breaking needles

[Leighton]

OK..so I am trying to sew MLB hats. Hats that I've always used for team sports. For some reason, I am having difficulties. Needle breaks...I have made sure the hats are secured tight, I'm not sewing too close to the bill, my needle is a 80/12, I did bottom center and the needle is smack in the middle. These hats are structured and my backing is very stiff. Still needle breaks AND the cardboard around the bobbin looks like it's getting eaten up by the needle.

Any suggestions/advise I'd appreciate it.

Thank you!

[Greenwing]

is your presser foot adjusted and keeping the hat from flagging??

[Leighton]

Yes, the pressure foot is all the way down. I have the XT.

[gcannon]

On the presser foot- try all the way down & then 2 clicks UP. Next, (with a brand new needle- not threaded) do a "bottom center" & check to make sure that the needle is "dead center" of the needle plate hole. If not loosen the screws that hold the needle plate on, adjust, and retighten. This should help with this issue. And if you are having lots of thread breaks after that, try using standard thread feed set at about 8 or 9 to start, instead of relying on auto- seems to help with caps. PS- needle I use is 75/11 sharp or light ball point.

[Rod or Sharon]

Auto activ-feed works great on caps, but you also need to be using the "auto lower limit" feature that allows you to regulate how low you want auto activ-feed to go down to......have you been using this feature and if so at what setting are you goint with. I would start with between 6 and 10. too high a setting may result in too loose of a thread condition that will cause false bobbin/thread break symptoms.

You should be seeing the auto activ-feed numbers rise across the center seam of the cap to sometimes as high as 20+...depends on the cap. Using the "auto lower limit" settings will give the machine a head start on the big jump between the light/thin material on both sides of the cap and the thick bulky center seam.

If you are running fills, the "run fill speed" will loosen up the stitch and allow more thread to lay on top of the material and not be sucked down so tightly.....are you using this feature?

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Rod or Sharon]

A couple more things.....you do not say if this is an XT or older big reg Amaya. If it is an XT, do you have the cap driver that allows the bars to stay on the machine? If so, what cap driver designation are you selecting in the hoop menu? You should be using the "XT Extended".yes/no ? Is the cap driver mount so that it is shoved "completely" back to the rear of the sewing arm.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Leighton]

Yes,it is an XT and I do select the XL extended hoop. I do not use the feature you are talking about but will do this today to help with the sewing over the seams, especially the middle seam. Yes, the cap driver is mounte all the way back. Sorry, we have a big time difference between us, I'm just starting my day. Thank you for all of your advise. I will keep u posted.

[Leighton]

THANK YOU! Almost finish with this run of hats!No Needle breaks so far! Thank you Thank you!

[Bill Griffin]

Where do I go to set the auto lower limit?

[Five Point Emb]

So sorry that I can't help you, Bill. But this just proves once again that having a simple printed manual would help so much!! We could just flip to the index, look up the page, and find the solution. Instead of going to the internet and waiting for a fellow member to answer. Melco saved themselves money but costs me time and stress.
Good luck.
Darlene Duseberg
Five Point Embroidery
Perrysburg, OH

[Bill Griffin]

I think I've found it. Under settings, under thread feed, the last line.

[Rod or Sharon]

Darlene,

The entire operating manual is indexed on both the DS and AOS in the Help sections...it is all there and you don't have to be on the internet either....and you can print off a paper copy if you really want it too.....

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Five Point Emb]

Thank you, Rod. I appreciate that. But for all we spend on these machines, I would appreciate the manual. I received one with my EMC and my EMT. I suppose that was a cost-saving action on their part.
Thanks again,
Darlene

[levelbest]

Unfortunately, the reality is that virtually no one is printing a manual to come with much of anything anymore... and in many cases, they are charging extra if you want one.