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Member since 6/4/17
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Re: Thread Keeps Breaking (Problem Solved) (posted on 6/13/17 12:09 PM ET)
(Edit-Update) The problem has been solved, Thank you everyone for your help. Now we can sew
New Video is below


I bought this sewing machine for my daughter for 5 dollars at an auction. It used to sew fine but now the thread breaks after a couple of stitches. Here is a short video of the problem and the setting on the machine. Can anyone help me diagnose the problem?

I would rather fix the machine than get a new one.
Thank you in advance
Video of My MachineVideo Problem Solved
-- Edited on 6/14/17 at 1:14 PM -- -- Edited on 6/14/17 at 1:29 PM --
-- Edited on 6/14/17 at 1:30 PM --
-- Edited on 6/14/17 at 1:31 PM --
  
Member since 5/30/15
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Posted on: 6/13/17 12:24 PM ET
Is your thread feeding smoothly-like not getting caught on the little notch on the spool(I do that all the time), not getting caught on any of the thread guides, going through tensioner correctly?

First thing to try is rethreading, top to bottom and make sure your thread is feeding smoothly and not getting caught around spool holder or something.

Could you have gotten a burr in your needle, needle plate or hook? Are you using the right needle and thread combo?

Sometimes it just a little thing like thread catching in the little notch they cut in the spool.
  
Member since 8/14/05
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Posted on: 6/13/17 12:27 PM ET
In reply to StupidMcStoopid
Have you cleaned out the bobbin area lately? Changing the needle to a new one is another good move plus the rethreading already mentioned. How long have you had the machine and has it ever had a servicing? :)
Good luck!
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"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." --Dalai Lama
https://eyeletsintheseams.blogspot.com

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Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 6/13/17 12:53 PM ET
At a guess, the machine is slightly misthreaded, or there is a burr on the thread path, or the thread is bad. Do you have the manual? If you don't, go to http://singerco.com and click on "instruction manual" towards the bottom of the page. A search box will pop up. Enter W999 there and you will be offered a free manual to download. Take it.

Go to p 39 of the manual (41 or so of the download) and follow the cleaning and oiling instructions. Then go back and follow the threading instructions exactly, including making sure the presser foot is up before you thread the top and that the thread uptake lever is at the top of its travel before threading the top of the machine. Make sure the bobbin is evenly wound, and when the bobbin case is sitting in your hand with the bobbin facing you, pull on the thread tail. The bobbin should turn in a clockwise direction when you do.

Put a new needle, right way around, in the machine and tighten the needle clamp.

Put the bobbin case in and, using the handwheel, turning it only in the direction indicated in the manual (I think it is a push for Whites, but check), raise the bobbin thread. Pull the bobbin and top thread tails under the presser foot and to the rear of the machine.

Now you are going to start each and every seam this way:
1. Place the fabric under the presser foot, and with the foot still raised, turn the handwheel in the correct direction to drop the needle into the fabric at the start of the seam.
2. Drop the presser foot now.
3. Hold the two thread tails together behind the presser foot while you take the first 2 or 3 stitches, and then drop them and sew normally.

When you get to the end of the seam, use the handwheel (again in the correct direction) to raise the needle and thread uptake lever to their highest point of travel. Raise the presser foot and pull the fabric off towards the back of the machine. Clip the thread tails.

If, as I suspect, this is a minor misthreading issue, cleaning the machine to get rid of lint and bits of broken thread and then rethreading properly will fix it. If it doesn't, give us a holler and we can further explore what is going on pretty easily.
  
Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 6/13/17 12:57 PM ET
I am probably way out of line here, but would you consider a change in your user name? As an old teacher, I have found time and again that students make swift progress once they quit thinking themselves dumb. Newbies aren't stupid, they just haven't learned enough yet. I would hate to see you sabotage yourself with a bad label.
-- Edited on 6/13/17 at 12:58 PM --
  
Member since 5/1/05
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Posted on: 6/13/17 2:16 PM ET
Used machines can be quite the challenge, and so can beginning sewers. It's easy to bend, or drop parts and have tensions change. I usually give a machine a good cleaning with rubbing alcohol and then oil as shown in the instructions. Sometimes that takes care of the issues. But, It could be a threading issue, a bent needle, the needle not installed properly, tension issue on the top thread, tension issue on the bottom, or thread coming off the spool the wrong way. If you do not have the instructions, check on line for them. After the cleaning, get a new spool of thread, new bobbin, new needle and completely start over. The instructions should have what the factory settings should be and start with those and work from there. If it is still doing it, check the bobbin tension. The thread should pull easily, but not race out and it should not be a hard tug. If it is either, check the instruction for how to adjust the bobbin tension. Any more than that really needs to be addressed by a repair tech.
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Member since 5/28/11
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Posted on: 6/13/17 5:21 PM ET
Are you using the right bobbins? The right needle for the fabric? Do you have it threaded correctly? There could be lots of things wrong with it. My guess is that it needs servicing but it may not be worth the $75 or so that you will need to spend on it.
  
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Posted on: 6/13/17 6:29 PM ET
In reply to StupidMcStoopid
Trying to watch the video which goes a bit fast...one thing I saw was the upper tension is too low...whatever the number range is...set it in the middle...for instance if the number range goes as high a 9...set it to number 4 or 5.

Also...it seems to me that maybe the stitch dials might be set for a small zig zag and straight stitch settings at the same time. Do you have a manual for this particular machine?

Make sure the thread uptake lever is threaded correctly. If the thread uptake lever is missed then there will be thread nesting under the fabric as that's what I'm seeing in the video. If the thread uptake lever is threaded correctly...then check if the thread is old and fraying right there at the thread uptake lever. If so...then don't use that thread for machine sewing. Keep it for hand basting.

As others have mentioned...it's very important that this new to you machine be cleaned out of lint under the feed dogs and around the bobbin case. Has that been done?

Make sure the upper thread has a clear path. As others have mentioned check that the thread is not catching on the thread spool's notch or winding around the thread spool pin under the thread spool. Is there a red spool felt under the thread spool?

Can you make a longer video of how this machine is being threaded and the bobbin placed in the bobbin case?

ETA (edited to add) link to manual which will be on upper threading page...but you can scroll sideways to any of its pages. Look at thread guide #3 in the manual and be sure that is threaded correctly on your machine.

W999 manual
-- Edited on 6/13/17 at 7:15 PM --
  
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Posted on: 6/13/17 7:37 PM ET
In reply to StupidMcStoopid
It looks like the needle position indicator shows the needle in the middle position but the needle is actually in the left position...I wonder if that's broken. Is the needle hitting the presser foot by any chance?
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Posted on: 6/13/17 8:36 PM ET
In reply to StupidMcStoopid
What is being shown in your video is the sewing jamming up and thread nesting on the underside of the fabric...not seeing the thread actually breaking.

As others have mentioned...be sure that the presser foot is up when threading the upper thread tension disks...and have the thread uptake lever in its highest point.

Here is a video that explains about having the presser foot up when threading the upper thread tension disks.

target='_blank'>Sewing Thead Nests on the Bottom


This next video shows jamming and thread nesting on the bottom from missing threading the take up lever. Also...to release a thread jam...be sure to open up the bobbin case area and clear out any thread carefully as shown in this video. DO NOT pull on the fabric to try to release a thread jam.

Thread Jam and Nest from Missing Threading Take up Lever
  
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