Magnetic bobbins

[Wishes]

Dear list,
We have used all of our carboard sides bobbins and started using magnetic bobbins. I know that Ed really likes megnetic bobbins so we need some advice. Since we began using megnetic in V9 we have a lot more thread breaks than before. This happens on all types of fabrics, satin, pique, jersey, plain backing. The only major change is the bobbins. We have tried working with the thread feed window changing the upper and lower thread feed numbers. Thanks for any help.
Margaret

[Juli in Kona]

You have to take out the "backlash" spring inside the bobbin holder. If you pry if out carefully, you can put it back in when you need it.

Juli in Kona

[levelbest]

Personally, I think they are a waste of money and don't sew any better on our big reds - and we actually had folks from the company that make them here doing some thread trials (they gave us a bunch).

Save the money - cardboard or plastic sided bobbins work just fine in the Amaya.

YMMV

[Rod or Sharon]

There are several on this group we have either trained or done tech work on their machines. They all know we use NEB bobbins exclusively and absolutely LOVE them. The only thing you may need to do with the NEB bobbins is pull off 2 or 3 yards of thread before you start sewing because some of them are over-wound.

No lint to get under the leaf spring because they have clear plastic sides, tension stays consistent so we don't have to keep adjusting tension. We have even tested them and found we get more stitches per bobbin (on the same design) than does the Coats & Clark.

We have not tried the magnetic, so I can't comment about those. Just my 2 cents worth regarding bobbins.

Sharon

[Mike]

I switched from the Coats & Clark to the magnetic bobbins from Madeira. One side of the bobbin is magnetic compared to just the core being magnetic, so you have the whole magnetic side against your bobbin holder. I have had a lot less thread problems since I switched.

Mike

[Mike]

I switched from the Coats & Clark to the magnetic bobbins from Madeira. One side of the bobbin is magnetic compared to just the core being magnetic, so you have the whole magnetic side against your bobbin holder. I have had a lot less thread problems since I switched.

Mike

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Guys,
When it comes to bobbins for the Amaya, any type of bobbin can be used with success as long as it's a size "L" (large) and you understand the fundamentals of bobbin tension.
What I mean by this is that the bobbin tension should be the same regardless of brand or style of bobbin. Where most problems occur with machine operators is that they don't know what quirky problems to expect with the different types of bobbins. Once you know that you need smooth, consistent, appropriate tension coming from the bobbin case/bobbin, then you're halfway on your way to troubleshooting all those quirky problems associated with the different types of bobbins.
Disclaimer: (Your experiences may be similar or different to mine but this is just an attempt to help folks out who haven't had much experience in this area.) Here are a few inconsistent problems to watch out for:

Coats & Clark Cardboard Polyester (continuous filament):
-Cardboard sides may not always be round - sometimes oval or not cut out clean.
-Inside of spool core may not be large enough for easy spinning.
-Spool core may have rough sides that are split and stick out.
-Spool may be overwound causing spools diameter to be too large for bobbin case.
-Spool may be overwound causing spool to be too thick or fat causing spool to hang out the back side of bobbin case. With this problem, your tension checks good when in your hands but when you plug the bobbin case into the bobbin basket, it squeezes the fat bobbin causing the tension to be excessively overtight.
-Spool can be out of round (like someone stepped on it) causing it to spin like an old wagon wheel.
-Cardboard particles are shaved off of cardboard sides and contribute to the lint or debris that get trapped under the tension leaf spring.

Coats & Clark Spun Polyester ("ASTRA" - cheaper price) (not continuous filament)
-Same proplems as above including...
-Inconsistent thickness of bobbin thread and a fuzzy look to it sometimes with lumps. This is why it's cheaper.

Magnetic Core Bobbin - Fil Tec brand:
-Spool's plastic core may be too small to fit into bobbin case.
-magnetic ring falls off of core or breaks into pieces.

NEBS plastic sided:
-At base of bobbin thread there is a knot tied around bobbin spool which causes a violent thread break at the end of the bobbin thread.
-Rough edges around plastic sides.
-Spool is overwound causing spool's diameter to be too big for bobbin case.

Magnetic Cardboard sided bobbin:
-Magnetic side falls off of spool and stays stuck to inside of bobbin case.
-Same problems as cardboard sided bobbins listed above.

Size L Bobbin Case (Not a bobbin spool but still a source of problems):
-Dirty. Not much else to say here. Make sure it's as clean as when it was new.
-Anti backlash spring inside of bobbin case - this was meant to be used with metal spools.
-Bobbin case is not truly round - often one of the top edges of the bobbin case gets bent inward slightly causing the bobbin spool or a new sideless bobbin to drag against this upper wall.
-Tension too tight or too loose - The adjustable "leaf spring" on the side of the bobbin case is dirty, incorrectly adjusted, bent, or stretched. At a cost of $8-$10, if cleaning or adjusting doesn't correct the tension, replace it.


I may have missed a few or more inconsistencies but I trust some of you will add to my list.
Remember these are potential problems to look out for when experiencing sewing problems. Most of the time, simply throwing away the bad bobbin spool and starting with another one will solve your problem. With this I say don't always expect to be able to use every last bobbin in the box with success. Due to manufacturing and shipping problems, it's possible to sometimes expect 5-10% of a box of bobbins to be problematic - especially with the cardboard sided bobbins.
Everyone will have their preference when it comes to bobbin types for their own reasons. Although we use the magnetic core in our shop and are happy, I could use any bobbin (size L) you give me and can weed out the problem bobbins by always getting back to basics by checking for smooth, consistent and properly adjusted tension.
Remember to check your bobbin tension and bobbin case cleanliness everytime you place a new spool into the bobbin case. And always use high grade "continuous filament" bobbin thread. The bobbin thread should feel just as smooth and with the same quality as your top thread. Don't skimp with cheap threads as your customer should be paying for quality.
Hoping this helps.
Ed Orantes
Embroidery Machine Tech & Trainer

[levelbest]

Ed - but how do you really feel?