The Sewing Place

'Take me to your dealer - again?

Deafoldbat

'Take me to your dealer - again?
« on: December 08, 2019, 19:47:32 PM »
Day started well - off on the bike for an hour or so. Got rained on for the last couple of miles and of course as I got home the sun came out again, but still good.
Right, got a Linus quilt to do, so let's get on with that. Fire up the machine and all going well. Then I have to change the thread. Carefully wind a bobbin to match the top thread, and off we go...and the top thread breaks. Fix that, chugging along nicely, and the top thread breaks. About the fourth time this happens, I rethread the machine and start again, except now it won't pick up the bobbin thread. Check everything, rethread - no go. Check everything, clean out the fluff, change the needle, still won't go. Fish out the practice sandwich and fiddle about with that to no avail  :angry:. Give up and stomp indoors to have lunch.

After that I returned to the fray (-ing of my temper). If I put the Aurifil thread in, it works better but not properly. If I put the YLI thread in, and can get the bobbin thread up, all I get is skipped stitches. But if I take off the BSR foot and put in the regular foot it behaves perfectly  :angry:

I can only think the timing is slightly off. That will be the third time this year, and since getting it fixed the previous times meant hauling the thing into Reading (on the bus) and paying over £100 for the fixing, I'm not exactly ecstatic right now.

Anyone know how to check/fix the timing? All the manual says is 'take it to your Bernina dealer'.  ><

b15erk

Re: 'Take me to your dealer - again?
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2019, 11:14:13 AM »
Oh no!  @Deafoldbat , I feel for you.  Machine fixing is expensive.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Celia

Re: 'Take me to your dealer - again?
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2019, 14:45:02 PM »
I am guessing this is a Bernina machine, if so it is very rare for the timing to go out, if this has happened before especially within the last year I would question wether it was fixed properly the first time. Which model of machine is it.

Ohsewsimple

Re: 'Take me to your dealer - again?
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2019, 15:23:24 PM »
If it works with the regular foot I doubt it’s the timing. 
I assume you are using machine thread and not hand thread?   

KayK

Re: 'Take me to your dealer - again?
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2019, 18:31:35 PM »
I bought a Bernina (second hand, from a dealer who took it in part exchange) and it came with the stitch regulator.  I have to say I dont like it particularly, and have  had some odd results with it, including loops, breakages etc.  If I unplug it, everything is fine, I set the stitch length to 0 and away I go, no problems at all.  I feel your pain, but I dont use mine plugged in anymore.  I'm glad I didnt have to pay a fortune for it!
I have learnt by my mistakes: Sewing machines now are Bernina 720, Bernina 1008, Bernina 801 from 1981, Brother overlocker, ancient but works well

Deafoldbat

Re: 'Take me to your dealer - again?
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2019, 19:31:27 PM »
@Celia It's a 550QE, 7 years old.

Quote
If it works with the regular foot I doubt it’s the timing.
I assume you are using machine thread and not hand thread?

@Ohsewsimple This is what is puzzling me - why does it work with the regular foot? We were going along fine with Aurifil 40wt machine quilting thread on the neutral background. Then I wanted coloured thread for the coloured bits so I switched to YLI 40wt  machine quilting thread. I will admit I've had minor problems with the YLI since they changed the quality from silky smooth to rather fuzzy, which is why I've generally stopped using it, but this was suitable for all the various shades and I have nearly a full reel so I wanted to use it up.

I had another go this morning and now it's having hissy fits with the Aurifil as well - won't pick up the bobbin thread at all, but still works fine with the regular foot. I'm mulling over the next move. If I've got to hike into Reading I'll wait for a fine day - don't want to trudge round to the bus in the rain. And of course it's over 3 months since the last episode and repairs aren't guaranteed for longer. Maybe I should have succumbed to temptation and upgraded...

Meanwhile, back to Old Faithful, my Pfaff Tiptronic and a darning foot.

Ohsewsimple

Re: 'Take me to your dealer - again?
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2019, 20:15:40 PM »
@Deafoldbat is Reading where you got it from?  Can I suggest you give them a ring and ask them if they have any ideas?   We used to get a lot of phone calls with queries that could be sorted over the phone.  If it works with the regular foot and the exact same thread top and bottom then maybe there is a problem with the BSR foot or you are doing something wrong.  (I’m sure you’re not but ....)
Have you tried some ordinary cotton like Gutermann?  Not polyester but cotton. 
Of course, you don’t need to use the BSR foot  :) but if you have it you should be able to use it.

twopence

Re: 'Take me to your dealer - again?
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2019, 21:41:02 PM »
@Deafoldbat you could also try contacting Bernina direct using online-support@bernina.com.  I have used them a couple of times recently and had quick replies.  Far quicker than trying to get an answer from Bernina in London.  I have the original 570QE with the embroidery module which I think is from the same series as your machine.