old bobbins
06-11-2013, 03:41 PM
#11
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,465
That's a new one on me... I've never had a problem with bobbins or bobbin tension, so have never given not using them again a thought. Don't use the pre-fills, I don't get the allure of those, either. When I fill bobbins, I do several at a time; I can buy a tube of Bernina bobbins for $10 or so, so have probably 25 or more.
06-11-2013, 10:14 PM
#12
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
I think I was the one that posted I don't use old bobbins. Let me add more details of why. For one thing I like new bobbins. 
It's just a sewing eccentricity I have. Nothing wrong at all with most old bobbins.
But plastic bobbins can have small cracks and scratches after many uses. Metal bobbins if dropped can get out of round. Most times I have had terrible bobbin thread issues, when I changed to a new bobbin the problem disappeared. I wind older metal bobbins with all different color thread and keep in bobbin holder for hand sewing binding or yo yos or mending. Over the years I had way to many filled older bobbins so I started giving filled bobbin rings as gifts. A silicone bobbin ring with filled bobbins of different colors of Aurifil thread will make any quilter's face light up. Another reason to buy new bobbins and fill the old ones.
It's just a sewing eccentricity I have. Nothing wrong at all with most old bobbins. But plastic bobbins can have small cracks and scratches after many uses. Metal bobbins if dropped can get out of round. Most times I have had terrible bobbin thread issues, when I changed to a new bobbin the problem disappeared. I wind older metal bobbins with all different color thread and keep in bobbin holder for hand sewing binding or yo yos or mending. Over the years I had way to many filled older bobbins so I started giving filled bobbin rings as gifts. A silicone bobbin ring with filled bobbins of different colors of Aurifil thread will make any quilter's face light up. Another reason to buy new bobbins and fill the old ones.
You mentioned a quilter's face light up when they got bobbins. I don't think I've ever been given bobbins, but if they fit my machine, I'd be quite happy. Here in Poland, there seem to be several popular sizes.
My question for you, then, is, do you use only use your bobbins once or just keep them for a certain while? I've ended up with quite a few bobbins and find myself trying to use up the ends of about 20 of them (which I've used for embroidery so they are mostly empty but still plenty of good thread on them) while sewing some borders and sashing on other projects.
06-11-2013, 10:44 PM
#13
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: England Alton Towers
Posts: 6,673
I. Have only had problems with bobbins in one machine my brother 440 which only likes brother plastic bobbins. My other machines don't seem to be at all fussy about age or type.
Those boxes full of coloured plastic bobbins did not go very well with free motion in my bernina.
Those boxes full of coloured plastic bobbins did not go very well with free motion in my bernina.
06-12-2013, 02:30 AM
#14
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: New Hampshire & Maine
Posts: 3,300
I still use the metal bobbins that came with my mother's Featherweight Centennial machine back in the late 1940's early 1950's. (Forget when the machine was made...just know it is as old as I am [57] if not older). Have only thrown away a couple of plastic bobbins...burrs on them so they would not feed the bobbin thread correctly in my Janome.
Anita
Anita
06-12-2013, 02:54 AM
#15
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,395
I've found that the metal bobbins work best for me. When I was having problems on a former machine it seemed to be the plastic bobbins that were the culprit. So I quit using them. The only time I get rid of a metal bobbin is if it has gotten rusted or dented. I did stock up on bobbins last year so I have one for every color thread I use regularly and some to spare.
06-14-2013, 10:50 AM
#17
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Grant Park, IL
Posts: 1,151
I would go broke buying bobbins if I did not reuse my bobbins. Some days I use 12 or more bobbins full on my sewing machines, 4-7 for my embroidery machine, and a countless number on my longarm. I can't imagine stocking more bobbins than I already have.
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