Bobbin winders
 

I was thinking about getting a bobbin winder, but I have a few questions I'm hoping someone can answer for me. Can you control the winder's speed? Does it stretch poly monofiliment thread? Do they fill the bobbin full? Are they picky about what type or brand thread you use?

I have the Sidewinder. It works great for me. When my grandaughter was small she would wind bobbins for hours. I have a shoe box bin full of wound bobbins of all colors. I kept Walmart out of stock on the cheap metal bobbins. LOL. Cheap fun for her and she felt good knowing she was helping. I use it for my FW and 301 bobbins as I can't find prewounds for those. I like the prewounds the best. I can't control a speed but I can adjust the tension. There is a new deluxe model out now that may be different. I have used all types of thread and the ploy mono thread. Nylon mono will stretch.

I love my Sidewinder. I like being able to fill bobbins without unthreading my machine. I find the sidewinder fills bobbins fuller than my machine.

I bought a K-Kraft one many years ago and I LOVE it. It works with all my machines. I also can control the tension, but not the speed. It does seem like it puts more thread on a spool than my machine but that is fine with me.I have used all kinds of threads with it with no problem. Pricier than sidewinder, but solid.

I have a Sidewinder, and I love it. You can wind it as full as you want, just hold the little thingy in while you wind. It doesn't seem to make a difference to the machine. I can also control the thread as it is winding so the thread winds smoothly on the bobbin. I got mine many years ago with a coupon and probably paid $12.00 for it. I don't know if it winds fuller than my machine because I've never wound a bobbin on my machine.
Sue

The larger sidewinder (more $) does have both tension and speed control. It winds well from cones, and will double for thread stand in a pinch. I've wound Singer 66, featherweight, and class 15 and Bernina bobbins on it. The amount it winds onto a bobbin is also adjustable. I don't quite have it set right, I think, as I still have to adjust the feed with my finger to get the bobbins wound evenly. I've never used monofilament thread, so I can't help directly, but I will say that the bobbins I've wound on the sidewinder in both poly and cotton are not as tightly wound (a bit squishy not hard), which might be a good thing for monofilament. Aurifil 50/2 cotton, Sulky poly bobbin thread, Gutterman poly and cotton, and Mettler Aerofil poly have all run through just fine.

What machine do you have? I can't use it for my green bobbins for the Sapphire Husqvarna.... I don't know the reason why, but was wondering if it's because my machine has the bobbin low notifications?

Have one, use it......much better than having to unthread during a sewing session because I forgot to check bobbin supply....that's what I like about my old Viking.....could thread while engaged......threader on side, just pull thread over and wind......bobbin is under not drop in......

The green bobbins are a different size than regular bobbins. Maybe that's the reason.

Try putting the bobbins on upside down. This is what I must do with mine so they wind the correct way.