitch with it. If it is the wrong piece...it'll lock up your machine....that also goes for any little pieces laying around inside the machine...or even the end of the top thread, should it fall into the "hole" while the first stitch is being made. To avoid that problem, some people hold the ends of their thread for the first stitch or two. Some of us "old-timers" were taught to put the first stitch in the fabric with the hand wheel. Be sure that when you thread the upper portion of your machine, that you make all the thread guides and that the presser foot is up when you thread your machine. This opens the tension disks and lays the thread in the proper position to sew. Be sure that your needle is in so that the flat part faces the back of the machine and that it is a proper needle made for your machine, rated for home machines...most of those that you would buy at Hancocks or another local fabric store would be fine. Do not use Singer needles in the machine. You may want to remove the presser plate and clean under it, just to make sure that the machine is clear of lint and old threads and anything trapped there will effect the sewing of the machine. On my 1530 it just pops up and back from the front to the back. When you put it on you put it on from the back and slide it down toward the front. Be sure that you clean around the race of the machine and put a single drop of Bernina's oil there...there is a lot of debate about the quality of all the machine oils..but it is cheap, just use theirs...lasts forever and isn't that expensive. If your oil has turned brown, replace it. 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: Tom Land
Date: 05-29-2007, 08:31 PM (3 of 14)
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Pam has said it all. The only other thing I can think of is to make sure you are using the right bobbin. Not all Bernina bobbins fit all Bernina machines. I would bet it is in the threading of the upper thread though. Oh, another possibility. Make sure you are using sewing machine thread. Not "Hand sewing" or some other over sized thread. You will also find that Coats & Clark will sometimes cause problems.
Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: ddreev
Date: 05-30-2007, 12:50 PM (4 of 14)
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Thanks, Pam and Tom for the advice. Years ago when I started to sew my first challenging projects(a daughter who was hard to fit and needed a dress for a school dance), a lady in the neighborhood I lived in who sewed beautifully gave the great advice of never use cheap thread or cheap needles and you will eliminate 75% of your problems. So I generally stick to schmetz needles and mettler thread for regular sewing. I was using a a 70 needle and 60/2 thread this time. The 1630's bobbin case does not have the finger on it. I think they might have a special one for some of the embroidery with a extra loop but I don't have that. It uses the bernina bobbins with the oval holes in them so you don't have a choice on the bobbins. I did check and I think am putting the bobbin in correctly( It rotates clockwise when you are looking at it inserted into the case and pull the thread). I clean the machine regularly and use compressed air. Two things I have thought of: Do you think the upper tension guides could cause much trouble? I used the compressed air on them last night. I also realized that the signal for low bobbin was not working. I change thread frequently and had not run out of bobbin thread in a while. In reference to not using a singer needle,I just got a featherweight. Do I have to use only singer needles in it or will the schmetz work? Thanks again, Dorothy Dorothy D.
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User: ddreev
Member since: 05-29-2007 Total posts: 69 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 05-31-2007, 08:42 AM (5 of 14)
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Dorothy, The low bobbin indicator not working is usually just lint in the hook area. If you used compressed air on the tension assembly you may have blown some lint into it. Make sure that when your presser foot is lowered the tension does tighten up on the thread. You also could have blown lint into the check spring so that it is now hanging up. make sure it is moving freely.
Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: ddreev
Date: 05-31-2007, 11:24 AM (6 of 14)
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Interesting... I was told to use the compressed air on this machine guess it was bad advice! The instruction manual I recieved with the machine is not the best in describing its parts or basic maintence. The instructions for taking out the hook do not jive with the illustrations. The illustrations only show removing the bobbin case and putting oil on the hook. In the written instruction for taking the hook apart to clean they talk about pressing a lower release lever with your left thumb...I still haven't seen anything that looks like a release lever on the lower left. So I have not taken this machine apart like I do for my old one. I'm also always afraid of messing this one up so I treat it with kid gloves. Where is the check spring on this machine? Do you think I need to go back to the dealer again? Thanks, Dorothy Dorothy D.
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User: ddreev
Member since: 05-29-2007 Total posts: 69 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-31-2007, 11:37 AM (7 of 14)
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Dorothy, I have one with the rotary hook system and one with the oscellating system. I get confused which one is which but with the old hook system, such as in the 1530, you could take the case out. On the lower left corner of the machine, near the inside of the door, about 9:00, there is a little siver aparatus that sticks up and holds a cast metal piece in place. The piece that it holds is square around the bottom and "U" shaped around the bobbin assembly. It is cast metal, probably aluminum and is hinged on the bottom (but you can't see the hinges). From the front the latch looks like a button but when you push back to the left it releases the case. When the case releases, the u shaped piece swings down and releases the black bobbin assembly for removal and cleaning. The bobbin case should be removed before you remove the rest of the case. When you go to put it back in you match the hooks and set it in place, swing the door up to lock into position and then put the bobbin case back into the macine. On my 200 which has, I think the same hook system as yours, the case does not come out, or if it does I haven't discovered the secret. I have assumed this was because of the change in the system, so I'm not sure that yours will release. However, if it does, that hook, when you look at it is heavy and looks like cast aluminum. It took me a while to figure out that it released...if it is there, it doesn't look like something that would ever move. On my 200 that "U" shaped thing is set back into the machine and is held in place with a screw..it is not recommended that we remove that. If your case does remove, that is how it will be done. If it does not, I would say that they just failed to edit the instructions when they printed the book for that particular machine, since this is probably the method that had been in place for years. 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: ddreev
Date: 05-31-2007, 01:00 PM (8 of 14)
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Pam, There is nothing to release on this machine so It must be the kind you can't remove. Thanks for all of your help, you and Tom have been a big help. This web site is great and everyone is so helpful and friendly. It was my lucky day when I found it, You can never have to many sewing friends! Thanks, Dorothy Dorothy D.
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User: ddreev
Member since: 05-29-2007 Total posts: 69 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-31-2007, 01:06 PM (9 of 14)
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I agree...there are wonderful people on this site and I really like the sewing emphasis!
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: flaquilter
Date: 05-31-2007, 09:11 PM (10 of 14)
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When I took the guide classes for my Bernina 1630, we were told we could use the canned air. The instructor was very specific on how to use it. DO not blow directly into the machine where the lint can be blown back into the right hand side of machine. Take off the throat plate under the needle, open the bobbin case and remove bobbin, place canned air at the back of presser foot and release the air, where it blows toward the front of the machine, thus blowing the lint out the front of bobbin case. Then from the front of the bobbin case, angle the can from the right side toward the left and release air, it will blow it upward and out. Most of the time the force is enough that it will get any threads on the right side as it travels downward. Use the lint brush to get any remaining lint and threads. Oil the race, replace bobbin and sew. This has worked for me and I bought my machine when they first came out, traded in my 1530 for it. Hope this works for you. |
User: flaquilter
Member since: 12-16-2006 Total posts: 8 |
From: ddreev
Date: 05-31-2007, 09:38 PM (11 of 14)
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thanks for the information, It makes sense not to direct the air into the main body of the machine. Dorothy Dorothy D.
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User: ddreev
Member since: 05-29-2007 Total posts: 69 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 05-31-2007, 10:06 PM (12 of 14)
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I don't own a Bernina but for whatever it's worth, one of the best investments you can make for maintenance of your sewing machines is a set of the miniature vacuum attachments. Those little attachments come with adaptors that will fit most any vacuum cleaner and they do a great job of sucking lint and dust out instead of blowing it deeper into the machine. Another thing that I do occassionally is take a piece of unwaxed dental floss and run it back and forth through the thread path on my Pfaff sewing machine and the tension disks in my Juki serger. The floss will catch any little bits of lint or thread that may be trapped without leaving any other residue behind. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: ddreev
Date: 06-01-2007, 09:29 AM (13 of 14)
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Someone in my mini quilt group talked about using chenille(sp?) strips to clean their machines. I haven't tried that myself. Thanks for the information. Dorothy Dorothy D.
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User: ddreev
Member since: 05-29-2007 Total posts: 69 |
From: MaryW
Date: 06-04-2007, 01:28 PM (14 of 14)
I have had one of the mini vacuum sets for a few years now. They work great, for the keyboard too. Crumbs and such ya know. 
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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