Timing

[Bill]

Morning girls and boys. I'm back with yet another brain picking question.
DO you have 'odd' timing to run your machine and if so, is it unusual?
The reason I ask is that having watched numerous YouTube videos and instructionals I have deemed my machines timing to be so far off the mark that it's ridiculous.
The photos in order show the needle at the bottom of the stroke, the hook meeting the needle and then the needle eye where it should be meeting the hook. I've had to deliberately set it like this to get the wretched thing to not skip stitches when zig zagging through two relatively thin (1mm ish) pieces of leather, using a 90/14 needle and heavy thread.
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[Mr Twingo]

There are a few reasons why the machine could be skipping stitches: a new needle is required; needle size is too small; needle inserted incorrectly; incorrect threading; tricky fabric; incorrect bobbin position; timing.

The last time I had skipped stitches it was down to the needle being inserted incorrectly. This was  an industrial needle without the flat shank… that's my excuse 

Does it skip when straight stitching, or only on zig-zag?
What size thread are you using? (If it's the size 40 thread, ideally a number 110/18 needle would be used, although you can get away with a 100/16).

I've attached a needle / thread chart that you may find useful. (Found on leatherworker.net)

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[Bill]

The 90/14 is currently the largest needle I have although I suspect there is a leather needle as one of my christmas presents 
The needles I have are pretty much brand new (maybe 5 hours use time on the most frequently used one) as the sewing machine is only a few weeks old. To the best of my knowledge they're all straight as an arrow.
I have absolutely no idea whatsoever what my thread sizes are. Even the Gutermann pack I bought seems to be missing that information.
The Singer wasn't singing such a nice song last night doing some smaller jobs so I've redone the timing as it should be.
It did skip a few stitches when sewing straight stitches too.
I'm slowly building up a small arsenal of weaponry in my sewing kit. Even bigger needles than the 90/14 I have are on the wish list.