Brother SQ 9000-problems
05-31-2010, 09:41 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: las vegas nv.
Posts: 2,452
I was advised to start a new topic w/ the problems I am experiencing w/ my Brother SQ 9000, that I also recieved for mothers day and my Honey so lovingly thought he was doing good and I love him for it and hated telling him its not working.
Here is my orginal message:
Below is a message I recieved:
craftiladi, I have the sq9000 as well.
After reading the posts saying machines are made different for Wal-mart I was almost paranoid to use it. I believe I thought it wasn't going to perform properly before I took it out of the box. I had been using the EX660 and started breaking needles. A lot of needles. I damaged the EX660 bobbin case holder my J foot. So, I set the sq9000 up and sewed on a cotton fabric sandwich. Worked okay so I got into my happy rhythm (zipping across the sandwich, lifting the presser foot, pulling my thread out to snip, next seam across, etc.) In no time I popped the 75/11 that comes in it. !!!!! I had tears!!!!!!
There were members on this board who patted my shoulder, dried my tears and gave me the courage to try again.
There was not a d___ thing wrong with my machine but ME! 1. I was making the seam like I was in the Daytona 500.
I now sew at a slow or medium speed and give the machine time to do the work I am asking of it.
2. My EX660 does not ball the lead (top and bobbin) threads up if I start the seam without holding both treads against the face plate. The sq9000 does ball up into the fabric. This 'can' put enough pressure on the top and/or bobbin thread to bind.
When it binds, the top and bobbin threads tie in a knot. The bobbin thread gets pulled out of the bobbin thread guide, still tied in a knot with the top thread. The bobbin can't spin, the top thread continues to pull against the needle, snapping or bending the needle.
I know this now because I sewed very slow so I could watch the machine work. I was determined I would return it if I was unhappy with the way it performed.
3. I slowly sew off the last edge long enough to give me room to snip. I learned I can't pull it even the least bit before the needle stops or the same thing I described above will happpen. I think I will start using the leaders to begin and end with like I saw in a post on the board.
I have sewn as many as 10 bobbins of thread now (75/11 on cotton) with no problems. I may have other opportunities to learn down the road but I am presently very happy with my Walmart SQ9000.
If you would like, you could start a post on your problem in case we can help you problem solve. I am so glad I was able to keep mine. It is special to me because it was my happy mothers day sewing machine. A replacement for it just wouldn't have seemed like a gift anymore.
Good luck.
My orginal problem is before I can even sew a inch I hear a clunk noise get the error message E6 which says thread tangled and it won't go. I have replaced the needle, rethreaded the machine several times and still the same result. When I first recieved the machine I was able to play around for a couple hrs w/ no problems.
Thank-you so much and please any other insight would be appreciated.
Here is my orginal message:
Originally Posted by craftiladi
Just alittle advise, buying a machine from places like wal-mart, if you aren't happy w/ it or have any problems you must ship it to the manufacturer not return to wal-mart. Yes talking from experience...I bought the brother sq9000, I believe that was the numbers and I keep getting this stupid error message that no matter what i do I can't seem to fix. This is now my second machine that I didn't by from a dealer, yes have a White embroidery machine that I bought off HSN years ago that just sitting here. Ya think I would learn but I am on a pretty tight budget so I keep trying .........
craftiladi, I have the sq9000 as well.
After reading the posts saying machines are made different for Wal-mart I was almost paranoid to use it. I believe I thought it wasn't going to perform properly before I took it out of the box. I had been using the EX660 and started breaking needles. A lot of needles. I damaged the EX660 bobbin case holder my J foot. So, I set the sq9000 up and sewed on a cotton fabric sandwich. Worked okay so I got into my happy rhythm (zipping across the sandwich, lifting the presser foot, pulling my thread out to snip, next seam across, etc.) In no time I popped the 75/11 that comes in it. !!!!! I had tears!!!!!!
There were members on this board who patted my shoulder, dried my tears and gave me the courage to try again.
There was not a d___ thing wrong with my machine but ME! 1. I was making the seam like I was in the Daytona 500.
I now sew at a slow or medium speed and give the machine time to do the work I am asking of it.
2. My EX660 does not ball the lead (top and bobbin) threads up if I start the seam without holding both treads against the face plate. The sq9000 does ball up into the fabric. This 'can' put enough pressure on the top and/or bobbin thread to bind.
When it binds, the top and bobbin threads tie in a knot. The bobbin thread gets pulled out of the bobbin thread guide, still tied in a knot with the top thread. The bobbin can't spin, the top thread continues to pull against the needle, snapping or bending the needle.
I know this now because I sewed very slow so I could watch the machine work. I was determined I would return it if I was unhappy with the way it performed.
3. I slowly sew off the last edge long enough to give me room to snip. I learned I can't pull it even the least bit before the needle stops or the same thing I described above will happpen. I think I will start using the leaders to begin and end with like I saw in a post on the board.
I have sewn as many as 10 bobbins of thread now (75/11 on cotton) with no problems. I may have other opportunities to learn down the road but I am presently very happy with my Walmart SQ9000.
If you would like, you could start a post on your problem in case we can help you problem solve. I am so glad I was able to keep mine. It is special to me because it was my happy mothers day sewing machine. A replacement for it just wouldn't have seemed like a gift anymore.
Good luck.
My orginal problem is before I can even sew a inch I hear a clunk noise get the error message E6 which says thread tangled and it won't go. I have replaced the needle, rethreaded the machine several times and still the same result. When I first recieved the machine I was able to play around for a couple hrs w/ no problems.
Thank-you so much and please any other insight would be appreciated.
05-31-2010, 09:50 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Misssissippi
Posts: 3,196
Have you cleaned it good (under the plate) and replaced the bobbin? I have certain bobbins that tangle in my Brother.
Are you setting the stitch? 01, etc. I have many times forgotten that step and then bent my needle.
Are you setting the stitch? 01, etc. I have many times forgotten that step and then bent my needle.
05-31-2010, 09:51 AM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: FL
Posts: 1,266
Sorry to hear of your problems. I too had bought the same machine from Walmart for my daughter. Within the 4 days she had played with it maybe 3-4 hours worth of time, the thread got tangled a couple times then it made this clunking noise. On the 5 day we went to Walmart to return it. I hope that someone can help resolve your issues!
05-31-2010, 10:58 AM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,893
My Suzie Q is the Brother SQ9000 and I love it. The only thing I have problems with is the legs from the extended work space tend to buckle when I'm leaning too hard while sewing trying to move the quilted piece around.
Otherwise I love it.
Otherwise I love it.
05-31-2010, 12:32 PM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: MS
Posts: 3,434
Hi there, I am the person who suggested you make a post so we can all put our heads together on this. I notice someone else was having the same issue with theirs. A quick call to the customer service number might not hurt just in case they are aware of a common defect.
If you want to do some trouble shooting I am game and
if I dont say some of this right please dont take offense. I am not an expert, I am a learner. Someone helped me and I would like to pay it forward if I can. I have good intentions.
I have noticed with the EX660 and the SQ9000 the plastic flipper on the bobbin thread guide is ?pliable?. It seems to move (give) very easily. For the beauty of the things the machine is designed to do I am willing to coddle it if necessary.
.
It sounds as if the thread on your SQ9000 may be binding.
Let's see if we can isolate the problem to the thread part of the machines operation.
The default stitch is fine. Is the utility stitch light lit and do you have the J presser foot on?
...........................................
Remove the presser foot and probably the needle so you can get to the needle plate. (page 6 #9 in the manual). Remember how nice and flat the needle plate is before you take it off. You want it to look this nice and flat when you put it back on. I have to use a quarter to get the screws out of the needle plate. Remove the needle plate and clean anything you can see. I use old (clean) makeup brushes, (art) paint brushes from the toy section of the dept store, whatever you have. Brush away any lint you see and look for a stray thread maybe.
When you feel pretty good about it put the needle plate and presser foot back on.
..
There is a good chance your needle is bent by now, let's put in a new needle if you have one. 3 more 75/11s are in that little foil packet that came with the machine.
.............................................
Take the thread off, the bobbin out, and the bobbin case out.
Put the presser foot down and sew. Did you get the clunk and error message?
.................................................. ..
Thread the top thread.
..................................
Your thread spool: Is it the kind of thread spool that has a nich cut in the side of the top to hold the thread end until you buy it and start to use it? Sometimes the thread will hang in this nich. Let's be sure that didn't happen.
..................................
Now, put your presser foot down, hold the end of the thread and sew slowly. (Putting tension on the (upper) thread by holding it between your fingers.)
Did it perform properly with no error message?
..................................
Now to bring the bobbin into play.
If the bobbin case is not seated properly in the bobbin race it can cause the thread to bind.
Identify the markings in the manual on your bobbin case and the bobbin race with those markings on your actual bobbin case and bobbin race. ( Page 70).
Put your bobbin case into the bobbin race. Turn the machine wheel by hand to be sure the bobbin case is seated in the bobbin race. It will pop out if it isn't. They are not always easy to get in there the way they want to be. Just do it again until you are comfortable doing it. (If you aren't comfortable with it quite yet just take your needle out and you won't hurt anything while you make friends with it.)
Again hold the top thread and sew.
Did it perform properly with no error message?
.
We can only use the bobbin size that came with this machine.
Did the bobbin wind nicely? If it did not lets wind another bobbin for the trouble shooting.
To load the bobbin the thread pulls away from you when you set it in the bobbin case. Follow the bobbin thread path and put the plastic tabs back on.
It seems the bobbin thread comes out of the thread path far to easy on my EX660 and the SQ9000. This seizes the bobbin thread, pulls against the top thread and bends or breaks the needle.
See if it will sew now.
Did you get the error message?
.
If you still got the error message would you mind rethreading the top and bobbin with a different name brand thread and trying it just to rule it out. It shouldnt matter but we can try it just in case.
I have now used several different brand names on mine and they all worked fine once I knew that the bobbin case was being pulled out of the bobbin race.
..
I wanted to cry so many times because I was waiting for that needle to break. When I started seeing that bobbin pop up and theeeeeen my needle broke I felt so much better because I knew why the needles were breaking. (I broke only one on the sq9000 but when I saw it happen it was like a video replay of watching the bobbin pop up on the ex660 and then I knew!)
The best of luck on this.
If we cant get it we will see what their customer service number has to say.
Regards, Dorothy
If you want to do some trouble shooting I am game and
if I dont say some of this right please dont take offense. I am not an expert, I am a learner. Someone helped me and I would like to pay it forward if I can. I have good intentions.
I have noticed with the EX660 and the SQ9000 the plastic flipper on the bobbin thread guide is ?pliable?. It seems to move (give) very easily. For the beauty of the things the machine is designed to do I am willing to coddle it if necessary.
.
It sounds as if the thread on your SQ9000 may be binding.
Let's see if we can isolate the problem to the thread part of the machines operation.
The default stitch is fine. Is the utility stitch light lit and do you have the J presser foot on?
...........................................
Remove the presser foot and probably the needle so you can get to the needle plate. (page 6 #9 in the manual). Remember how nice and flat the needle plate is before you take it off. You want it to look this nice and flat when you put it back on. I have to use a quarter to get the screws out of the needle plate. Remove the needle plate and clean anything you can see. I use old (clean) makeup brushes, (art) paint brushes from the toy section of the dept store, whatever you have. Brush away any lint you see and look for a stray thread maybe.
When you feel pretty good about it put the needle plate and presser foot back on.
..
There is a good chance your needle is bent by now, let's put in a new needle if you have one. 3 more 75/11s are in that little foil packet that came with the machine.
.............................................
Take the thread off, the bobbin out, and the bobbin case out.
Put the presser foot down and sew. Did you get the clunk and error message?
.................................................. ..
Thread the top thread.
..................................
Your thread spool: Is it the kind of thread spool that has a nich cut in the side of the top to hold the thread end until you buy it and start to use it? Sometimes the thread will hang in this nich. Let's be sure that didn't happen.
..................................
Now, put your presser foot down, hold the end of the thread and sew slowly. (Putting tension on the (upper) thread by holding it between your fingers.)
Did it perform properly with no error message?
..................................
Now to bring the bobbin into play.
If the bobbin case is not seated properly in the bobbin race it can cause the thread to bind.
Identify the markings in the manual on your bobbin case and the bobbin race with those markings on your actual bobbin case and bobbin race. ( Page 70).
Put your bobbin case into the bobbin race. Turn the machine wheel by hand to be sure the bobbin case is seated in the bobbin race. It will pop out if it isn't. They are not always easy to get in there the way they want to be. Just do it again until you are comfortable doing it. (If you aren't comfortable with it quite yet just take your needle out and you won't hurt anything while you make friends with it.)
Again hold the top thread and sew.
Did it perform properly with no error message?
.
We can only use the bobbin size that came with this machine.
Did the bobbin wind nicely? If it did not lets wind another bobbin for the trouble shooting.
To load the bobbin the thread pulls away from you when you set it in the bobbin case. Follow the bobbin thread path and put the plastic tabs back on.
It seems the bobbin thread comes out of the thread path far to easy on my EX660 and the SQ9000. This seizes the bobbin thread, pulls against the top thread and bends or breaks the needle.
See if it will sew now.
Did you get the error message?
.
If you still got the error message would you mind rethreading the top and bobbin with a different name brand thread and trying it just to rule it out. It shouldnt matter but we can try it just in case.
I have now used several different brand names on mine and they all worked fine once I knew that the bobbin case was being pulled out of the bobbin race.
..
I wanted to cry so many times because I was waiting for that needle to break. When I started seeing that bobbin pop up and theeeeeen my needle broke I felt so much better because I knew why the needles were breaking. (I broke only one on the sq9000 but when I saw it happen it was like a video replay of watching the bobbin pop up on the ex660 and then I knew!)
The best of luck on this.
If we cant get it we will see what their customer service number has to say.
Regards, Dorothy
06-01-2010, 04:59 AM
#7
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: las vegas nv.
Posts: 2,452
WOW Dorothy thank-you ever so much, I left my machine w/ a very good trusted friend [she belongs to this board ] I will make sure she sees your wonderful reply and let you know what we come up with. I am truly hoping its operator error...that would be me. I tend to get impatient to quick.
Again thank-you...I am going to have my Honey & lil GD here for a few days so I may not get to the board while they are home but I will come back and let you know.
Again thank-you...I am going to have my Honey & lil GD here for a few days so I may not get to the board while they are home but I will come back and let you know.
06-01-2010, 05:12 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: MS
Posts: 3,434
Enjoy GD. Their toddler time goes by so fast. Gotta get it while it is there. My grandson is 2 1/2. Ohhhh, he melts my heart.
I also will be out of town Thur and Fri this week so I will check in as I can. I am hoping the thread is binding somehow, somewhere and if we can see that happen we can avoid it by knowing.
They put all that tape in such strange places for shipping. I was almost afraid there would be some in hidden places and I wouldn't find it to pull it off!
In my view, the SQ9000 is a noisy machine. The EX660 seems to purr, this one almost sounds like it is clunking. (Even without fabric). I am chalking it off to the way it was made and ignoring it. (Please do remember to take her the dvd and owners manual. I know you are an experienced quilter but when I have my gs I don't have time to even think.)
Have fun, enjoy./Regards, Dorothy
Everyone, please help with your thoughts,ideas and encouragements.
I also will be out of town Thur and Fri this week so I will check in as I can. I am hoping the thread is binding somehow, somewhere and if we can see that happen we can avoid it by knowing.
They put all that tape in such strange places for shipping. I was almost afraid there would be some in hidden places and I wouldn't find it to pull it off!
In my view, the SQ9000 is a noisy machine. The EX660 seems to purr, this one almost sounds like it is clunking. (Even without fabric). I am chalking it off to the way it was made and ignoring it. (Please do remember to take her the dvd and owners manual. I know you are an experienced quilter but when I have my gs I don't have time to even think.)
Have fun, enjoy./Regards, Dorothy
Everyone, please help with your thoughts,ideas and encouragements.
06-01-2010, 01:33 PM
#9
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 5
I have the same problem with my Brother CS-6000. I can change thread (bobbin and top) and use the same spool of thread, if I don't use from the same spool of thread even if it is the same brand, weight and color etc it will knot up.
I have wasted a lot of thread because of this. I have taken it all apart and cleaned it and it dosen't make any difference it still knots up.
It is very frustrating.
I have wasted a lot of thread because of this. I have taken it all apart and cleaned it and it dosen't make any difference it still knots up.
It is very frustrating.
06-09-2010, 05:43 PM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: las vegas nv.
Posts: 2,452
Dorothy, just wanted to touch base on this subject.
My ever so adorable GD has been returned safe, sound & alittle more spoiled to her mommy [my DD-lol] I so enjoyed my time w/ her. But now its time to get caught up on a weeks worth of chores and such that I didn't even bother doing while GD was here.
My friend still has my machine and she also has a hectic life so if she can come up w/ something I will be very grateful.
I have to agree w/ you on the noise factor and the fustration I have had to go through w/ what was supposed to be a pleasure. My first thought was to pack it up and take it back but its probably to late now.:{
My ever so adorable GD has been returned safe, sound & alittle more spoiled to her mommy [my DD-lol] I so enjoyed my time w/ her. But now its time to get caught up on a weeks worth of chores and such that I didn't even bother doing while GD was here.
My friend still has my machine and she also has a hectic life so if she can come up w/ something I will be very grateful.
I have to agree w/ you on the noise factor and the fustration I have had to go through w/ what was supposed to be a pleasure. My first thought was to pack it up and take it back but its probably to late now.:{
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