Janome 1600P Help Needed
 

I've free motioned quilted with this machine on a Grace frame for two years now with little problems....until recently. Now it's being tempermental and making me bang my head against the wall. Stitches are smaller than usual and then suddenly it skips a large amount of stitches. I've ripped out over 20 times. To those that also free motion on this machine can I ask what your settings are?
My stitch length is 0
tension is a 5 (always worked before)
foot pressure is 0
needle HLx5 (new) and inserted correctly
Connecting Threads Ivory (new spool)
Bobbin is a metal L
Only my husband and I here, so no one to mess with my settings, because the cat and dog can't reach the machine.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
Does something look "off" to you?

I don’t have that machine but Leah Day is now a Janome dealer and has some videos in this machine. She also answers comments on YouTube.

When things aren't working "as usual", I go back and double check on the usual. Good luck on figuring it out, one of my most recent issues ended up as needing an actual trip to the shop and a repair, the diagnostics just hadn't decided on that in the beginning.

Is there anything different about the fabric combination? Finer weave like batiks? Heavier??

You changed the needle but even fresh needles can have flaws. Have you tried different points? Mostly I use universal but sometimes a microtex sharp for those batiks or a topstitch needle for something a bit heavier than normal.

Lately I'm finding more and more problems related to bobbins, which can be anything from the bobbin itself, to the thread wind, to needing a case cleaning.

Ladies....I have even contacted Leah Day and was told that the bobbin wasn't in correctly or it was the needle not inserted correctly. Have redone these multiple times and they ARE correct. Extended spool holder is all the way up too. Guessing that I might have to take the machine in to the shop and probably won't get it back until New Years!

This machine uses DB-X needles. I have my tension at 2, but probably my bobbin tension is lower too.
You need the DB needles, they have a round shaft. My 1600 will skip stitches too with a flat side shaft needle.

Good luck!

Don't know if this applies or not.....but I had a mid arm machine on a 10 foot frame made by Grace. The bars were made of aluminum and were made of 5 foot lengths connected in the middle. Over time, I got a sag on those bars so the distance between the quilt and the needle changed over time and I was getting problems with my stitching and tension because of the sag. Just check and see if the bar is level. I don't know what the fix is. I just upgraded to a new machine and frame. I did not have much space to quilt anyway with the short neck machine I was using.

I just looked at the 1600P and it looks a bit like my Viking Megaquilter 1200 which I do believe was a Janome in Viking clothing. Another thought, do you have a stitch regulator with it. The stitch regulator could be having problems too....

Wasn't it the Janome 1600P DB that took only round needles, not the Janome 1600P?

What SIZE needle are you using? I found on my Brother 1500 (essentially the same machine) when sewing, I could use a 12 or 14, but when I was quilting I had to use a 16 or 18, or I would get skipped stitches.

Can it be thread 'fuzz' in the tension disks, can you try cleaning it? Happened w/my ELNA 9100 (made by Janome)--discovered by repair person (for $65). My bad for not being more thorough!

I looked on the Janome website and this machine takes the HLX5 needles.

I've never heard of the DB needles and my instruction manual says to use HLx5 so that what I'm using currently. I'll look to see if I have a size 16 needle and give that a try. Not sure how to clean the tensions discs...do you have to brush it out or take it apart?

i have one and all my setting are on 3. it was set that way from dealer. i use so fine thread on mine which i was

told to use when i bought the machine. keep it oil good according to book. i use the same size needle. havent had a problem.

you arent not moving too fast are you?

Thank you Joset....if I understand this correctly, your stitch length and tension are on 3....what about foot pressure when you free motion?

Lindaschipper you should be able to clean the tension discs with a stiff paintbrush or floss. Make sure your bobbin case is also clean. Run the paint brush around the inside of the case, lift up this little flap with a pin - you'd be surprised at how a bit of thread dust can accumulate underneath it and throw things off.

Try cleaning the tension disks with dental floss. Anything stuck in there might just cause this problem.

Is it possible your bobbin case got bent or scratched? Or that you have a bad batch of bobbins? Any another check to be sure the bobbin is turning in the correct direction. You must be so frustrated!

Peckish....never would have thought of that. Thank you!

It's happened to me, that's how I know! 😉

This is usually an issue with the stitch regulator or encoders. Here is a video that demonstrates the stitch regulator very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pijhu8Cyew0

Check your encoder wheels. Are the skipped stitches going side to side (back encoder X) or for/backwards (side encoder Y ).
If they have rubber around it may need replacing, or the tracks simply need a good clean. These are issues I have with my Lizzie, & can be a real pain.