Not sewing
 

My Federal is not sewing. I have narrowed it down to the bar in front of the spring tension discs. It would sew for a couple of stitches and the thread is getting tangle around the bar (high lighted by yellow arrow). How do I correct this? [ATTACH=CONFIG]611516[/ATTACH] The way I thread the machine is the the top notch, between the tension discs, behind the bar (yellow arrow), around the spring, then the lever, through the loop and into the needle from left to right. Please help.

Hi
It's hard to tell without having hands on the machine. This could be a problem with the thread rather than the machine. If you happen to be using a large spool of cross wound thread this could make the thread feed erratic putting loops in the thread which will tangle. Have you had this machine sewing well in the past? You could do a test with another thread. If you want to use large spools of cross wound thread on a vintage machine some sort of thread stand can help.
Good luck!

Go over the bar, thru the spring, then the lever, there are also thread guides after that ,thread thru needle left to right. Make sure that your bobbin is turning in the right direction.

I think I have this same Federal machine. I come down from the top, through the tension discs, then the spring. Then I tuck the thread behind the bar (toward the tension discs) before threading through the take up lever. Maybe this is not correct but it sews like a charm for me. I love this machine!

Do you still have the needle with the flat part of the needle to the left, like you mentioned in https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...w-t304048.html The needle flat should be on the right and thread the needle from left to right.

After threading around the discs over the bar, through the check spring and through the take-up lever (back to front), there is a thread guide on the face plate that the thread needs to go through before the thread guide on the needle clamp.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]611533[/ATTACH]

Did you increase the pressure on the presser bar?

Once you have the machine threaded, lift the presser foot and and pull on the thread, it should pull easily. Lower the presser foot. pull on the thread. It should just barely bend the needle as you pull on the thread. If you really have to tug, or the needle bends a great deal the tension needs to be loosened. If the thread pulls as easily as when the presser foot is lifted, you need to increase the tension.

Hope this helps.


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

Muv posted pictures on this a few years a go too, showing all the details very well.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vintag...ml#post6137169

Drawings can be helpful too. Sometimes the tension assembly needs to come off and be cleaned, I think they oil the lever or bar on top of the tensioner.

This is much like the Early 115s and 15-30 machines, where the thread goes over the bar, before the check spring.
I was just reading the manual for the 115 and was reminded that the tension on the needle thread should only be regulated when the presser foot is down.

If the tension on the needle adjusted correctly and it still is breaking thread, the next step is to make sure the bobbin is threaded correctly. and double check the tension with the drop test.


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

Bev is right!