Gmitt
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Date: 1/15/12 8:38 PM I purchased a used janome mc 6500 just over a year ago from a reputable dealer. It seemed like a great deal and a much nicer machine than I expected to get for my budget ( I paid around $550). About six months ago i started to have issues with the thread breaking and I can't seem to resolve it.
I've tried about everything, changing needles, thread, bobbins. I've also taken it into two separate repair shops. The thread rarely breaks when they try it, yet when they watch me sew they can't find anything wrong with what I'm doing.
I'm at my wits end. Im willing to admit the possibility of user error since it doesnt act up at the repair shop, but i don't know what else to try. Any suggestions? I'm about to do something drastic like trade it in and blow my savings on a bernina!
-- Edited on 1/22/12 5:04 PM -- |
Soolip
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Date: 1/15/12 9:39 PM Thread breaks are caused by a burr somewhere. It's just a matter of finding it and rubbing it out. Bernina's can get them too, so spending all that money for a problem with such a cheap fix is probably not the best move. The dealer who sold you this machine needs to fix it. |
Warbler
 
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In reply to Gmitt
Date: 1/15/12 9:43 PM Hi Gmitt, Welcome to PR! I know this is very frustrating as we have all been there. I know this may sound almost asinine buy on occasion I have forgotten to raise the antenna... if that is not the problem then make sure you are using the right sized needle for the thread you are sewing with... also, is it possible that there is a burr somewhere along the thread path or needle plate? Or have you checked the spool to be sure the thread is not snagging there? You did not mention where the break occurs nor whether it is the top or bobbin thread that breaks. Also double check the threading and each of the guides to be sure something is not snagging the thread. Best wishes. I hope you get this resolved. ------
Janome MC6600 Bernina 240 Juki MO735 Singer 201-2 Singer 221-1 Singer 15-91 |
Gmitt
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Date: 1/16/12 1:03 AM Thanks for the ideas already! A couple of clarifications: the thread is breaking at the top not the bobbin. I'm using a 90/14 quilting needle with thread recommended by my dealer. The antenna is up. I cant take it back to the original dealer as ive since movedout of state. I did take it there a couple of times before I left and it never broke while I was there, so they just gave me some tips on machine operation since it seemed like an obvious case of user error! It happens frequently when i sew-- at least every third line in the quilt i'm quilting now. It doesn't happen on my old kenmore, which is why I don't think it's entirely user error.
Maybe I'll take it in again and ask them to specifically look for burrs. Is this common? I brought it in to the repair shop a few weeks ago and if there is a burr they didn't catch it. |
Michelle T
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Date: 1/16/12 10:00 AM Gmitt are you using the same type of thread in the bobbin as on top? I know that may seem to be a strange question, but on my old Kenmore made by Janome, the top thread would start to shred, then break (at the needle) if I had cotton on top and poly in the bobbin. Using the same thread in both solved the problem.
Another question, which brand of needles are you using? I have no problems at all with Organ of Schmetz, but my machine does not like Klasse needles.
Last question, can you see where it is breaking? If I looked closely I could see the thread start to shred just behind the needle, before it broke on my machine.
------
Proud parent of a Dwight International School Honour Roll Student |
Ambimom
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In reply to Gmitt
Date: 1/16/12 11:37 AM I have the 6600 which is virtually identical to yours. If it ran fine for six months, there must be something like an idle strand of thread somewhere that has been overlooked.
I have discovered that it sometimes helps to turn the tension manually all the way to zero and back up to the 4-6 range. Then floss out those tension disks [with regular unwaxed dental floss, of course]. Also, I would either vacuum or use canned air to make sure the tension disks and bobbin assembly are free of debris.
One presumes that the repair people have taken the bobbin assembly apart to make sure no thread strands have been caught in the mechanism.
You would be surprised how an almost invisible strand of thread can make the machine run badly. |
TessKwiltz
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In reply to Gmitt
Date: 1/16/12 12:20 PM What thread are you using? Particularly, is it spiral-wound or stacked? Correct me if I am wrong but I think that machine doesn't have a way to feed thread off the side of a spool and if you are using a stacked spool feeding off the end it will introduce a twist.
Something that helped me diagnose a similarly-frustrating issue a while back was to sew on some scrap and watch the thread along the thread path. In my case I was able to see where the thread was getting hung up. ------
Tess
On threadpainting flowers: "How many colors are in a flower? ... How many do you have?" - Ellen Anne Eddy |
sew2006
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In reply to Ambimom
Date: 1/16/12 12:36 PM Canned air should never be used on a computerized machine especially in the bobbincase area as it blows the dust far into the machine and will cause aditional problems. ------
Janome10001, Babylock ESG3, Brother ULT 2001, White 634D serger, Pfaff 1472, Singer featherweight, Singer 14T957Dc, |
sew2006
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In reply to Ambimom
Date: 1/16/12 1:02 PM double post
-- Edited on 1/16/12 1:05 PM -- ------
Janome10001, Babylock ESG3, Brother ULT 2001, White 634D serger, Pfaff 1472, Singer featherweight, Singer 14T957Dc, |
sew2006
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In reply to Gmitt
Date: 1/16/12 1:14 PM What weight of thread are you using? Some quilting thread in the 40wt needs a top stitching needle (bigger hole in the needle for the thread to pass through). Are you doing a straight stitch with cotton top, batting, bottom? A walking foot and longer lenght may be needed. Have you purchased any generic bobbins, most people would be suprised by the number of problems cause by the wrong bobbins. The Janome boobins have a bit of rubber in them and have a yellow tinge. Look at your thread to see if it's labeled "hand quilting", it has wax and dosn't always play nice with machines. Last take the bobbincase out of the machine and look at it. Any rough edges on it will cause a thread break. Same with the opening in the needle plate. As others already mentioned brush out lint under/around bobbincase or vacum out. Put a little tiny drop of oil in the centre of the bobbincase (the wick looks like a piece of lint.) ------
Janome10001, Babylock ESG3, Brother ULT 2001, White 634D serger, Pfaff 1472, Singer featherweight, Singer 14T957Dc, |
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