Re: Need help with Singer 416 sewing machine

[L. Kelly]

"Lewis Campbell" > wrote in message
om...
| Hi, I recently came into possession of a Singer Stylist 416 sewing
| machine and, being a dumb old guy, I'm having trouble getting it to do
| what I want.
|
| Is it possible that you could give me a link to a really clear photo,
| or illustration, of how the thread fits through the tensioner and also
| how the thread from the bobbin fits through its tensioner?
|
| My project is a denim work apron and, with triple thickness material,
| I can only get about 2" of good seam before my thread begins to ravel
| at the point where it goes into my needle.
|
| The needle is a new #18 and the thread is 'upholstery'.
|
| Any help will be appreciated.
|
| Lewis.
|
| ********************************

This sounds more like a needle problem than a tension problem. The fact that you are able
to get a 2" stretch of good seam tells me that the tension is fine.

Try changing to a "jeans" needle or maybe even a leather needle. Both are made for heavy
weight fabrics and won't cut or fray the thread where the needle enters the fabric. Both
needle's point will separate the fibres before penetrating. Either type should help
eliminate your fraying problem.
--
Hugs,
Lynn


*strip CLOTHES to reply*
Homepage: http://members.shaw.ca/sewfinefashions/
See my boys: http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/papavince_29/

[Ron Anderson]

Sounds to me like your asking it to do to much. That machine is not meant to
use "Upholstery thread"

--
Ron Anderson
A1 Sewing Machine
PO Box 60
Sand Lake, NY 12153
518-674-8491
http://www.a1sewingmachine.com
"L. Kelly" > wrote in message
a...
>
> "Lewis Campbell" > wrote in message
> om...
> | Hi, I recently came into possession of a Singer Stylist 416 sewing
> | machine and, being a dumb old guy, I'm having trouble getting it to do
> | what I want.
> |
> | Is it possible that you could give me a link to a really clear photo,
> | or illustration, of how the thread fits through the tensioner and also
> | how the thread from the bobbin fits through its tensioner?
> |
> | My project is a denim work apron and, with triple thickness material,
> | I can only get about 2" of good seam before my thread begins to ravel
> | at the point where it goes into my needle.
> |
> | The needle is a new #18 and the thread is 'upholstery'.
> |
> | Any help will be appreciated.
> |
> | Lewis.
> |
> | ********************************
>
> This sounds more like a needle problem than a tension problem. The fact
that you are able
> to get a 2" stretch of good seam tells me that the tension is fine.
>
> Try changing to a "jeans" needle or maybe even a leather needle. Both are
made for heavy
> weight fabrics and won't cut or fray the thread where the needle enters
the fabric. Both
> needle's point will separate the fibres before penetrating. Either type
should help
> eliminate your fraying problem.
> --
> Hugs,
> Lynn
>
>
> *strip CLOTHES to reply*
> Homepage: http://members.shaw.ca/sewfinefashions/
> See my boys: http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/papavince_29/
>
>
>

[Polly Esther]

Maybe your threading of the machine is just fine.Would we dare assume that
you are new to sewing? Assuming you don't have a stack of fabrics lying
around to sew, go to your clothes closet and haul out a shirt you ought to
toss away. See if the Singer will sew on the shirt's fabric. That should
tell you if the sewing machine's threading is the problem or if you're
asking the machine to do something that it just can't. My Bernina will not
sew on thicknesses of denim. My old Pfaff would sew through beer cans. (Not
that I ever felt the need.) Polly Esther

Ron Anderson > wrote in message
...
> Sounds to me like your asking it to do to much. That machine is not meant
to
> use "Upholstery thread"
>
> --
> Ron Anderson
> A1 Sewing Machine
> PO Box 60
> Sand Lake, NY 12153
> 518-674-8491
> http://www.a1sewingmachine.com
> "L. Kelly" > wrote in message
> a...
> >
> > "Lewis Campbell" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > | Hi, I recently came into possession of a Singer Stylist 416 sewing
> > | machine and, being a dumb old guy, I'm having trouble getting it to do
> > | what I want.
> > |
> > | Is it possible that you could give me a link to a really clear photo,
> > | or illustration, of how the thread fits through the tensioner and also
> > | how the thread from the bobbin fits through its tensioner?
> > |
> > | My project is a denim work apron and, with triple thickness material,
> > | I can only get about 2" of good seam before my thread begins to ravel
> > | at the point where it goes into my needle.
> > |
> > | The needle is a new #18 and the thread is 'upholstery'.
> > |
> > | Any help will be appreciated.
> > |
> > | Lewis.
> > |
> > | ********************************
> >
> > This sounds more like a needle problem than a tension problem. The fact
> that you are able
> > to get a 2" stretch of good seam tells me that the tension is fine.
> >
> > Try changing to a "jeans" needle or maybe even a leather needle. Both
are
> made for heavy
> > weight fabrics and won't cut or fray the thread where the needle enters
> the fabric. Both
> > needle's point will separate the fibres before penetrating. Either type
> should help
> > eliminate your fraying problem.
> > --
> > Hugs,
> > Lynn
> >
> >
> > *strip CLOTHES to reply*
> > Homepage: http://members.shaw.ca/sewfinefashions/
> > See my boys: http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/papavince_29/
> >
> >
> >
>
>

[Lewis Campbell]

Many thanks, Lynn, that is the solution I needed.

Since I didn't know where to get the needles you mentioned
'immediately', I took my needle and ground the sharp point off and
left a 'bullet nose'. Now it sews perfectly though 3 layers of denim.

Kind regards.

Lewis.

*****************************


"L. Kelly" > wrote in message >...
> "Lewis Campbell" > wrote in message
> om...
> | Hi, I recently came into possession of a Singer Stylist 416 sewing
> | machine and, being a dumb old guy, I'm having trouble getting it to do
> | what I want.
> |
> | Is it possible that you could give me a link to a really clear photo,
> | or illustration, of how the thread fits through the tensioner and also
> | how the thread from the bobbin fits through its tensioner?
> |
> | My project is a denim work apron and, with triple thickness material,
> | I can only get about 2" of good seam before my thread begins to ravel
> | at the point where it goes into my needle.
> |
> | The needle is a new #18 and the thread is 'upholstery'.
> |
> | Any help will be appreciated.
> |
> | Lewis.
> |
> | ********************************
>
> This sounds more like a needle problem than a tension problem. The fact that you are able
> to get a 2" stretch of good seam tells me that the tension is fine.
>
> Try changing to a "jeans" needle or maybe even a leather needle. Both are made for heavy
> weight fabrics and won't cut or fray the thread where the needle enters the fabric. Both
> needle's point will separate the fibres before penetrating. Either type should help
> eliminate your fraying problem.

[Polly Esther]

Well. Way to go, Lewis. I've been desperate enough to sharpen a needle but
never deliberately blunted one. I'll remember that. Polly Esther
Lewis Campbell > wrote in message
om...
> Many thanks, Lynn, that is the solution I needed.
>
> Since I didn't know where to get the needles you mentioned
> 'immediately', I took my needle and ground the sharp point off and
> left a 'bullet nose'. Now it sews perfectly though 3 layers of denim.
>
> Kind regards.
>
> Lewis.
>
> *****************************
>
>
> "L. Kelly" > wrote in message
>...
> > "Lewis Campbell" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > | Hi, I recently came into possession of a Singer Stylist 416 sewing
> > | machine and, being a dumb old guy, I'm having trouble getting it to do
> > | what I want.
> > |
> > | Is it possible that you could give me a link to a really clear photo,
> > | or illustration, of how the thread fits through the tensioner and also
> > | how the thread from the bobbin fits through its tensioner?
> > |
> > | My project is a denim work apron and, with triple thickness material,
> > | I can only get about 2" of good seam before my thread begins to ravel
> > | at the point where it goes into my needle.
> > |
> > | The needle is a new #18 and the thread is 'upholstery'.
> > |
> > | Any help will be appreciated.
> > |
> > | Lewis.
> > |
> > | ********************************
> >
> > This sounds more like a needle problem than a tension problem. The fact
that you are able
> > to get a 2" stretch of good seam tells me that the tension is fine.
> >
> > Try changing to a "jeans" needle or maybe even a leather needle. Both
are made for heavy
> > weight fabrics and won't cut or fray the thread where the needle enters
the fabric. Both
> > needle's point will separate the fibres before penetrating. Either type
should help
> > eliminate your fraying problem.