Bobbin winding woes - Frister Rossmann Cleopatra model E
 

I've just purchased a Frister Rossmann Cleopatra model E. It was in pretty sad shape but two days of cleaning, oiling and polishing have made a huge difference. However, I can't get the bobbin to wind properly.

The thread starts loading on the right with a lose wind. As I continue to fill the bobbin, the wind gets tighter and more uniform but won't return all the way to the right. The thread stops consistently about half way.

I was lucky enough to get eight bobbins with the machine, some of which still had thread on them. It's clear that the machine can fill a bobbin with tightly coiled thread. I just can't figure out how!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Karen

Try guiding the thread by hand, it works with the Singer long bobbin I've used.

The metal bar the thread runs on has to be super smooth and polished, any tiny surface scratch will mess up the movement of the tread. I can be a case of getting to know the machine to, like purplefiend says, guiding with a finger or something like that. It's usually the first layer that might need a bit of guiding.

http://needlebar.org/main/manuals/fandr/index.html

This is a manual for your machine and may help with the bobbin you might be threading wrong on the winder.

Thanks, Glenn! I wasn't running the thread behind the winder and back up the front. Now I'm able to wind bobbins as smooth and tight as the green one in my photo. I love how the winder disengages when the bobbin is full.

This machine is a work of art and sews like a dream. I'll have to post more photos after the weekend when my company leaves and I have time to sew!

Thanks again to everyone's who took the time to answer.

Karen