Boye #13 Shuttle
 

I am new to working on sewing machines and very new to this group. I just picked up a National vibrating, or long, shuttle machine VB-TT Type 5 and it is complete except it is missing the shuttle/bobbin. I think I have narrowed it down to a Boye #13 and the only one I've found is on ebay for over $39, but I paid only $10 for the machine.
If anyone knows where I can find one for less than $39 that would be great. Thanks.

Boye 13 is new old stock so it should be more expensive than used but sometimes a bargain turns up. Try searching National, Eldredge and popular National brand names like Damascus. These will be used and usually lower in cost. Bonanza and Etsy are other search place options.

Jon

Thanks for the info. I will look around that way and see what I can find. I'd like to see if the machine actually sews, it seems to be in good condition so I expect it to work just fine, once I find a shuttle/bobbin.

Thanks to Jon's tips, I broadened my search a bit and think I found a shuttle, it fits anyway, and looks locked in place. I've never used a vibrating shuttle machine and once I had it threaded and went to test, the top stitch looked OK but there were tons of loops of thread on the bottom, all about 3/8" long.

I tried searching the forum for this problem but my search terms were too common so the results were more generalized.

Can anyone point me to a thread which might address this problem?

Thanks!

It may be as simple as the upper thread tension being too loose.
As a general rule, issues on the bottom of the fabric indicate a tension issue on the top, and issues on the top indicate a tension issue on the bottom.

Welcome, Joe. That is a very nice machine you have. Glad you were able to find a shuttle.

I can't direct you to a thread to address your problem. but perhaps I can give you some ideas to try. It sounds like the upper thread tension is off or not threaded properly. I see you have a leaf tension. I have one leaf tension machine, but it is a little different. I believe that the upper thread goes under the notch next to the screw. I believe that there is a flat spring under there that the thread needs to go between and will come out between the notch closest to the needle. I don't remember if there is a tension release so the thread can be pulled easily on leaf tensions. After you have it threaded there should be some tension when you pull the thread after going through the leaf tension. I believe the screw adjusts how much tension there is. If the thread pulls through easily, you will need to tighten the screw. If it is too hard to pull thread through or breaks the thread, you will need to loosen the screw. See if that helps make the stitches look better.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Thanks for the tips! I worked with it a little more and it sewed some decent looking stitches. The upper tension had to be much tighter than I thought. There is no tension release working off the presser foot lift lever, just a tab on the lower leaf to press down if you need to pull thread.

If I ran it too fast the bobbin thread broke, repeatedly. Although the shuttle I found fits, I'm still not sure it's the correct one. When I have it threaded and ready to pick up the lower thread, the upper thread is grabbed by the front "clip" that goes in the shuttle notch and I really have to pull on it to bring up the thread. I'm not sure the bobbins are correct either, as there's a point on each end but no indentation for it on the shuttle carrier. I have never worked with a VS machine, but I have 2 others in the queue waiting to be cleaned up and tested, so I guess it's trial and error.

I'm glad I found this forum, seems I learn something new every time I start reading threads.