Lower Looper Problems

[pdxsewing-panels]

I'm new to sewing/serger.

I made a guide for all 4 threads. I am doing a 3 thread overlock. Upper looper is easy figuring out, but the lower looper and right needle thread are confusing. The issue is the lower looper is not consistent. The tension changes without adjusting the tension. I do test strips and the top, middle and buttom of the strip without changing the dials look different on the buttom while the top looper looks perfect.

I need your help. I attached a photo.

[MartySews2]

Hi and welcome to the group PDX ... from your photo, it looks like your needle tension is off a bit. What make and model of serger do you have? Some sergers require threading in a specific sequence in order to get a good stitch. Knowing which serger you have will help us to be able to help you better.
Marty

[pdxsewing-panels]

Hi Marty,

I have a SINGER PRO FINISH 14CG754

I couldn't take a detailed photo of a longer strip. If I do a longer strip, there will be 1 to 2 inch spots in the middle that will be perfect and that's what I don't get. If the tension is off, it should be off the whole way right? Why do I get a few perfect areas?

[MartySews2]

Okay ... in your manual, on page 13, you start your threading in this order ... upper looper - orange, lower looper - yellow, right needle - green, and left needle - blue. It must be threaded in that specific order. Be sure that your presser foot is up when threading so the tension disks are open to take the thread. Then, be sure that the thread pole is all the way up and the spool shelf is pulled away from the back. For the 3 thread overlock stitch, the left needle tension should be set at 4 for heavy weight fabric, the upper looper thead tension should be set at 0.5 and the lower looper tension should be set at 8.0. To balance your stitches, if your upper looper tension is too loose, turn the knob to a higher number. If the lower looper tension is too loose either turn the knob to a higher number or to a lower number on your upper looper. The same goes for your thread tension. This is all explained on page 35 of your manual. If you don't have a manual, you can get a free download on the Singer website. http://www.singerco.com/accessories/ins ... als/search ... Hope this helps.
Marty

[pdxsewing-panels]

Marty,

I re-threaded the machine and set the tension dials as you recommended and it works like a charm.

The manual recommends 3.5 for the needle thread, 3.0 for both upper and lower loopers for heavy fabric. Their recommendation obviously doesn't work. How did you come up with your recommended setting? Is there a cheat sheet anywhere?


Thanks again. I'm glad to have found this forum. I was so close to giving up and returning the serger. I'm so excited now

[MartySews2]

I downloaded the manual from the link that I posted and found it on page 35. It's a free download. The Singer machine is a clone of one of the Pfaff machines that I own. Am so glad that it worked for you. Good luck and enjoy your serger. I love mine so much that I have 2 of them ... Pfaff 4874 for home and a Babylock Eclipse DX for classes and guild meetings.
Marty

[sewingrandma]

Welcome to the boards pdx. Sergers can be lots of fun or stress depending on what is going on with them. I'm glad Marty was able to help.
Sometimes the problems with a serger isn't as simple as rethreading, changing the needle or changing the tensions, but most of them are. Sometimes it can be the actual spool (cone) of thread. On rare occassions the thread can be wrapped wrong-to tight, to loose or a combo of both, or the thread can be in pieces. I've had the unforuntate experience to have both. It took a while to track that down, after many rethreadings, changing needles and tensions. I tossed those 2 cones and haven't had problems since. I also had a looper thread get caught around a screw head. That took some detective work too as the thread didn't stay caught for long. One day I finally found the thread caught covered the screw with tape and haven't seen that issue since.

[sewingmom]

Oh I love this thrad. Reminds me of when I first found this forum. I miss sewin'. One day I'll be back at it.
great sleuthing Marty. Good reminders all.
Belinda.