Tension Problem

Posted by Ron on May 4, 2009, 10:05 am

I have an Alpha Sew walking foot machine that I recently purchased
used from an individual that told me it was never used. I am trying
to sew heavy sail fabric. I can=92t seem to get the tension right. The
top stitch looks OK but the knots are visible on the bottom =96 one
thread just lays along the fabric and the other loops around it. My
instructions say to lesson the bobbin tension and tighten the top
tension. My problem is that I have them adjusted as far as they will
go and it doesn=92t seem to help. The screw on the bobbin nearly falls
out and the thread pulls out easily. The upper tension is at it
highest setting (9) and the thread is hard to pull out of it. Do my
instructions have it reversed? Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
Ron

Posted by Ron Anderson on May 4, 2009, 12:28 pm

I have an Alpha Sew walking foot machine that I recently purchased
used from an individual that told me it was never used. I am trying
to sew heavy sail fabric. I can’t seem to get the tension right. The
top stitch looks OK but the knots are visible on the bottom – one
thread just lays along the fabric and the other loops around it. My
instructions say to lesson the bobbin tension and tighten the top
tension. My problem is that I have them adjusted as far as they will
go and it doesn’t seem to help. The screw on the bobbin nearly falls
out and the thread pulls out easily. The upper tension is at it
highest setting (9) and the thread is hard to pull out of it. Do my
instructions have it reversed? Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
Ron

What size thread are you using?

--
Ron Anderson A1 Sewing Machine
18 Dingman Rd Sand Lake, NY 12153
http://www.a1sewingmachine.com

Posted by Ron on May 4, 2009, 2:12 pm

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The
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I had purchased some Ultra Dee V-92 thread. What came with the
machine was three one lb. (very large) spools of thread that is about
2 or 3 times larger than that. So, it is pretty big.

Posted by on May 4, 2009, 5:02 pm

Remove the thread from the needle, lower presser foot, then pull on
thread. Should have LOTS of tension, but probably has next to none if
you are getting a bird's nest on the bottom.

FWIW, on sail cloth and using V-92 thread on a similar machine, I pass
the thread through two loops on the bar ahead of the tension control
and then use fairly tight tension. On the bobbin, I use quite tight
tension. On spinnaker cloth, I loosen up both tensions to keep the
cloth from puckering. In fact, I find spinnaker cloth a bit touchy on
this machine and often use my old Pfaff 130 for this.

Posted by Ron Anderson on May 5, 2009, 2:49 pm

show/hide quoted text

I had purchased some Ultra Dee V-92 thread. What came with the
machine was three one lb. (very large) spools of thread that is about
2 or 3 times larger than that. So, it is pretty big.

Size 92 is probably not to heavy for that machine.
Check to see if there is a build up of stuff between the tension disks, also
check to see if they are grooved. That nylon thread is like a saw and cuts
the metal fairly easy.

--
Ron Anderson A1 Sewing Machine
18 Dingman Rd Sand Lake, NY 12153
http://www.a1sewingmachine.com

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