sunbrella thread

[fragged8]

 I got some sunbrella threads sent from the US in V92 size
and i've been struggling all day wondering why the sailrite
just wouldn't tension right ..

I changed up and down in needles, spent ages tensioning both top
and bottom threads.

I've virtually rebuilt the machine during the day, but i noticed late
this afternoon that the sunbrella V92 is thicker than Dabond V92

in the end I went back to the Dabond thread and a 20 needle
and all was ok again.

To me the sunbrella v92 looks more like 138 ??

rich

[Mike8560]

Is this the sunguard. Thread ?

[Mojo]

If your Sailrite is like my old Tuffsew then your just experiencing the dreaded thread change syndrome.
I forgot what model you have but the straight stitch walking foot Sailrite is identical to the Tuffsew.

It was one of the reasons why I standardized on 138. My machine hated me changing to different sized thread. For some odd reason it liked thicker thread then the thinner stuff. I screwed around with my machine till I got the right tension adjustment and then stuck with 138 and never sewed with anything else.

My current machine ( Chandler ) could care less what I use for thread, it sews perfectly and sometimes with no tension adjustment. It loves Sunguard and Tenara.

Chris

[jsquail]

i had a similar problem when i went to dabond 138 on my consew. I ended up purchasing more bobbin cases and setting one up specifically for 138 thread. I had to flex the tensioner on the bobbin case out a bit. Using the screw to tension would result in a lost bobbin tensioning screw. My suggestion, if you are going to use different size and types of thread, set up a bobbin case for each one. That would only leave you adjusting tension on the machine itself and you would never have to mess with the bobbin case again.


/my 2 cents.

[cthomps]

I have the sailrite lsz1 and have had a similar problem.  I solved it by wrapping the thread around the post on the top of the machine after putting it through the hole. It end up being like 1/2 a wrap.  Always solved the problem for me, as I could never get the upper tension tight enough.  Hope it works for you.  Carol

[fragged8]

hiya

I tried that trick Carol, thanks for letting me know it's not just me.

I just bought this LSZ-1 as a back up more than anything in case my main
machine ever goes wrong. And also as a mobile repair machine.

You can increase the upper tension range by moving the cam inside the top of the
machine when the dial bottoms out. They show you how to do it in the maintenance
video that comes with the machine.

here is what i was talking about, the orange thread is the V92 sunbrella thread i got
from the US, the white is a cob of v92 Dabond i got with the machine and the black is
from my supplier v92 Invincible..

they should all be the same thickness ?

[JuneC]

The thread "size" - 69, 92, 138, etc. is a designation of tensile strength, not diameter, I believe.  Someone some years ago posted a website that explained all this in excruciating detail.  Too bad all those old posts are lost.   There's an incredible amount of detailed information that's been lost.   :'(

June

[Peppy]

The thread "size" - 69, 92, 138, etc. is a designation of tensile strength, not diameter, I believe. 

Oh. Never knew that. And here I thought thinner thread was part of the conspiracy to sell more 303.

[Mojo]

Maybe we can get Miami Mike to jump on here and explain thread. Him and I talked about Tenara and Sunguard and I believe ( do not hold me to this ) but what June said is right, the higher the number the more tensile strength. But I also believe the diameter gets larger as well. If I remember right Mike said some have two twists and some three.

I will see if I can get his butt on here to answer that. He is my main source for thread now as everything I get from Mike seems to be good and the quality is consistent. That wasn't the case with other suppliers I used. :(

Chris

[fragged8]

thanks June that really makes more sense looking at the
threads I have

[Miami Mike]

I'm no thread expert. I can give you why to buy some over the others, Strengths, yards per pound, VS cost per pound. Chris we talked SunGard and Solarfix the other PTFE.

If you have been running a thread through your machine for years, the thread cuts into all the parts it touches. And if you change the thread size. This will cause the thread to fray and break. We use to sell a thread that felt like sandpaper you pulled through the machine and it would take any burs off. And clean it up, for the change. Now some machines you can change down, I mean if you're running a 138, and then put a 92 size on, it runs good. But going from a 92 to a 138, you will get snags and breaking. Not on all. It's the luck of the draw. Most shops I call on have two machines and run one kind on one and the other the other. But if you have one machine, I think you will need to clean it up with that sandpaper thread>>> I will try to see if it is still made.

Gregg at Keystone should know for sure on it.

[bobbin]

There is an excellent explanation of thread and the relative merits of different fibres for different applications at:  www.thethreadexchange.com