Needles unthreading

[SewZone]

Hi,

I'm so happy to be a part of this group. I have been watching before I was accepted to post and you have some very smart members. So, I know someone out there can help me!

I'm not sure how to describe my problem but I'll try.
1. Small loops of thread appearing in small lettering.
2. Thread not getting cut between colors leading to sloppy embroidery and broken needles. I have watched the trimmer in action with the cover over the bobbin off and applying the windshield wiper/needle button on the small button pad on right of machine. The thread totally misses the thread cutter.
3. Bobbin thread showing no matter how I adjust the bobbin.
4. Needle unthreads between letters when I have digitized for trims between every letter. It seems as if the trim is too short even though I have it set for long trim.
5. Sometimes a letter just gets sucked down into the hole that the bobbin thread comes out of.

I have an XTS purchased new in 2011.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

Christine
Owner/Embroiderer
The Sew Zone USA

[Mama Kass]

Christine, I rarely do small lettering, but I hate to see your questions unanswered so I'll make a couple of suggestions and hope someone with more knowledge jumps in. In reference to each of your questions:
1. Try a search on both "looping" and "small lettering"
2. Try a search on "trimmer" or "knife"
3. For the most part we don't adjust the bobbin tension to solve problems on the Amaya. Once it's set correctly (search on bobbin tension) most of these problems are related to thread feed.
4. The trim length setting refers to the length of thread tail left on the back of the embroidery not to the amount of thread left in the cutter mechanism. A needle can unthread if the machine either fails to trim or if no trim is digitized before moving to another part of a design that is far enough away to cause the thread to snap. If you search on this topic I know you will find other possible explanations.
5. The only time I've ever had this happen is when I've caused a major bird's nest problem by not inserting my bobbin properly. I suppose very high density might also cause this.

I don't think I've helped much, but I do recommend taking the time to do some searches because I know that there have been posts on all the issues, except the last.

[SewZone]

Thanks, Mama Kass! I'm willing to try anything. I'm just about to sew a prof. digitized design to see if it is my digitizing skills. I've had 2 tech tell me to adjust bobbin every time but I don't. I just can't seem to get rid of thread showing. I've got it to a minimum but one notch tighter and the needle doesn't pick up bobbin thread.

[Mama Kass]

You should adjust your bobbin tension to drop 3-4" when not threaded through the pigtail and check it periodically to make sure it's OK. This is probably what the techs were referring to. I just searched on bobbin tension and found posts dealing with most the problems you are having. Another thing you can do is run an AMPASS test will show any problems that are due to things other than digitizing. For a good explanation of how to do this, see Rod Springer's reply to "Jackets with seam" if you search the word AMPASS.

[SewZone]

Thanks! I did adjust the bobbin and it seems to be working well now. We did some cleaning around the trimmer and its working a little better.

I hate small letters. How do you avoid them?

[Rod or Sharon]

Hi Christine,
Small letters (and I'm not sure how small you are talking about) should stitch fine if your machine is properly lubricated, you are using the right backing (and Solvy if needed) and garment is hooped taut. Also if the letters are properly digitized and you are using the right size needle. A couple things you can try is going to a 60 weight thread and a 65/9 needle unless you are stitching on a very heavy weight material. Also, raise your tabletop and look for the closest needle which will be designated probably in black magic marker as C-?. That is the number of your closest needle to the hook and will give you the best stitching for small lettering. Every machine is a different number. Be sure you have slipped the corner of a piece of typing paper under your leaf spring on the bobbin case to clean out any debris that may be under it then tension it as Mama Kass told you. There are also settings that can be changed to give more top thread so the bobbin thread isn't being pulled so tightly. Is your font a Melco font and if so, have you looked at your sheets for that font to be sure it was intended for the size you are trying to stitch?
Sharon

[Mama Kass]

Yea!, Sharon - glad someone who knew what they were talking about jumped in here.

We don't avoid small lettering; we just don't do the usual things that most shops do. We make embroidered clothing articles, table covers etc.

[SewZone]

Thanks, Sharon. I have no idea what you are talking about when you say raise the table top.

I did order a part that melco recommended. I would call it the blade of the trimmer assembly. I took an small part out of the machine that has this blade in it. The only thing that seems to be holding this blade in place is a tiny nut through what I think looks like a fan- small flat circle with some triangles in it, dark colored. Well, I emailed tech services to ask how to get this apart and the tech wrote back, yelling (you know how you can tell someone is yelling in an email!) that I shouldn't have taken the block out. So I cleaned everything up and put it back together and I'm left with a $96. part that I can't use. I usually love tech services but now I'm just pretty bewildered. The machine is sewing the letters better but still not trimming the thread. At least I can sew!

[Mama Kass]

In case Sharon or Rod don't have a chance to get back to you... The table is black plastic surface under the sewing area where you probably lay your supplies while you're working; it just lifts off and the main computer board is underneath. The notes that Sharon is referring to are marked on the metal base in the front right corner.

If you have taken out the screw that holds the knife housing, I understand why the tech "yelled" at you. Do a search on "knife replacement" and read Rod's last answer in the last thread "HELP! not trimming." It wouldn't hurt to read through these old postings.

[Rod or Sharon]

Wellll....need to clear up a couple of things here....

The XTS series has a different trimmer than the XT's and the Big Reds, unless it is the Pre XT model that has the same trimmer as the XT's.

The XT's trimmer is a separate knife and a separate selector that can be replaced individually.

The XTS has what they refer to as the ACAT. When this unit is replaced, both the knife and selector are replaced as one single unit as they are riveted together. This unit is held on to the trimmer housing block by an e-clip. Removing the entire block is not advisable unless you have the proper knowledge and/or training to get it back into adjustment. The " what I think looks like a fan- small flat circle with some triangles in it" is an e-clip that clips on to a center post to hold the unit in place. Removing this clip is ok to get the knife/selector unit off to clean or replace it, just not the entire housing block.

Maybe the tech mis-understood what you telling him as to what you removed. The description you gave at the beginning of this post leads me to believe that you removed the trimmer/knife assembly and not the complete housing assembly.

It is always a good idea to take the time to go into the tech-help-parts-section and look at the machine breakdown to see just what is the name of the parts you are trying to describe. Saves a lot of confusion at times.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[SewZone]

One week later... got the "knife" replaced with the help of Melco tech on the phone. I no longer have the needle unthreading issue but still having misstarts and bobbin thread showing on top. As I understand it, misstarts are because bobbin is too tight and bobbin thread showing on top is because bobbin is too loose. How can I have both problems at the same time? It is very frustrating!

[Rod or Sharon]

Christine,
What you may be referring to as "misstarts" may be that you are not getting what we call a "tie-in." That happens when the top and bottom thread don't form a knot to anchor the thread when it initially starts to sew. A "tie-off" is when an area of thread completes sewing and the top and bottom thread form a knot again so the thread can be trimmed or cut and not have your embroidery come unraveled.

If you don't mind, would you email me what design you are attempting to stitch. I won't be able to look at it until the first of the week but will be happy to then. Perhaps after that we can check a few settings.

Sharon Springer
[email protected]