Why we take tensioners apart to clean them (Long!)
05-15-2014, 02:53 PM
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Why we take tensioners apart to clean them (Long!)
Since Miriam keeps saying I'm the go to tension person here, I figured I might as well post this.
A friend and a member of this board said she was having trouble with her serger. No tension on the bottom looper thread, and crummy tension on the upper looper thread.
No wait!! Come back! It's still relevant to vintage sewing machines!!
I mentioned a trick I'd read about on this board that sometimes we can "floss" the garbage out with a piece of serger chain to see if that would coax the kittens out. If that didn't work, possibly the tension settings had "backed off" behind the scenes.
Long story somewhat shorter, flossing didn't work and the machine is on my bench.
Keep in mind this is after a good flossing!
I took the first one apart, and it was a little grungy. About what I'd expect for crummy tension.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]475643[/ATTACH]
Next, onto the lower looper tensioner, or as I've nicknamed it: the deadbeat tensioner.
As I was getting ready to remove it from the bracket, I saw this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]475644[/ATTACH]
Notice how the tensioner is actually a little tent shaped with the lint? No way you're ever going to get good tension out of that! This is why, especially on a "hidden" tensioner, flossing doesn't work a lot of the time. You can push it down but not out.
In her case, it looks like either a piece of the serged tail broke off while she was flossing and cuddled in with the kittens or at some point this looper thread broke and when rethreading it, there was a broken piece left behind unnoticed from the break.
The piece in the tensioner was all one piece, so I suspect the latter. Since I can't be 100% sure, I won't be recommending this method again as it can compound the problem. Dental floss is still likely a slightly more viable option, but can still push the lint down (or further in) but not out.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]475646[/ATTACH]
Now I'm off to put this one back together and do the same for the 2 needle thread tensioners. I might as well while I'm here anyway.
A friend and a member of this board said she was having trouble with her serger. No tension on the bottom looper thread, and crummy tension on the upper looper thread.
No wait!! Come back! It's still relevant to vintage sewing machines!!
I mentioned a trick I'd read about on this board that sometimes we can "floss" the garbage out with a piece of serger chain to see if that would coax the kittens out. If that didn't work, possibly the tension settings had "backed off" behind the scenes.
Long story somewhat shorter, flossing didn't work and the machine is on my bench.
Keep in mind this is after a good flossing!
I took the first one apart, and it was a little grungy. About what I'd expect for crummy tension.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]475643[/ATTACH]
Next, onto the lower looper tensioner, or as I've nicknamed it: the deadbeat tensioner.
As I was getting ready to remove it from the bracket, I saw this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]475644[/ATTACH]
Notice how the tensioner is actually a little tent shaped with the lint? No way you're ever going to get good tension out of that! This is why, especially on a "hidden" tensioner, flossing doesn't work a lot of the time. You can push it down but not out.
In her case, it looks like either a piece of the serged tail broke off while she was flossing and cuddled in with the kittens or at some point this looper thread broke and when rethreading it, there was a broken piece left behind unnoticed from the break.
The piece in the tensioner was all one piece, so I suspect the latter. Since I can't be 100% sure, I won't be recommending this method again as it can compound the problem. Dental floss is still likely a slightly more viable option, but can still push the lint down (or further in) but not out.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]475646[/ATTACH]
Now I'm off to put this one back together and do the same for the 2 needle thread tensioners. I might as well while I'm here anyway.
Last edited by ArchaicArcane; 05-15-2014 at 02:58 PM.
05-15-2014, 03:16 PM
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Tammi, it looks like Igor was the last repair man that machine had...
There can be a lot of dried up oil in there, too - no amount of flossing will clean that off. I routinely take the tension off, take it apart and clean it - dried up oil - "HAIR" as Wilbur calls lint and threads. Then when you put it all back together it magically works - RIGHT???
There can be a lot of dried up oil in there, too - no amount of flossing will clean that off. I routinely take the tension off, take it apart and clean it - dried up oil - "HAIR" as Wilbur calls lint and threads. Then when you put it all back together it magically works - RIGHT???
05-15-2014, 05:41 PM
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Tammi, it looks like Igor was the last repair man that machine had...
There can be a lot of dried up oil in there, too - no amount of flossing will clean that off. I routinely take the tension off, take it apart and clean it - dried up oil - "HAIR" as Wilbur calls lint and threads. Then when you put it all back together it magically works - RIGHT???
There can be a lot of dried up oil in there, too - no amount of flossing will clean that off. I routinely take the tension off, take it apart and clean it - dried up oil - "HAIR" as Wilbur calls lint and threads. Then when you put it all back together it magically works - RIGHT???
Yes, this machine is stitching great. I feel like the tension is a little tight on the upper looper, but well within user adjustability range...
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