Frequent thread shredding

[Gini]

Maybe its called bird nesting, anyway, I am having problems with thread (I tried several needles, several different spools), stiches a few hundred stitches then the thread starts shredding until it breaks or I stop the machine. We have become expert at adjusting the timing, that isnt it. I replaced the needles, bobbin, bobbin case, I've checked the presser foot is just touching, the feed I tried on auto, then manual set at 4. I'm sewing simple lettering on a nylon jacket which I've done before successfully. This started just after I did the 4,000,000 stiches maintainance, which just involved taking off the plate, blowing air on the cutters and oiling several different places.
Any ideas what to check next? Thanks for any help!

[TinaK]

What thread are you using? Did you double check that the needles are in right? Sounds stupid but once in a while I will put a needle in wrong and get that...

[Gini]

I have 2 different brands of thread- both poly- and I have changed the needles. it still happens!

[GF]

It's been my experience and perhaps you've already checked this . . . whenever I get shedding on the thread it almost always the position of the needle. I've heard some say pivoting the needle to the right a tad gets better results. Sometimes when I think mine are aligned correctly, I'll use a jeweler's eyepiece and find that I'm off and it needs to be adjusted. Usually, to the right for me but that depends on each individual's eyesight and perception.

[signman]

Bird nesting is getting a tangled mass of thread underneath the material-almost like a spider cocoon. So that's not your problem.
Needles-if they are in correctly (and everyone of us has put them in backwards at least once-why can't they be made with a colored dot on the front? LOL...if you've changed them, and double checked for a 'bent' tip, and that's not the problem-here's what happened to us.
Frequent fraying, constantly-changed thread, bobbin, everything like you did. Nothing worked. Tech came up and checked it over-pulled the rotary hook out and showed me a nick on that itself from when a needle went sideways or something. You could feel the nick on it with your finger and see it. Enough to catch and fray thread as it went by!
He said it was time to replace it-$$ ca-ching....but I was a silversmith for 25 years and took a chance-still have my equipment. Fired up the polishing equipment, flexible pumice wheels, etc. and literally put a mirror finish on that part after using 0000 jewelers paper to smooth it off. Since he didn't have the replacement on him and we would have had to wait, it was worth a shot. Half an hour later-he put it back in-and it's been 2 years and it still runs fine. I do NOT recommend this to someone to try on their own-I've even sharpened needles but only because I had to see if I could. I've got 25 years experience in polishing metals for jewelry and the right equipment. Had the nick been worse, maybe it wouldn't have worked. But this will give you something else to look at for the cause of your problem! Without taking it off the machine-you could not see the nick. But it was there doing it's dirty work!
Roland

[levelbest]

Something from tech class.

One of our machines was having problems with thread breaks bad. Timed the hook, set it, made sure everything was cool.

What we found that there was a very slight burr on the back of the rotary hook that was causing the thread to break frequently.

Took about a 1500 grit sandpaper (used for wet sanding paint finishes on cars) and did about 4-6 swipes. That's it. No more. Just trying to get rid of the burr. Timed the hook, spaced set and replaced it. Figured if it didn't work, I'd put on the new rotary hook I ordered from melco (so I had a backup plan before I started).

The machine has since sewn BEAUTIFULLY. Somthing that had caused intermittent issues for months because I didn't have time to deal with it (and more frequent towards the end) completely went away. I was amazed. It's one of those things that's very hard to explain/show over email...

BTW, this is something I did to my machine - use the tip at your own discretion and don't blame me if you damage your machine.

By the way, rotary hooks aren't that expensive. Last time I ordered them from melco, I got two.

[Rod or Sharon]

Gini,

Aside from the good advise you are receiving for the guys and gals so far....more information is needed to help you with this problem. Roller condititon, Lubrication, is this on all needles or specific to 1 ? Does it happen regardless of what thread you put on the specific needle in question?

Simple lettering?? Is there such a thing?? I have come to view lettering as a pain...and the smaller it gets, the more of a pain it is. It demands extra care and knowledge to make it work and sew with quality. What is this "simple lettering?' Font? Size? Stitch length? Underlay & stitch length? Pull Comp?

Then we need to know , what backing and how much is being used, hooping technique, what size hoop are you using to do the job at hand, left chest, jacket back,etc?? Is any sticky spray or backing being used?

The only real clue you have given is that it is a nylon jacket and the presser foot is "just touching." The presser foot has a specific purpose in life and that is to hold the material down to prevent flaging. The just touching is just a slight rule of thumb...the presser foot needs to be as low as we can get it without it causing any damage to the material from any battering. It must "compress" the garment, such as sweat shirts, fleece, towels, jackets, sweaters, etc, to prevent flagging. Lower your presser foot even more...just be careful to make sure it is not going to cause any damage to the garment by going to low at too high a speed. The presser foot can become like a scissor at high speeds on some garments. A sample sewout would be good in this case.

A good test to perform in a case like this is to revert back to Melco test sewout design called Ampass. You will find it by going to , C drive, Program Files, Melco Embroidery Systems, Amaya, Test Designs, Ampass.

If the problem is not prevalent while running this design....then it is time to start looking at lettering or design issues or some of the other items mentioned above....

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Gini]

Well, I really appreciate all the advice. We took off the rotary hook to look for burrs, scratches etc. We really didnt see anything, however we put it all back together and the problem went away. Maybe it was a gremlin. Maybe when I did the maintenance I bumped something out of position that corrected itself when we took apart the rotary hook.....