Need help with breaks

[Nick Sam]

I own an Amaya (Big Red) - Have spent the last 5 hours embroidering with my finger on the red 'stop' button! I am able to sew about 1 letter and then my thread shreds and breaks. I've changed the needles but had no improvement. Something 'interesting' that's also happening is that my threads on all needles are twisting. I noticed this when I manually released some threads from the grabbers - that spun to unwound themselves. I called Curtis at Melco Tech Support and he said he'd never heard of the threads twisting and suggested we have the tech out. To get a tech here cost me $200. I need to resolve this myself. The threads have been twisting forever....the breaking has been happening for about a week. Last week I heard a slight 'crunch' which I was running my machine - could this have something to do with it? I use Isacord thread (5000 meter spools) and am using Groz-Beckert 65/9 needles for small lettering.
Any help is sincerely appreciated. Thanks
Deb

[oldkush]

Deb

First, Ackermann Isacord is very good thread .... as are the Groz-Beckert needles. I know because we use both.

You don't say if the thread shredding / breaking problem is with all needles or just one. If just one, then carefully check the upper thread path for a rough spot or nicks.

If the thread shredding occurs on all needles, then check your rotary hook for rough spots. Use the end of your finger nail or a q-tip to find rough spots.

Overly dense stitching can also produce thread problems. Have you reduced stitch density in you small lettering ?

Never really heard of thread "twisting" as you describe so don't know what is causing that but since it is happening on all needles, then perhaps it may be something to do with the roller drive system or the rotary hook area. Maybe even a software issue [a shot in the dark] ??

Have no idea what the "crunch" may have been but I'm sure one of the techs on this list can come up with an answer for that.

Good luck

Bob

[Wishes]

Dear Deb,
Have you checked your pressure foot leve or having too much density in design. Sometimes we have had a density of 6 or 8 in small letters. Do you have acti feed? If not is your fabric thickness in the right place. Just a few things I forget and need to be reminded about at times like these. Margaret

[Pure Embroidery]

Have had thread twisting issues before, but usually when I start getting to the last 25% of a cone. I have also noticed that it is worse when my rollers have needed greasing.

When was the last time you did the pinch roller maintenance? I would start there. Take out all rollers and inspect them and even move them from one needle to another. I like to take all of mine out at once, clean them, grease them and put them back. I don't want them to go back in the same place.

There are plenty of plastic parts on a Big Red, so the crunch sound could have been a tooth on a plastic gear. Who knows?

Are you having thread breaks on all needles? Or are you having thread breaks on lettering only, or with the entire design?

We all know how tricky some lettering can be. If the thread breaks are only on lettering, I think you probably have a design issue primarily. If thread breaks occur within the entire design, you have a mechanical issue primarily.

Try to load a design that you know has sewn well for you in the past and see how many thread breaks you have. Slow the speed down and watch your thread rollers. Do they "skip" or "slip" or do anything unusual? Let's try and narrow down your issue and save you some tech money!

[GF]

You've probably done this already, but just another thought . . . your needle placement. The twisting could happen if the needle was inserted backwards. The maintenance is a great place to start as well. I would be interested in hearing the solution when it happens. Good luck.

GF

[signman]

My thoughts...
thread twisting-if it is 'twisting' around itself from the needle back up to the tension arms-we found that was caused by either a burr on the needle or the needle was not 'dead center' in the needle plate-hitting just enough to partially fray the outer layer of thread. Burr on the rotary hook-from a broken needle at some point OR a needle that moved during sewing because a hat shifted or heavy jacket pulled it sideways. Doesn't take much to affect the thread.

thread breaking-back to the needle plate-if it is even the slightest fraction off-it will rub the needle. My wife cannot set it dead on-I have to do it. She looks at it with one eye and not both. I have to use a magnifier (eye surgery earlier this year) but I did jewelry work for 25 years so I know how to see small stuff.

crunch noise-just had that happen this week for no reason. Had used big red a couple days before with no problem-started it up for another job and every time the needle head moved, got this bad sounding 'crunch/pop'. Called our local tech and he heard it on the phone-identified it as the white 'cog wheels' being out of whack (why, we still don't know!) He had me hold the laser button and up arrow, cog would pop, then move to the next needle and do the same all the way down. That reset the teeth where they belonged and it hasn't happened again. Maybe someone bumped into the needle head with a box walking by it or something-who knows. But it stopped.

[Russell Silva]

Hi Deb,

I would stitch ampass to test the machine, if your machine will stitch ampass with little or no problems then it could be your designs that are the problem, if it doesn't complete ampass without problems then it could be a machine issue. The path to get to the ampass file is C:\Program Files\Melco Embroidery Systems\AMAYA\Test Designs, stitch it on two layers of cut away backing, set your color sequence from 1 to 16, pressere foot all the way down and stitch speed at 1200. If you need to be walked through this you can call me at 508-277-5921.

[Just Sew It]

Deb, I used to break a needle once in awhile and it would leave a scratch on the needle plate, which would cause my thread to fray and ravel and break. I bought several sets of needle plates for my Big Reds and then found an auto mechanic who polishes them with a ceramic cone. He is careful not to make the hole larger, just smooth the scratch out. Maybe check that?
JO

[jstgrma]

Deb, I've had similar problems when the air is too dry with lots of static electricity. I don't know if that may be a factor or not, but worth thinking about. I have a spray bottle with liquid fabric softner and water and I mist the air and run a vaporizer sometimes. Hope this helps!
Karen
Embroidery Plus

[levelbest]

How about a nicked rotary hook? We had tons of problems with thread breaks only to find out it was the rotary hook...

[Nick Sam]

Think I lost my reply somewhere in Internet Land- so if you get this as a repeat, sorry. Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. Now that you mention it, most of the thread breaks ARE when I'm sewing lettering. Replaced needles and checked to make sure there were in correctly. We don't have the dryness problem here, as we live between two rivers. When I've checked out all of your suggestions and sewn out AMPASS I'll let you know what I've found. So nice to have your help.
Sincerely
Deb

[Juli in Kona]

I believe there is some documented trouble with some of the fonts. These are not TTF, but the already digitized ones that come at the beginning of the font list. It is because there is already tie ins and tie offs and then the operator (you) puts them in again, not knowing they are already there. It is all those tight close together stitches that cause the thread breaks. I know that "Block" is one of them. So check to see if there are double tie-ins/offs.

Juli in Kona

[signman]

Also, make sure 'short stitches' is turned OFF and density is 4.5 or 'higher' (meaning less stitches) sometimes you may have to go up to 6 or even 7 to get a clean stitch without tons of breaks.
I just doublechecked one file for another Amaya user this week and her font was set to 3.5 density, added underlayment (again, NO underlayment needed) and shortstitches was 'on'.
I changed it all-ran it at 1200 spm and not one single break.
Roland

[GF]

Roland, just a thought . . . knowing you have tons of spare time (NOT). However, would you consider posting a message covering one setting on the Amaya XT daily or weekly or whatever? For instance, the tab under column when it refers to lettering and what the numbers should/shouldn't be, etc. Or maybe post on small lettering, then one on larger lettering, etc., explaining what the density setting will do to the lettering, etc. It would be helpful to me if I could search to a specific topic for instructions on "how to" when questions arise.

[The Embroidery Authority - OLD]

Deb,
If you haven't solved your problem by now, consider the $200 for the visit from a tech. Not sure what part of the country you're in but all the tech's I know are extremely knowledgeable in both machine and sewing applications. Look at it this way, the money spent will not only be for solving this problem but you'll probably be heading off another problem or two in the future. Besides, If $200 is too much to spend, you're probably not charging enough for your work. You should be able to make two hundred in a day with one machine and if you've struggled with this problem for more than one day, well, I think you know what I mean.
If you're still having issues, consider having someone on the list sew out YOUR design as you have created it. If it sews out fine on thier machine, then you know you have machine problems. If not, then that person might be able to change your design so that it might run better.
REMEMBER THIS,... A good business must have 1)an accountant, 2)an attorney, & 3)a banker or someone to lend money.
A good embroidery business must have those three plus one more,.. 4) a good tech/trainer.
Best of luck to you,
Ed Orantes