Shaneylee

I just took my Pfaff Hobby 1200 Grand Quilter in for cleaning and to see why my thread keeps breaking while I am quilting on the Inspira Frame. The Pfaff Dealer store owner said I have a presser foot problem and he doesn't know how to fix it.

I am about to throw this machine out the back door! When I lower the presser foot down my top thread is very hard to pull thread out through the needle. So I go on my way to do some quilting and a few inches later my thread breaks. I re-thread the machine and try it again, and again and again!

Does anyone know where I can get my machine fixed. I have a king size quilt on my Inspira Frame right now and am having a miserable time. I worked on this quilt all day yesterday and only got to quilt one row turn. This is NOT enjoyable.

If anyone knows where, what and when about this I would greatly appreciate any help!
Sincerely Sandy

kathy

I don't know anything about that machine but it sounds like maybe the tension discs are not opening/your thread is not in the right groove, look at your disc as you raise and lower the foot and see if things are opening and closing right. I've heard of pulling about 12-18 inches of unwaxed dental floss through them to clean, can't hurt. good luck, I know the feeling of wanting to pitch it out, I would have mine if it weren't so heavy!

PaperPrincess

Hmm, If your dealer acknowledges the problem I would push them to start raising your problem up the Pfaff chain. They have district/regional managers and someone in their organization should be able to address the problem. either that or take it to another Pfaff dealer.

Pagzz

I had the viking mega quilter a few years ago and there was a dial to adjust the pressure on the presser foot. I believe it was supposed to be on zero for quilting. the mega quilter and grandquilter were the same machines back then. I don't know about now.
I suggest looking for the yahoo group for the grandquilter they have excellent information. I know longer belong since I bought a different machine in 2009

sue z q

Quote: I am about to throw this machine out the back door! When I lower the presser foot down my top thread is very hard to pull thread out through the needle.

I don't know your specific machine, but I my Janome is hard, if not impossible, to pull the thread through with the presser foot down. Have you tried pulling the thread through with the presser foot up, putting thread through the presser foot and out to back, then lowering the needle into fabric, then lowering the presser foot? Don't know if this would help or not, but maybe worth a try.

dunster

I agree with sue z q that with the presser foot down you should not be able to pull thread easily through the needle, at least on the machines I'm familiar with, so that in itself is probably not an issue. And I agree with PaperPrincess that your Pfaff dealer should be able to fix the problem by getting more experienced technicians from the factory involved. Has he tried a different presser foot to be sure that it's the problem? Unless the foot has burrs that are cutting the thread, I'm having trouble understanding how the foot can be the problem.

Here's another thread from a couple of years ago that might help you - http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...m-t177903.html

romanojg

Question, is your pressure foot up or down while threading. This can cause it. I always raised mine but then to use the needle threader I'd lower the pressure foot and it took me a while to figure this out. Have you called Pfaff or emailed them, it might be an easy answer you can get over the phone or via email.

TeresaA

I oil and perform minor repairs on my own machines so I've seen the GUTS! . If you were to open your machine (not suggesting it), you would see that the tension disks relax when the presser foot is up and they apply more tension when the presser foot is down. More tension when the presser foot is down is normal.

You haven't said if you're using different thread, different needles, or a different batting. If any of those have changed it can cause thread breakage.

You haven't said if you've experimented with changing the tension knob. Adjust it down in half-number adjustments until you start seeing thread on the bottom and then step it back.

Also, I'd say that about 90% of the time my own thread breakage is due to the needle. The needle was blunted, had a burr, or was the wrong size. The eye size needs to be large enough to feed your thread and work properly with your batting, so consider using a larger-eyed needle. I would also consider changing the needle, even if you just changed the needle.

Do all of this, even if you think nothing is different than usual. Sometimes you just work with a certain mix of thread, needle, batting that require adjustments to your system.

TeresaA

Also, I have found that these days, domestic sewing machine shops are populated with some pretty non-technical people. Even some of the technicians are non-technical. It's sad. If I were you, I'd see if I could find a shop that sells industrial machines. Call and get their opinion or have them look at the machine.

Also, a lot of times, these cleanings basically are about doing superficial things to make you feel you got something for your money. (No offense to repair people who do a better job, this is just what I found out. I had a machine "cleaned," opened it up and a giant dust bunny popped out. It hadn't even been opened -- for $100. That's when I started doing cleanings myself.) Anyway, don't figure that your machine really got cleaned (esp. from an org that doesn't know how to fix a bad presser foot). One thing to do is try and "floss the tension disks with some heavier thread to clean them of micro-lint that may be affecting tension.

And yes, rah-rah to those on the other forum who suggest Signature thread. I love that stuff. I also love Glide (which is a polyester).