The Upholster.com Forum

Had to do a zipper so broke out the zipper foot for my new machine, and went to work.....the zipper foot kept cutting my thread, as if the needle was too close to the foot, I was using a size 20 needle and 92 thread...I eventually reverted to my old singer to install the zipper and then used my consew to do the rest. Anyone else have this issue before or a workaround for it? I am new to the whole walking foot, but after changing back to welting foot for the rest, it did not cut a single thread, so had to be something I was doing wrong with zipper foot

I am going to take a guess here JD and suggest that it maybe the clearance of the needle as it goes through the hole in the foot.

The reason I say this is because I had the needle foot rotate just a touch on me once and it did the same thing, cut the thread. Move the needle down through the foot and then inspect the clearance of the needle inside the foot hole. See if it is off to one side or too far back.

One other thing to watch is making sure your not pulling your fabric through to hard and bending the needle as it goes through the foot. Been there and done that one too. :)

Chris

Thanks Chris, that is exactly what it has to be, but I cannot get the foot to rotate anymore to increase clearance, I will go put it on and take a picture when I get frisky enough to walk out to the shop, maybe I got a defective foot and a file would solve it! make the hole just a tad larger...

ok, so here is a link to some pictures of my zipper foot, it is hard to get this close and stay in focus, even with an expensive camera lol

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FZipper%2520Foot%2Fth_IMG_4739.jpg&hash=086996c4e5d1428e2d2d72e050bbbd5f) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Zipper%20Foot/?action=view&current=IMG_4739.jpg)

Can click on it and scroll through album for additional views

while I was out there I took a few more pics of my shop as well

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FShop%2Fth_IMG_4750.jpg&hash=6b6103c596aed070c9d7314d87f8d4f7) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Shop/?action=view&current=IMG_4750.jpg)

My store front, to the left behind the fence is my house, so not much of a commute to work!

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FShop%2Fth_IMG_4748.jpg&hash=c25c8a4242ebcdb1b658086ea0214b54) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Shop/?action=view&current=IMG_4748.jpg)

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FShop%2Fth_IMG_4747.jpg&hash=5b31cefb0b8e6ca7b62de71f04d4aadc) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Shop/?action=view&current=IMG_4747.jpg)

Front room, where I pull boats/cars in....I need to install a roll up door, as the wide double door will not allow me to fit an 8'6" beam boat inside, which are becoming more and more common

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FShop%2Fth_IMG_4744.jpg&hash=643664f0abeab2b6f6d6519e4dcb3a7c) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Shop/?action=view&current=IMG_4744.jpg)

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FShop%2Fth_IMG_4749.jpg&hash=efbfd78c5230b392eb2c1019151c655f) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Shop/?action=view&current=IMG_4749.jpg)

Back room is where I set up my sewing room

You'll find lots of us on here have to modify feet and other parts before successful use.  I have a welt foot that used to shred the thread because the bottom edge of the needle hole was just too sharp.  Grinding, sanding, drilling out larger holes can turn a useless piece of junk into a working part.  Your Dremel is your best friend  ;D  I keep a supply of 1500 grit just for polishing the thread path (guides, feet, hook).  To get inside a hole, I cut a narrow strip and wrap it with the grit outside, of course, around a round wooden toothpick. 

June

Thanks June, I shall give it a try, I think it should solve it...never considered do it to all just to be sure flaws from manufacturing don't cause problems. My helper sure enjoyed watching me cuss and throw a fit after about the 7th thread break, I finally walked away and set up my singer to do the zipper...

I see from this pic that you are using a zipper foot that is open on the left side (not a closed needle hole):
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FZipper%2520Foot%2Fth_IMG_4743.jpg&hash=f782daf0881421d21ad4ce81c36fb551) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Zipper%20Foot/?action=view&current=IMG_4743.jpg)
It doesn't seem like you would be having a chaffe problem.

In this pic, it looks as if the zipper foot is pushing the needle off-center with the hole in the feed dog:
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FZipper%2520Foot%2Fth_IMG_4737.jpg&hash=add49497e5cbbbd0ab8e6ebc1c9021ee) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Zipper%20Foot/?action=view&current=IMG_4737.jpg)

Geeesshhh Dennis. Your right. Unless it is an illusion created by the camera you can see the deflection of the needle.

Something isn't lining up right.

Chris

Yes definitely not lining up right, I am going to get a file and make the hole a little larger to the right, Will let ya know how it goes, thanks all for the quick assist!

I don't have a zipper foot like this at all !! Mine has the hole through the center foot. Same machine , foot from greg @ keystone. Haven't had to mod that set at all but have had to with a welt foot set. Kept breaking thread only on the back tack or when pulling out the end of a run. Really got me after the 3rd or 4 th break like you.

Quote from: scarab29 on August 15, 2012, 01:49:28 pm
I don't have a zipper foot like this at all !! Mine has the hole through the center foot. Same machine , foot from greg @ keystone. Haven't had to mod that set at all but have had to with a welt foot set. Kept breaking thread only on the back tack or when pulling out the end of a run. Really got me after the 3rd or 4 th break like you.

I have never seen a zipper foot like that either. Mine also has the one with the hole through it.

Chris

I expanded and filed the hole a little bit and works good now, with the hole on the edge it allows a closer stitch because the stitch is right at the edge instead of 1/16th inch over (not that a 1/16th makes much difference)

So you work from the right side of the teeth when you sew fabric to the zipper chain? I prefer to work from the left.
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi775.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy33%2Fsofadoc%2Fth_DSC00361.jpg&hash=b6a0809174a529059379a09a40eb3423) (http://s775.photobucket.com/albums/yy33/sofadoc/?action=view&current=DSC00361.jpg)

As you can see, I don't normally use any special zipper foot. I just sew zipper panels with my regular 1/4" welt foot. With furniture (in most cases), I don't consider it critical to get any closer. When I do have to use a zipper foot, I keep the same inner foot (with the needle hole), and only change to a LEFT toe outer foot.