1913 White Treadle questions, help please
 

I bought this treadle and it was filthy so I cleaned it and oiled it. When I bought it it was stitching with short stitches just fine. Now I can't seem to get it to make a good stitch at all and it is noisey as heck and sounds like it is thumping on something about every three sittiches. So I took out the bobbin, shuttle and shuttle race cover and put it back in, still did it, so we did that again and we were sure it is in correctly, yippee, but it is still doing it, it is really bad underneath of the fabric for the stitching but looks okay on top, no matter how I have adjusted the upper tension it has not helped the loops underneath. I tried tightening the bobin case tension, and no, so I undid that too back to where it was. It looks like the bobbin thread does not stay in the tip of the tension, it goes to the side out of the actual tension, so I think that may be what is causing the loops, no way to keep it in. So I am not sure I have the bobbin going in the correct direction, the thread, so I have changed it over and changed back. So does anyone know which direction the thread is supposed to come off of the spool, like clockwise or counter? The book says:

Place bobbin in case so that thread will come from bobbin on same side as hole B in bobbin case; pass thread through slot A to hole B thence across opening, drawing it down under lip C then pull it up until thread passes out under tension spring d. So I have done that and the thread does not stay under the tension spring D, it slides over to the side leaving it with no tension. So I have no clue what to do. So that is when I had the thread coming from the other direction and tried it that way and the same thing.

I am at a total loss as to why it is making the thunking sound, unless somehow we don't have the shuttle in correctly even though we followed everything in the book. I can tell you that I have a real problem figuring out what they are talking about in this book the way they explain things. It takes both dh and I to even try to get it right, or figure out what they mean. Then the tensions, then which direction does the thread supposed to come off of the bobbin? Any help anyone, I am at my wits end, working with this machine for over 2 weeks now trying to figure it out.

The way I understand the bobbin should be going is clockwise. Thank you so much. I am so disappointed that I can't get this figured out.

Some times a LOT can be learned by using the search box at the upper left of your screen. Here is a link for a discussion of the White bobbins: http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...c-t172420.html Also remember that hand wheel turns away from you.

I had a similar problem with a White made Kenmore. No thunking sound but I was getting loops on the bottom. I replaced the hook and retainer. That cleared up the problem but I couldn't tell you why. The hook and retainer that were in the machine looked perfectly fine.
Rodney

Thank you, Miriam and Rodney, will give it a try.

Miriam, I did search on the old threads, but apparently didn't put the right phrase in there to search. This was what I needed for the bobbin, thank you, I can rest my mind over that as I had been doing that right and that thread was so helpful. So I will go back into the old threads and see if I can get something out of there, thank you.

HI, I got this problem fixed. How about that, after making sure I got everything in there correctly one more time, I changed my thread to a lighter thread, that did it. I put a 28 thread in there for sewing on something heavy and it just wouldn't make the stitch so I put back the regular 50 weight and it is working much better now and with out the clunk, go figure. Thanks for the help.

Sewbeadit,
Threading the bobbin case on the White Rotary takes practice. I've had mine since December 2014, it took me about 3 months to figure out the bobbin case. Join the Facebook group "Treadle Quilters". In their files is a manual and also pictures showing how to thread both the machine and bobbin case. I'm a member of that group, its been a huge help for me.
Sharon in Texas

Sharon, thank you so much for the info, I shall go over there now!

it can be very hard to find anything