Sarabela

I'm getting really frustrated. I've had nothing but problems lately with sewing machines. So this new machine that I acquired last night at the Superbowl party (Japanese 15 clone called "Macy's Own Herald") is giving me trouble and it has me stumped. I oiled everything and cleaned out the tiny amount of lint that was in it. It looks like it's been used all of 8 times. Then I attempted to thread the machine without having a manual. The bobbin part was no mystery because my Baby Lock had the same type of bobbin assembly. I did a little sewing and got the tension adjusted properly. Everything was fine. Then I googled how to thread a Singer 15 and realized that I had missed one little thing with the upper threading, the little thin wire that's attached to the tension. I re-threaded correctly and now everything is all wrong. The upper thread breaks after just a few stitches every time. I tried new needles, a plastic bobbin, metal bobbin, different kinds of thread (Gutermann and Aurifil), adjusting the tension. I watched Muv's video on threading a 15 and followed it step by step. Nothing helped. So i threaded it again, the wrong way, and it works fine. Obviously this isn't ideal. I notice when it's threaded correctly and i try sewing, before the thread breaks there is a lot of slack between the take up lever and the tension mechanism. This does not happen when I skip threading it through the wire. I am attaching a photo of it threaded the correct way, the way that causes problems. Maybe there is something else I'm missing.

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your talking about going up and over the thick wire thats an L shape

here's what I find some like it some don't, my favorite singer 15 doesn't, several of the clones don't. singer 16's don't like it. one 16 doesn't even have a place for the wire.guide.

afew times using 15's I have ran 3000 yds cones and never broke the thread. if it does well not going over the top don't use it

mlmack

Make sure you are threading like it shows in this manual:

http://ismacs.net/singer_sewing_mach...al-rotated.pdf

Flat side of needle to right, and thread through needle from left to right.

J Miller

Looks to me like the top tension dial is cranked way tight. May or may not be, but that's what it looks like.

Joe

Mrs. SewNSew

The tension looks threaded wrong to me. It's hard to tell but maybe check the manual and try again? When you thread the tension, come down and around between the disks and catch the wire. Hold the thread spool stationary and give a little pull to the thread and it should lift the wire and the thread will pop behind a little catch part in the tension. Then continue up to the take up lever and the rest as you have it.

quiltingcandy

One other thing question - what type of spool of thread are you using? Is it a spool or a cone type? If it is a cone then you need to make sure the thread is pulled from the top of it and not put it on the pin, if it is a spool, then it will pull evenly on the pin. (And I agree with Joe - it appears the tension is way too tight.)

Cari-in-Oly

No, she's got it threaded right. Some 15s don't have that little "catch part", they have that little L shaped bar beside the tension. I had similar problems with a Universal clone the other day, finally took all the thread off the machine, cleaned the tension disks, loosened both tensions and tried again. Not sure what did it but it worked fine after that.

Cari

miriam

I like to rebuild every one of those - for what ever reason they work better.

Sarabela

The arrow for the tension disc setting is on the left. I have it set at 4. When you turn it all the way down the 0 is on the left at the arrow so I think it's accurate. When I get home today I will try taking it apart and cleaning the discs.

Sarabela

Thank you for this! I searched last night and couldn't find a manual.