Leather Machine Guide

TROUBLE SHOOTING OUT OF TIME?

Does your machine sew? If your machine does sew, does it skip stitches? Have you recently changed your thread or bobbin? Is your machine threaded correctly? Have you recently changed out your needle? If you were to call a sewingmachine repair specialist, they’d probably ask you some questions like:

Many times, when a person’s machine is acting up, they tend to think it’s “out of time”…this is usually because they’ve heard someone else say that their machine was out of time… Really though, unless you’ve hit something with your needle really hard or actually broke your needle…your machine is most likely not out of time.

Is your needle inserted correctly? Have you broken a needle recently?

TWO THINGS TOCHECK

Here are the two of the simplest things you can do to figure out if you have a timing issue or not:

Scarf

Eye

First: Rethread your machine… even if you’re just certain that it’s threaded correctly…Even if you haven’t rethreaded your machine recently, thread can have “memory” and loops will inevitably form around the tension knob. Sometimes, at first glance, the threadingmay appear to be just fine; when in all actuality the thread is looped around the tension knob…this can happen when you’re sewing or evenwhen you’re winding a bobbin. Second: Check your Needle A sewing machine needle is different than an ordinary hand sewing needle. There is a “groove” that runs the length of one side of a sewing machine needle; starting just below the back side of the “eye” of your needle. On the opposite side of the “groove” in the needle; you will see the front side of the eye and just under this eye, you will notice a small indention (roughly 3/16˝ up to 1/4˝ long). This indention is called the “scarf” and is actually a relief cut in the needle that is intended to allow the hook to pass the needle without hitting it. The groove that runs the length of your needle actually guides the thread, tucking it in a little bit, so that a loop can be created on the “scarf” side of the needle…this loop of thread must be made every time you want to sew. When your needle is just starting up from the very bottom of its travel, the hook should pass the needle just above the “eye”, and across the scarf.

Hook

In order for your machine to sew,the needlemust be in place correctly: The “scarf” of your needle should ALWAYS face the bobbin of your machine. Nomatter which side of the needle your bobbin is on; the “hook” will be on the same side and the “scarf” must always be facing it.

Eye

Scarf

Groove

ALWAYS start with the simple stuff. You will save yourself some time, aggravation and money if you just remember to:

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