The Sewing Place
Machine Talk => Overlockers & Coverstitchers => Topic started by: rubywishes on February 11, 2018, 07:18:25 AM
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With my Babylock Eclipse I have air threading and it doesn't matter which order I re-thread the loopers. Am I right in assuming that with this old Hobby Lock overlocker I have rescued that there is a particular order to this? And does it just pertain to the loopers and not the needle thread as that one doesn't go down into the "innards" of poor Toady?
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Morning Ruby, I'm not an overlocker expert, I've only ever used the one I've got now but I happen to be around at this time of the morning.
I wouldn't know which looper you need to thread first but this is a tip that I read in a book and it saved my sanity when I couldn't get my overlocker to stitch when I first had it.
It said that, with any machine, regardless of which looper the instructions say to thread first, the lower looper thread must always go over the upper looper thread before they go under the foot (a bit counter intuitive).
So, with my machine I thread the lower looper first as instructed then leave the thread end hanging down at the front of the machine. I then thread the upper looper and put the thread end under the foot then I take the first thread and put it under the foot - that way it goes over the top of the lower looper thread. If I don't do that I get a tangle when I start to stitch.
Just another aside while I'm here that may not be relevant, some machines, and mine is one, will not start a chain without a piece of fabric under the foot. Once I've done a short length of stitching on a scrap of fabric it will chain away merrily for ever more with or without fabric.
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Most (although not all) overlockers should be threaded in the following order -
First = Upper Looper
Second = Lower Looper (and usually laying that thread over the top of the bar of the upper looper)
Then Needles
(or at least sweep the needle threads clear so that they're not going down through the needle plate)
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Upper looper, Lower looper, right needle, left needle is imprinted on my memory.
The instructions to one of my machines said to thread the lower looper first and I could never get it to work properly until I reverted to my usual order.
As Morgan says, if you are only rereading the loopers, lift the needle threads away from the pressure foot and replace when the loopers are threaded
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Thanks everyone. The little Toad is overlocking very nicely now and with the presser foot pressure set on halfway, the dear thing is overlocking everything from fine polyester/nylon-ish/icky-type knit through to polar fleece and woven wool!!!! What a little champ! I've made up a folder for my friend including the original manky-stained manual, and some photocopied pages that I've written on with some photos I've taken of the threading process and also stapled in some samples of different fabrics stitched, and also some samples of all my tension efforts so she can better understand the machine.
I'll be blowed if I can find any information on how old the toad is......have been on the internet all afternoon with no luck. I can only guess it must be at least 30 years old.
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Your friend has an awesome friend. :flower:
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It seems it takes DX1 needles, you might need to warn your friend that they are not like the usual sewing machine needles, but round shaft. You are probably right about the age, my Hobbylock is about that and it is a later model. Does the manual not have any year on it? Good job though! Others describe it as a wonderful little workhorse.
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Yes, thanks Toile, I noted in the manual that it needed DC round shank needles so bought a pack so I could put a new needle in and leave the ret for my friend. I have written in her little instruction folder that I have put together about the needles so she is aware not to use her normal flat shank sewing machine ones. I am quite charmed by this little toad now!
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I would be over the moon if a friend of mine did what you've done. <3 She'll be absolutely delighted, I'm sure.
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Thankyou Kenora, I hope she will be able to get some use out of it. I restored my vintage singers years ago and had forgotten how much fun it is to bring something back to working order.
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I think this is one case where you stick to the manual on threading the loopers. My first Janome you started on the left with the lower looper thread going under the upper looper thread.
I nearly came unstuck when I got my Bernina. you start with the upper looper first and then the lower looper next so the thread went over the upper looper. There is a little hook on the upper looper to show you where it lays.
Only thing that seems consistent is that when a looper thread breaks, make sure you are working with both needle threads on top while you rethread it.