Alert that Bobbin almost out of thread

[EarlsEmbroidery]

Is it possible to set my big reds to alert me that my bobbin is running out of thread BEFORE it runs out? I run a lot of designs that are 100k stiches and up and each design runs thru 2-3 bobbins. Sometimes I can tell where i run out of bobbin thread because of thread breaks and I can see small glitches in the design. Short of checking the bobbins when i think they may be low, is there a way i can set my machine to stop before it runs out of bobbin thread completely? perhaps this is a machine feature i have missed?
thanks

[GF]

Yes, under Settings, check the box "enable bobbin limits" and you'll get an alert before it runs out.

[EarlsEmbroidery]

I only see enable bobbin thread detection. my machines are 2004 amayas. that feature is checked and it doesnt let me know ahead of time.

[GF]

Yes, that's the correct option. Weird that yours isn't enabling when checked.

[ice_man]

Please correct me if I am wrong but i think on Big Red the bobbin thread detection will only alert you to a bobbin break or outage. It does not warn you that you are about to run out of thread. But I could be wrong, if I am just let me know and I will keep quiet.

[signman]

We're running OS7 and it does have the setting to set bobbin detection...just have never bothered to use it-I've seen it in one of the pull down menus.

[EarlsEmbroidery]

when the bobbin runs out, it stops and the machine does show -machine stopped for bobbin thread- or bobbin something but its always after it runs completely out and runs a few stitches without any bobbin thread which ends up leaving loose stitches that i then need to go back and stitch over again...this leaves a small raised area sometimes. i want to know if the machine will tell me before its completely out of thread or is there a reading on the job somewhere that tells me that. you r saying bobbin detection should be notifying me prior to the spool running out of thread?

[signman]

I'm not on the computer for the amaya...but doesn't the 'thread detection' get set with an estimated number of stitchs-and that's what it counts to tell you it's low? As I mentioned earlier-I have never used it but I thought you could enter in a stitch count. Gray cells in the back of my brain say something about 45,000 stitches per bobbin or so?

[Hugo Torbidoni]

On version 6 and higher (I may be incorrect on the version)There are 2 settings in the menu for the bobbin.

The first is "Enable Bobbin Thread Detection".
When it is checked on the machine will monitor the bobbin thread and alert you when you have run out of bobbin or if it has detected a bobbin break.

The second is the "Bobbin Timer" - When Enable is checked under the Bobbin Timer feature, the machine will automatically tell you to replace your bobbin when you have reached the number of stitches you specified. Generally, 25,000 is a good number to set for the Bobbin Timer stitch count.

The "Bobbin Timer" is on the bottom of the same page as the Enable Bobbin Thread Detection,

Hugo Torbidoni
MelcoTech
301-471-3157

[signman]

Thanks Hugo...I knew I had seen it somewhere.
Maybe one of these days I'll try it myself!

[EarlsEmbroidery]

Ok, i have version 5.07.056 and it does not have bobbin timer. i really would like that feature though. i think ill look into upgrading the software then.
thanks

[smeggy345o]

The problem with the bobbin timer is that it is based on the number of stitches . Sometimes you have longer stitches and sometime smaller stitches, so it is not at all accurate. On mine the default is 25,000 stitches and it always pops up way before I am ready for a bobbin change. I know you can change the number of stitches, but it is just a guestimate.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

For the majority of embroiderers out there, the "bobbin timer" will be impractical since the number of stitches that each bobbin spool will contain will vary from design to design.
However, for someone like "Earls Embroidery" who is sewing very, very large designs, this may prove to be a good fit for them. Although the stitch count per bobbin will vary, even within the same design, you can accomplish what you are concerned about which is to choose a value low enough to stop the machine prior to running out of thread.
You could also accomplish this task with the software you currently have by inserting a "HOLD" command after a specific color change in the color change sequence if you knew where to do so before running out of bobbin on the following color. The "HOLD" command will tell the machine to stop and wait until you hit the start button again. You could strategically insert a few "HOLD" commands throughout a very large design and at the point the machine stops, you would then change out the bobbin spool.

Even if you pull out a bobbin spool that still has a significant amount of thread on it to replace with a new spool, you could still use that smaller amount bobbin spool somewhere down the line on smaller designs.

Hope this helps,
Ed Orantes

[EarlsEmbroidery]

WOW Ed, that is a great idea...do you know how many of those small spools i have just thrown out. and the hold idea is great. ill do that from now on. thank you thank you thank you.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Hey, no problem.
Here's one more tip for ya'.
Those empty cardboard bobbin spools... They make great decorative earrings for the ladies. Yeah, I know!

You get some of those Christmas ornament hooks on clearance down at the K-mart and a handful of those colored fabric pens and you can have yourself an incredible E-bay business.
I've found Southern women just can't get enough of em'.
The ideas,.... I'm full of them.

You see that Tom and Herb,... I can laugh at myself too! At least that's what my friend's Cooter an Skeeter keep tellin' me.

(Seriously,.. To EarlsEmbroidery - glad I could help.)
Ed