Metallic Thread

[thepreppyone]

I'm very frustrated....my design has sewn out fine many time then it decided to ball up underneath....The metallic thread just catches and then turns into a ball down by the bobbin then I can't cut it without cutting the fabric....I've lost more shirts than I've done...anybody had any luck...I slowed the setting down to 750 stitch speed....set material feed anywhere from 3 to 9 and nothing helps...it doesn't get stuck in the same place each time either....HELP I have 50 of these

[Juli in Kona]

very first thing -- change the needle

[edr]

I did a project that required two colors of metallic thread. I changed the needles two new Organ titanium 75 sharps. I loaded two spools of metallic thread. The first color stop was a gold Yemnet metallic thread. It did not do well at all. I brought the speed down to as low as 600 spm and it would still break.

Then the next color stop came and changed to the copper Superior Thread Metallic king spool http://www.superiorthreads.com/product/Brand/metallic/. I was so impressed that even at 1,500 spm, I did not get one thread break. Ever since then I do not use any other brand of metallic thread in my Amaya XT. It's just not worth the aggravation. I use my other brands of metallic thread in my sewing machines.

Cheers,
Ed "Kanga" Roux

[thepreppyone]

Thanks for the suggestions....I'm using a big spool of ARC that I had...I was told to use the large eye 75/11 DBZ7ST any other suggestions welcome....

[Judy]

I run metallics with a regular needle. Either a 75/11 or an 80/12.

[Judy]

And I hit send before I finish typing....sorry! I also select metallic as the thread type when setting the colors, and depending on the fabric, add an extra layer of stabilizer.

HTH,
Judy

[thepreppyone]

Thanks Everyone!!!! I'm going to give it a try

[Steve]

What happens if you run that color with regular thread? If it's only having problems with metallic thread, it could be the digitizing. metallic thread is a slight bit thicker

[thepreppyone]

I changed the needle to a 80/12 and got one shirt out and the next one bunched up again right at the end....any other ideas

[thepreppyone]

Steve,everything is fine with regular thread

[Steve]

If it's a fill stitch, try changing the density to 4.2 for just that color (the default is 3.8)
If the shirt is already ruined, try sewing a sample on the sleeve or body as a test. Otherwise take a few pieces of backing and run a sample sewout

[thepreppyone]

It's lettering..... .6 high so I adjusted the density to 4.6 with underlay zigzag at 25/100width....I ran it at 4.5 and still thick but no thread breaks....at 4.6 tons of thread breaks....