thread setup 101

[Shuffletown Embroidery]

Madeira mini-cones are symetrical (the core is straight with no bottom) so they can be mounted on the thread rack so that the thread spins off the top clockwise or counterclockwise. Does anyone know if it matters which way the thread comes off?
Thanks,
Mary

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Mary,
Traditionally, but not always, when the cone is sitting on the machine, the thread is wrapped around the cone counter-clockwise. This means that the thread unwinds in a clockwise direction as it's coming off the cone.
If the direction of the twists of the thread is to have any kind of impact on your embroidery/sewing, it will be at higher sewing speeds.
Also know that spools of thread that are manufactured for, what we know today as, high speed embroidery are shaped so that the thread easily comes off the spool without any hangups. If you attempt to use a small spool of thread normally used with a home sewing machine, then the thread could possibly get caught at the base of the spool and cause thread breaks.
If you are experimenting in this department, make sure you slow your machine down and that your needle is inserted in it's needle clamp with the eye facing straight forward. This will most probably present the thread to the rotary hook with a perpendicular loop no matter which way the thread is twisted.
Best of Luck,
Ed Orantes

[Shuffletown Embroidery]

Thanks, Ed. These are commercial mini-cones. Madeira's are the only ones I have seen that don't have the base. It is a bit of a problem to make sure that they are installed so that the core is firmly inserted in the plastic holder on the thread rack, but the design makes them easy to store. Another nice thing is that the color number is embossed on the plastic core, not printed on a stick-on label that eventually comes off. I wish all the thread manufacturers would do that. After all, what's the use of having color numbers if you can't find it when you need it?
Mary

[signman]

Hey, hey on the (non)stick label falling off!
over 50% of our big display (the full 200+) have lost their lables. We use a fine tip Sharpie to write the numbers on the base-it won't rub off.

[Shuffletown Embroidery]

An answer to my original question....
I tried a counter-clockwise feed off the top of 4 mini-cones, and a clockwise feed for 6 mini-cones. One of the counter-clockwise threads twisted back on itself and went into the tube all bunched up. Some times it would come out as a knot past the pinch rollers.... not good.
The problem went away when I changed the feed to clockwise. The other 3 counter-clockwise threads did OK as did the 6 clockwise threads. My experiment isn't necessarily conclusive but from now on, I'm going with the clockwise feed.
Mary

[v-embroidery]

I had some Madeira polyester threads in mini-cones from a tradeshow and the cones do not have bases. I saw on the web that the base is available at: http://www.thesewphisticatedstitcher.com/maspcadi.html. Hope this helps. Currently, I use a cone thread holder to keep thread from tangles at the base.

[Etched In Thread]

You can use the small spool caps but the cone holder/base does not work on the Amaya; it does not fit on the metal "pipes". All the new spools come with one cap each now. Viv, are you using the Madeira thread holder on the amaya? If so, did you do anything to make it fit cause all the ones I have do not fit. I never pay attention to the way the thread feeds and have not had any problems, but lately turn them so that the color number is at the top and can be read, though upside down. I use the Polyneon, I do like it and Robison-Anton too. I really, really dislike Sulky! Edna

[v-embroidery]

That's good to hear that all new spools come with caps now. I appreciate your update. I am not using a cone holder from Madeira on the Amaya. The holder sits next to the machine while the thread is fed through the metal "pipes". I got the holder from JoAnn's and it works great.

[Greenwing]

If you just take a drill and make the hole a bit bigger on the maderia thread holder tray it fits the tubes on the amaya and works great.

I use them in place of the little paper disks that came with the machine.

they help with all my 1000m spools or cones.

[Oregonian1a]

I got a cone of metalic thread from a local shop that was small and had no taper. It's core wasn't quite big enough to go over the plastic holder at the bottom of the cone tube.

I was able to use it by putting one of those circular pieces of cardboard with a hole in the middle that shipped with my machine over the cone tube. Then I set the small cone on top of that. I took up the "play" between the metal cone tube and the inside diameter of the cone by tightly rolling a length of cap backing so the inside hole of the backing roll was the size of the metal tube, and the outside of the roll just fit inside the cone.

Was quicker to do it than explain [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Shuffletown Embroidery]

I forget who it was on this group who put me onto how to install the 1100m Madeira thread, otherwise I would give him credit for this. The tube/core fits very snugly in the hole in the top of the plastic holder. You also have to use the cardboard circle to keep the thread from falling down. Push the tube of the thread through the hole in the circle and into the hole in the top of the plastic piece. Make sure it seats so that there is no space underneath the thread so that it can't get caught. Holds perfectly but takes a little practice.
The newer "cardboard" circles are plastic coated, so the thread core doesn't push through them without doing 3 or 4 relief cuts in the cardboard hole. This will allow it to fan out so the core will go through. I sure hope this makes sense to whoever is interested.
Mary