Ellpea

Hello,

thanks to helpful members here, I finally got my shuttle seated into its carrier. Now I've been fiddling (off and on) with the new needle and simply can't seem to get it properly inserted. I've even stooped to using a compact with a magnifying mirror to get a look at the underside of the clamp, but of course can't get the needle in while the mirror is there (because it needs to go down the hole in order to line up at all).

This really shouldn't be that hard! If anyone has any advice, detailed photos, or even a video of how you manage to set your needle, please post -- I'd be eternally grateful!

Ellpea aka

manicmike

I think it *is* meant to be that hard. The needles don't have a flat side so you need to be able to see the groove, the needle must be first inserted into the throat plate and the needle bar doesn't have a stop for the needle so you don't know when it's at the right height. I've only set one but it wasn't my 12 MOP, it was a German clone. Gerry had the sense to add some features like said needle stop.
The manual is as follows...
[ATTACH=CONFIG]513446[/ATTACH]
I'm planning on visiting my machine's babysitter (Frudemoo) and having a play with it soon and will video or photograph all I can to help you.

QuiltingVagabond

Oh my goodness, that does sound hard! Good luck ellpea!

maviskw

I have a needle like that, and tried to print out the instructions. The image came through so big, that it wouldn't print all of it. Now that I am doing the "reply", it came out really small, so maybe I can print this one.

maviskw

It worked! In the reply above, it is readable except for the last letter of each line. But you can figure that out. When I printed I asked to print in "landscape". It didn't do that, but all the letters are there. I'm going to put this piece of paper into the machine drawer with the instruction book.
Thanks for posting this.

Mrs. SewNSew

It's not easy! I also set one in my German hand crank and those are the instructions I followed. I had 2 needles to try and the first one was not ever going to work-it was too short. The needle I finally did get set was a good long one!

Ellpea

Hello everyone -- thank you for all of your responses! You kind of wonder why this was made so difficult, when the machine is so sweet and intuitive on every other level. Surely they realized that a mark or a stopping point was necessary? Or perhaps some needles that far back were of inconsistent size, and this was a helpful way of making the machine more flexible? In fact the needle that came with the machine was not a standard needle at all, but very long with no groove or thicker, round bit at the top. Perhaps it didn't even sew successfully (I didn't care -- I just WANTED that machine!).

I do have the manual and have followed it very closely in this process. In setting the shuttle the manual was a bit ambiguous, but Manicmike and Mrs.SewNSew talked me through that. The particular problem with the needle is the "insert into the needle clamp" portion of the directions. No matter what I do or adjust, I can't seem to find the "insert" point. When I do think I have it probably in the right place, the needle isn't really centered on the hole in the feed dog plate. I do wish the manual had more detailed pictures; surely other home sewists like me had problems like this 140 years ago!

I'll settle in with it again after I've done some chores, and with loving PATIENCE (typed with gritted teeth!) will work on it again. Any photos or videos anyone can post of their successes would be very welcome!

Thank you, everyone!
Ellpea, aka

manicmike

It was just an earlier design. The model 12 was actually much easier to use than its predecessors and was extremely popular because of this. Round needles were the norm and only after the model 12 did they come up with flats in needles, needle stops and other luxuries. Think of how a prototype relates to a polished final product or how drivable and comfortable a car from the 1940s is compared with one from the '60s.
With the 'how far do I set the needle in' question, if you can't find the marks you can expose the bobbin area and turn the hand wheel toward you until the shuttle tip is in line with the needle. Set the needle in so the eye is 1/16" below the shuttle's tip. Tighten it up and start sewing :-) I'm assuming you have a 12x1 needle, which are much slimmer than others so don't try and squeeze a 15x1 in: The larger diameter moves the needle away from the needle bar and it won't sew properly.

SteveH

1. it is easy.
2. there is an alignment mark

On the needlebar shaft, there is a groove put in about 1/2 to 1 inch from the top.

Turn the handwheel until that mark is just barely visible.

Set the needle in so that the eye is right even with the top surface of the needleplate
(i center the hole on the plane of the top, if that make sense)

make sure the long groove is facing towards the shuttle.

tighten the set screw

Ta Da.

Ellpea

SteveH wrote: "there is an alignment mark On the needlebar shaft, there is a groove put in about 1/2 to 1 inch from the top.

SteveH, is this a vertical grove on the right side of the needlebar shaft? That is the only mark I can find.

Also, I do think it's possible the needle clamp is on the wrong way. Currently it's wrapped around the back of the needle bar. Is that as it should be?