Bernina bobbin tension
 

Hi Everyone -

I have had my 3 year old Bernina 350 serviced by two different Bernina dealers over the past three years.

One guy set the bobbin tension considerably looser than the other guy.

I went online and saw a test you can do to determine the correct bobbin tension where you hold the bobbin in the case and shake it a little and when you shake it, the bobbin will fall. With the tight setting I have now, it doesn't fall and it feels pretty tight. But the recent technician said this tight way is correct.

I use 50weight cotton thread and cotton fabric almost all the time, so I'm not ever changing tension on my own. But I don't think I know how to determine which of these tech guys did it right? Or are they both right?

I am not experienced enough to know if some of my quilts might have loose or tight stitches, and if so whether any of these stitches might not hold up over time in the quilts?

Can people help me to understand this topic a little better?

Thank you so much,

Lainey

I have an older Bernina 1260. I keep the tension loose. If I hold the bobbin by the thread it comes off by itself, not running loose but looser then having to shake it loose.

My dear Aunt Faye told me years ago about this method and I have followed it with great success.

The most recent Bernina tech guy, the one who made the bobbin tension tight, said I should never adjust the bobbin tension myself, but that only a tech guy should do it at each annual service.

Do others agree, or are all of you adjusting the bobbin tension yourselves?

And why would two Bernina dealers have totally different ideas about what is the correct bobbin tension?

Isn't there a right and a wrong answer on this?

:)

OK, I'm checking my stitches but I don't think I can quite tell if they are perfect IE meet in the middle. I don't think I have enough experience. I can tell that since I went to this new tight-bobbin-tension tech guy, when I pull the fabric out from the machine to clip the ends of the threads, there is a bunching thing that happens where I have to pull the fabric out to get it to lay flat. That wasn't happening before I drove five hours round trip, paid a bunch of money and waited two hours for the service.

Does the bunching thing sound like the bobbin is too tight? I am assuming yes?

Jamie Wallen has a utube on taming the tension check it out

If the tension on a Bernina machine is adjusted correctly, why would I ever want to adjust it? If I am having trouble with my stitch, then I take it in for adjustment. I have had my Bernina B380 for almost a year and have sewed a great deal on it in that time. My stitch is the same as when it was new and I have used several kinds and weights of thread on it. After its annual servicing, if the stitch isn't right, I will take it back until it is right. When the first technician who adjusted your bobbin loose was finished, was your stitch correct? You don't explain why you took your machine to another technician. If the technician is certified, I would take the machine back until it is right. They should guarantee their work for at least 60 days. I would only take it to another certified technician if I was unable to get a satisfactory result. It sounds like your adjustment is incorrect if the stitch is gathering. It shouldn't do this. When you take it back to correct the problem, perhaps to the technician who adjusted it last, make sure that you sew on it for a while before you leave the store so that you know the stitch is correct. The stitch should be just as it was when your machine was new.

I have 2 Berninas and I need to adjust both the top and bottom tensions depending on what thread I'm using. Even one "notch" can make a difference in stitch quality

Did you ask him why? Is there some special tool that only techs have? Could you possibly mess something up by doing it yourself? Or do you have to pay a service fee every time you take it in to have the bobbin adjusted? If the answer to that question is yes, then I guess we know why he says a tech has to do it.

Personally I think it's hogwash. Check your manual to see if there are instructions on how to adjust your bobbin tension. I own several sewing machines; Brother, Pfaff, Janome, Singer, and I can adjust the bobbin tension on all of them.

I adjust mine all the time. Ask some of the sales ladies what they adjust their tension to - without mentioning the technician. I had a friend of mine just get hers back from servicing and was having issues. I had her loosen it some and no more problems. However note of caution -don't do it over a hard floor it can get away from you very quickly and if it lands on a hard surface you can get it out of round.

Yes it does sound too tight

Warning Warning - that is only for the Long Arm Bobbins not a domestic sewing machine - two different animals

OK so to confirm before I adjust the bobbin tension:

I have a Bernina 350. I plan to use the Bernina screw driver, and twist the screw on the bobbin to the left one click, IE going from 3 o'clock to 2 o'clock?

Then test it out, does this sound right?

NO! You should be comfortable adjusting your tension. That's why it's adjustable, so you can sew on cottons or Velcro, or double knits, or denim or whatever you want. I sent you a private message.

That's not true. Anyone can adjust tension on a bobbin case. It's not a skill. It's recommended to turn it one teeny tiny turn in one direction at a time then the other direction, until you get the stitch you want. Great info here:

http://www.superiorthreads.com/educa...sion-adjusted/

The best way I know to check stitches is to thread machine and bobbin in contrasting colors. Most of the adjustments I make on my Bernina 630E is simply with the tension settings. I have been told that the only changes to a bobbin must be very, very slight.

Lainey, This guy is having you on, or doesn't know what he's talking about. Do you have a manual? It should tell you how to take the bobbin and casing out, and which screw (if there's a choice) to turn to loosen it. The test you saw online is correct. Just unscrew a half-turn at a time till you're happy with the result.

The safest/smartest thing to do is buy a second bobbin case, imo. One that stays as the dealer adjusts and one that you use in cases when you want to adjust the lower tension yourself, for heavy bobbin threads for example. It not only maintains the dealer setting 'as is' on one, it also guarantees that you can still sew if you should happen to drop/lose the screw while adjusting the other.

I AGREE. The type of thread you are using on top or in the bobbin will vary. You just need to make sure your stitches are balanced. I have a Bernina 1530.

I work for a Bernina dealer. She has been the tech for over 40 years. Normally, you are told not to adjust the tension on the bobbin screw. However, recently a customer had purchased a pre-owned Bernina 730. She was in for her mastery class and had tension problems. The tech did take the bobbin case and test it with the weight. It still wasn't right and she brought me the little screwdriver and told me to adjust it 1/8 of a turn at a time until it looked right. She also told me the tension screw is set at the factory using 40 weight thread. Is it reasonable to think if you use a heavier or lighter thread it won't need to be adjusted? I won't be afraid to adjust mine when needed. I did so just yesterday ( I have a Bernina 440).

I have a 12 year old Bernina and I have never touched the bobbin tension or the top tension either for that matter.

I'm with you, repairs is how they make the their money. I say hogwash, too!

Just to add my 2 cents worth:

I have a 1530 and the only person who has ever changed my bobbin tension is a tech. That's not to say that if I was having trouble with that I wouldn't change it myself. If you use two different colors of thread (eg: black and white) in the top and bottom you should immediately be able to see if one side is looser than the other. You should never be able to pull either the top or bottom thread right out. Usually the only tension I have to change is the top tension and only by a little bit at a time. Remember this slogan: Righty tighty, lefty loosey. Your manual should tell you how to adjust your bobbin tension. I think the technician that told you that only a tech should adjust your bobbin tension is trying to drum up business for himself. After all, why would they show you how to do it in the manual, if they didn't think that the user of the machine shouldn't do it.

I also agree with the person who said to get an extra bobbin holder and never change the tension on that one. That way you always have a spare bobbin that has the right tension on it.

I have two older Bernina machines (130 and 153). I routinely adjust the top tension using the dial on the top of the machine depending on what types of top and bottom threads I'm using but I've never adjusted the screws on the "regular" bobbin cases. When I decided to try bobbin work using heavier threads and perle cotton, I decided to get what Bernina calls the "black latch bobbin case". It was pricey but it was an investment that has paid for itself many times over because I've never touched the tension screw on it either. I've found that the extra minute or two that it may take to make sure I'm using the correct bobbin case, have chosen the correct needle for the type of thread(s) I'm using, have checked the top tension adjustment, and have done some sample stitches have saved me a ton of grief over the years. If I find problems, most often it's because the bobbin has been wound "sloppy" for some reason, that I haven't been careful about inserting it in the bobbin case correctly and making sure everything is 'seated' firmly, or that the needle hasn't been inserted all the way or tightened down. Sometimes you have to take everything apart and go through this process "from the beginning" in order to find locate the issue -- and most of the time it's, uh, "user error".

Also....don't let the technician intimidate you!!!! I'd definitely want the bobbin case to simply be adjusted to "factory specs" and go from there.

Thanks for the website. I have ongoing problems with the tension setting on my Bernina 440 QE. I am going to buy an extra bobbin case just to play around with the tension settings. Maybe it will help make a prettier and straighter stitch. I have an old Kenmore that makes a straighter stitch with fewer problems.

Where I take my machine there is a 90 day warranty on their work, so if something is wrong/related during that time, I will not be charged a second time. So if there is bunching and maintenance was performed, she might not be charged for the return visit. I wasn't.