PJisChaos

Yes, when I first turn it on it runs perfect. Stitches are even and look great, then after that first uninterrupted pass it gets all wonky. Once it does that, then I have areas where the stitches are fine. Then the thread breaks or I get a jam or something silly. I have taken notes on all the great advice from ya guys and will be trying them out tomorrow. I didn't get time this weekend to put the additional thread guides on but that is next.
Last time I used it, it was a lot better just from the few changes I had made in my last post to this thread. Thanks a ton!! While it is frustrating to know the problem IS me, I am also very relieved that the problem is ME. I have learned a lot in the past few weeks with this old girl and starting to have some fun, which also helps if that makes sense..? Relaxing is a huge benefit to learning.

As far as the tension disks not catching the thread, I always adjust with the foot down and the disks are engaging. I did pop that out and noticed that there is a groove for the spring to sit in on the stem. After doing some research on that, I realized that when I put it back together I missed the part about rotating it 180* after seating the spring in that groove to set the initial tension. Now I don't have to crank it as far right as it will go just to get a little tension. This is a plus and has relieved the very thick looping as shown in the pics.
I don't remember who said it, I apologize, but the part about the height of the loaded frame was also a huge factor for me to begin with. I assumed that tension problems on a setup like this, only came from the machine. Wrong! If the quilt is too high, it messes things up. Same with it being too close to the bed as well. Or too tightly rolled. All these things work together with, or against in my case, the machine and the operator. I had my first one loaded, managed to quilt it over those first few days, even thought to adjust the height and tilt of the frame as I went along. When I loaded the 2nd one, I forgot all that I had learned the first time, about adjusting things as ya go, and just hooked and booked. Well, tried to anyways! Realized that a lot of my earlier "issues" were because the quilt was 2 inches above the bed and rolled way too tight, along with being tilted, this did not make for good results.

So, for now, I can roll with the random thread break so long as the thread that does stay looks okay. I sure do appreciate all ya'll, more than ya can imagine, believe me. You sure have helped my studio go back to a PG-rating, and my hubby thanks ya'll too! Especially for that, he says. ^_^

DOTTYMO

The part with 3 holes mum only threaded into top and bottom. No idea why but she always did it this way and her machine ran like a dream. I would undo and drop a some sowing liquid on and with a drop on finger wipe needle and bobbin area. It is only small amounts. Not like drop of oil. Good luck it looks like a great machine.

miriam

I have cleaned dried up oil off beehive springs and seen a tension work a lot better. Is the take up spring behind it gunked up? Some times I've taken a tension all the way apart, cleaned in de-greaser and put back together and for what ever reason - it works much better. http://www.tfsr.org/pub/technical_in...echanism_2.pdf I have found the info on tensions to be very helpful. You do have to be able to follow directions to a T.

yorkie luv

I had a similar problem. I was trying to remember yesterday, what it was, but I remembered it had something to do with the bobbin. Now I remember. my thread guide for my bobbin was set wrong, and the bobbins were not winding evenly. Sometimes it would sew nicely and other times it was a mess. I adjusted the thread guide and rewound all the bobbins and the problem was solved.

PJisChaos

Okay, first I have to say that all y'all are angels and I truly do appreciate the time and effort y'all put in to helping me!!!

I threw together a quick quilt to see if I could make some progress on this machine. I also added 2 more thread guides on the top of the machine, removed the nicked up thread bar of the top rear of the machine and really paid attention to every detail while loading this quilt. Took me 90 mins to load this lap-sized quilt, I was being so detail oriented. Lol! Then I ran off some bobbins, now I have been playing with the tension and position of the winder daily to get a good-looking bobbin. I think I finally got it, or at least close enough. They now look evenly wound although I am not too sure about the tension but, for now this setup is working good enough. Once I got all this going, I let her rip. Oh my! I was truly amazed and felt so competent, for once, on this machine. The biggest factor or lesson, for me, is to keep the quilt LOOSE! Not falling off loose but a lot looser than quilting on the domestics. I have gotten to the point now where I can actually hear the change when it's too tight, is that not crazy? I can also hear when the thread breaks and thus stop immediately instead of going all the way across with tons of holes.
I quilted this quilt, using a panto, in just a few hours with only 4 thread breaks! I know that doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment but for me, 4 for an entire quilt on this machine is HUGE improvement!! I also know why the thread broke those 4 times, it was my fault. Going to fast or the quilt was too tight. Like I said, thanks a ton! Y'all have no idea how much your help has meant to me, and the confidence I have gained by it.

barny

I have a KenQuilt and I was having trouble. I finally figured out my bobbin was winding crooked, and breaking the thread when I sewed. Now it works perfectly if I watch and use my hand to make sure it is not wound at the edge too high and full. Check yours out. Turn you tension looser if your bobbin gets correct.

Nammie to 7

It was interesting to read this thread - I don't have a long arm but I learned a lot. I'm so glad you figured out your problem. I think you are on the road to being a master quilter!

Prism99

I just noticed how you have threaded the 3-hole thread guide. Did you get that threading from a manual or threading diagram for the machine? If so, then you may want to ignore the rest of this post.

My Voyager 17 is a stretched industrial Singer and has a similar 3-hole thread guide, although mine is slanted. My manual has me threading it differently in that the thread goes through each hole in the same direction (not back and forth). On mine the thread goes left-to-right through each hole.

I'm thinking that the way that 3-hole guide is threaded could be causing your breaks, as the thread will not be evenly tensioned in that area (being threaded left-to-right then right-to-left then left-to-right). I would try threading each hole left-to-right and see how that works. If it's a problem, I would try threading them all right-to-left.