I bought a Bailey 15" a year ago and I had the exact same problem with the thread breaking. I called Chuck MANY times over several months. I changed threads, needles, the bobbin shuttle thing -- all of which did not help at all. It got so that I could barely turn the thing on before it broke. He finally sent me a new machine. I was so frustrated with the original machine that I've just started using the new one in the last couple months, but I've had no problems with thread breakage so far.
Good luck!