Class 15 clone bobbin winding issues
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 29
Class 15 clone bobbin winding issues
I have a class 15 clone which I love, but I am having an issue. When winding a bobbin, the thread will jump out of the little tension disc below the bobbin winder. Some of my threads come on tall spools - is this part of the problem? I see that the tension disc can be moved side to side. Should I move it further away from the spool? Or should I hold the thread with my fingers as it winds?? This machine has a stitch - for both straight stitching and FMQ. But the bobbin thread tension will suddenly go problematic and I think this happens because the bobbin thread is not winding with even tension because it jumps out of the tension disc. I have just been stopping and moving the thread back into the disc and then continuing with winding the bobbin. What do you all suggest? Thanks!
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 01-20-2020 at 09:23 AM. Reason: shouting/all caps
#2
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Location: Keller, TX
Posts: 1,942
tell us what model machine you have or is comparable to.....A photo of the "tension disk" you are referring to would be helpful. If your thread is getting under your bobbin and winding around the pin, thread your bobbin in the "Bunny down the rabbit hole" trick. Thread your thread up through the tiny hole on the bobbin, then take the thread down the center of the large hole. Place the bobbin on the spindle and wind your thread. Cut the thread from the spool, then trim off the thread at the little hole location, The reason for a badly wound bobbin is when it is jumping out of the "tension disk" it is loose on the bobbin, then you put the thread back in the disk and the thread winds tighter.....so your bobbin is not wound consistently, thus causing problems with your stitching when sewing. Hope you can figure this out.
#3
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 29
tell us what model machine you have or is comparable to.....A photo of the "tension disk" you are referring to would be helpful. If your thread is getting under your bobbin and winding around the pin, thread your bobbin in the "Bunny down the rabbit hole" trick. Thread your thread up through the tiny hole on the bobbin, then take the thread down the center of the large hole. Place the bobbin on the spindle and wind your thread. Cut the thread from the spool, then trim off the thread at the little hole location, The reason for a badly wound bobbin is when it is jumping out of the "tension disk" it is loose on the bobbin, then you put the thread back in the disk and the thread winds tighter.....so your bobbin is not wound consistently, thus causing problems with your stitching when sewing. Hope you can figure this out.
My machine is a clone of a Singer 15. I don't know any other way to describe the model, sorry. I have included a picture of the machine and a pic of bobbin winding side of the machine. The disc I am referring to is to the right of the spool pin below the bobbin winder/handwheel. (On the base of the machine.) It looks like it will move side to side. I am wondering if that will help the thread not to jump out of the disc as the bobbin is winding - resulting in consistent bobbin winding.
The thread is not getting out of the bobbin and wrapping around the pin.
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,893
You can adjust the tension on the bobbin wider by turning the screw you see in the front of it (on the bed of the machine). I've not had your specific problem, but often get the bobbin winding mechanism going too fast and the thread will jump off the spool pin and the thread wraps around the post where you put the bobbin.
The first thing I would do is play with adjusting the tension (both tightening and loosening) to see if you can make it work right. My guess it's either too tight and the thread won't seat between the discs or it's too loose and the thread pops out. If that doesn't work I'd work with the speed you are using to wind the thread with slowing and speeding up with your foot controller so see if there is a speed where it works correctly (I'm suggesting that because of my experience).
Something to think about is that thread spools aren't as heavy as they were when this machine is made. When this machine was made, all the spools were wooden. So, if you still don't have a satisfactory solution is to put some kind of weight on the top of the thread spool to make it heavier (coin, washer, fishing weight) and see if that helps.
bkay
The first thing I would do is play with adjusting the tension (both tightening and loosening) to see if you can make it work right. My guess it's either too tight and the thread won't seat between the discs or it's too loose and the thread pops out. If that doesn't work I'd work with the speed you are using to wind the thread with slowing and speeding up with your foot controller so see if there is a speed where it works correctly (I'm suggesting that because of my experience).
Something to think about is that thread spools aren't as heavy as they were when this machine is made. When this machine was made, all the spools were wooden. So, if you still don't have a satisfactory solution is to put some kind of weight on the top of the thread spool to make it heavier (coin, washer, fishing weight) and see if that helps.
bkay
#5
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 29
You can adjust the tension on the bobbin wider by turning the screw you see in the front of it (on the bed of the machine). I've not had your specific problem, but often get the bobbin winding mechanism going too fast and the thread will jump off the spool pin and the thread wraps around the post where you put the bobbin.
The first thing I would do is play with adjusting the tension (both tightening and loosening) to see if you can make it work right. My guess it's either too tight and the thread won't seat between the discs or it's too loose and the thread pops out. If that doesn't work I'd work with the speed you are using to wind the thread with slowing and speeding up with your foot controller so see if there is a speed where it works correctly (I'm suggesting that because of my experience).
Something to think about is that thread spools aren't as heavy as they were when this machine is made. When this machine was made, all the spools were wooden. So, if you still don't have a satisfactory solution is to put some kind of weight on the top of the thread spool to make it heavier (coin, washer, fishing weight) and see if that helps.
bkay
The first thing I would do is play with adjusting the tension (both tightening and loosening) to see if you can make it work right. My guess it's either too tight and the thread won't seat between the discs or it's too loose and the thread pops out. If that doesn't work I'd work with the speed you are using to wind the thread with slowing and speeding up with your foot controller so see if there is a speed where it works correctly (I'm suggesting that because of my experience).
Something to think about is that thread spools aren't as heavy as they were when this machine is made. When this machine was made, all the spools were wooden. So, if you still don't have a satisfactory solution is to put some kind of weight on the top of the thread spool to make it heavier (coin, washer, fishing weight) and see if that helps.
bkay
#6
The left to right adjustment of bobbin tension is for uneven feeding of the bobbin, for example if there is more thread on one side of the bobbin than on the other.
I have a bobbin winder tension that is missing one of the pieces, so no tension on that one. But if you have all the pieces, bkay is right to adjust the screw on the front.
Something else that may help, besides weight of thread spool, would be to put a spool pin felt on the spool pin on the bed of the machine.
It seems that some of the 15s have a notch on the front side of the nose plate, so one could run thread from the top spool pin to the front notch of the nose plate, down to the tension disc and then up to the bobbin winder.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
I have a bobbin winder tension that is missing one of the pieces, so no tension on that one. But if you have all the pieces, bkay is right to adjust the screw on the front.
Something else that may help, besides weight of thread spool, would be to put a spool pin felt on the spool pin on the bed of the machine.
It seems that some of the 15s have a notch on the front side of the nose plate, so one could run thread from the top spool pin to the front notch of the nose plate, down to the tension disc and then up to the bobbin winder.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: River City, Orygun
Posts: 86
As OurWorkbench mentioned, move the tension assembly "under" the bobbin for even winding/stacking. As for the spool pin- IMO it's too close to the tensioner so it doesn't unwind with even tension, and may even twist the thread. Also as mentioned you want to introduce a bit of drag on the spool to eliminate backlash. Think of it as casting with your fishing reel.
If equipped with the "notch" that OurWorkbench points out, use that. If not (and what I use) is a thread stand placed somewhere within line of sight of the tensioner. You want to insure the last "eye" before the tensioner is fixed, which the path directly off the spool is not (fixed.).
If equipped with the "notch" that OurWorkbench points out, use that. If not (and what I use) is a thread stand placed somewhere within line of sight of the tensioner. You want to insure the last "eye" before the tensioner is fixed, which the path directly off the spool is not (fixed.).
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 29
The left to right adjustment of bobbin tension is for uneven feeding of the bobbin, for example if there is more thread on one side of the bobbin than on the other.
I have a bobbin winder tension that is missing one of the pieces, so no tension on that one. But if you have all the pieces, bkay is right to adjust the screw on the front.
Something else that may help, besides weight of thread spool, would be to put a spool pin felt on the spool pin on the bed of the machine.
It seems that some of the 15s have a notch on the front side of the nose plate, so one could run thread from the top spool pin to the front notch of the nose plate, down to the tension disc and then up to the bobbin winder.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
I have a bobbin winder tension that is missing one of the pieces, so no tension on that one. But if you have all the pieces, bkay is right to adjust the screw on the front.
Something else that may help, besides weight of thread spool, would be to put a spool pin felt on the spool pin on the bed of the machine.
It seems that some of the 15s have a notch on the front side of the nose plate, so one could run thread from the top spool pin to the front notch of the nose plate, down to the tension disc and then up to the bobbin winder.
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
#9
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 29
As OurWorkbench mentioned, move the tension assembly "under" the bobbin for even winding/stacking. As for the spool pin- IMO it's too close to the tensioner so it doesn't unwind with even tension, and may even twist the thread. Also as mentioned you want to introduce a bit of drag on the spool to eliminate backlash. Think of it as casting with your fishing reel.
If equipped with the "notch" that OurWorkbench points out, use that. If not (and what I use) is a thread stand placed somewhere within line of sight of the tensioner. You want to insure the last "eye" before the tensioner is fixed, which the path directly off the spool is not (fixed.).
If equipped with the "notch" that OurWorkbench points out, use that. If not (and what I use) is a thread stand placed somewhere within line of sight of the tensioner. You want to insure the last "eye" before the tensioner is fixed, which the path directly off the spool is not (fixed.).