bobbin tension issues

[Homer]

my bobbin tension is drastically changing every 1k stitches or so. We have brand new bobbin cases, brand new rotary hooks, different kinds of bobbins, magnetic core, magnetic sides, paper sides, no sides..ALL of them do the same thing on all 3 of my machines. They will sew a shirt or two then go wonky for an hour. I toss out the bobbin and get a new one but this is just nuts.. Any ideas on what to look at?

[mk162]

clean your hook, it sounds to me like you have a ton of lint in there that is getting into the bobbin spring.  Run a business card under the bobbin spring and clean that stuff out

[lrsbranding]

You have an embroidery gremlin. It probably showed up from the super moon. Shut everything down, go have a big mexican lunch with chips and queso (a margarita would help) then start over.  I had a problem with oddball loops between different heads and machines. The queso fixed that.

 Blow everything out and recheck tensions. The odd thing is the same problem across all heads on 3 different machines. What is the common ground on all machines? I second the bobbin case lint. Did you change backing recently? I use the Fil-Tec magnetic bobbins and have found that a lot of them are oversize. They drag on the bobbin case at first. If you check tension straight away on a new bobbin it will appear too tight so you adjust it then all of a sudden it loosens up. On a new bobbin pull out the thread slowly until you feel it running smoothly then check the tension. 

[inkman996]

Yep make sure your bobbins are not over wound, in fact always store bobbins that are no good in a box and then return them when you have a full box.

I also second cleaning the hooks on all cases, it is a must especially if doing a messy material or using an odd backing. One of the best things I implemented years ago was always having one full set of cases cleaned, tensioned and ready to go for every head. Once a day swap in the ready set and during long runs the operator can have the next set always ready to go.

[Homer]

been battling this for the past 3 hours. I cleaned the cases, I think I might grab some carb cleaner and really clean them. I am using the magna glide magnetic bobbins now. I get one machine to sew perfect, next shirt goes on and looks terrible. Same backing I've been using for a long time. same hoop, same person hooping.

One thing I did notice was the way we were using the gauges, my employee was pulling the thread out fast and not really giving an accurate reading on the gauges. So I watched a few youtubes and noticed we should slowed down a bit pulling on the thread.  They are sewing a little better but they keep changing tensions. I had to stop, I'm about to loose it.. This has been going on for about 3 weeks.

thanks for the help guys, I'll go look at it with fresh eyes in a few. only 150 more polos to sew. 

e

[3Deep]

Get a can of compressed air and blow out any lint around the tension knobs and inside the case, lint can really cuz sewing problem's, embroidery machine can be a real pain in the booty.

[ftembroidery]

I don't know what machines you have, but on our Tajimas the manual says to pull the thread out of the bobbin at a specific rate when setting tension.  Also, with the change of seasons, you might need to check for reasonably consistent shop temp and humidity.

[Doug B]

  Humidity can be a real factor. There have been times that everything is fine all
morning and then after lunch all heck breaks loose for no other apparent reason.

[Homer]

thanks guys, I have an air drop in the emb room so we are always blowing out the hooks and cases.  Now that you mention it, it is 70 today and calling for snow on Sunday ..maybe it's messing with us? I dunno.

I'd rather go home get drunk and watch the golden girls. this is just stupid. too bad I don't drink. might start after this week.

[mooseman]

when sew goes to hell and you are thinking it is the bobbin are you going back in and checking the bobbin tension to see if it different than when your first set it?
Also what about lubrication if you do not have the bobbin assembly, drive shaft and all the junk that spins the bobbin things could be heating up a little. Not much heat change will make a difference in the tension of the bobbin spring and possibly change the teshion or grab of the spring a ton!
Use your temp gun to take temps on the bobbin case through the good to bad cycle.
Additionally don't just focus on the bobbin could be your upper tensions going wacky the tensions are relatively driven by each other.
the fact that you re getting this on all your stuff the same suggests there is something in the environment that all machines share sourcing the issue.
Good luck and this is why I am trying to sell my 4 head......................................... EMBROIDERY is a PITA
mooseman   

[Gilligan]

I'd rather go home get drunk and watch the golden girls. this is just stupid. too bad I don't drink. might start after this week.

But you DO watch the Golden Girls.

[Homer]

thanks Moose, I am oiling it up. here's my steps. grab a new bobbin, put it in a clean case, check tension reading, adjust as needed. trying to be in the 180-200 range on my meter. Put the bobbin in, start sewing. sews, trims, looks great....half way through the design it all goes to f...pull out the bobbin, check the tension and it dropped to under 100... all 3 machines are doing it. Thing is, it will sew perfect for a shirt or two then go wonky for an hour. I'll try slowing them down and see if that helps.

Gilly... who doesn't...?

[mk162]

It seems you are doing something wrong with the bobbin then.  Like the springs are dirty or you aren't threading them right.

[Homer]

It seems you are doing something wrong with the bobbin then.  Like the springs are dirty or you aren't threading them right.

that's why I use the magnetic ones 

It has been fine for the past, ohhh 4 years....then few weeks ago it married it's cousin or some damn thing. I don't freakin know. maybe I am.

[ebscreen]

We've had weird stuff happen when the temperature changes drastically. EMB in climate controlled room now.