bobbin size

[sunshine_n_pc]

I have a Juki 1541- new to me - they guy I bought it from gave me lots of extra bobbins - they are all the same diameter but some are skinnier (about half the thickness).  What gives with this?  Will they work or are they for different machine?

Also, in winding a bobbin - if you aren't sewing something at the same time, do you just remove the bobbin and take thread out of the needle?  Do you do anything else?  Just let the needle go?  Manual is kind of skimpy as far as details go.

Thanks
CeCe

[sofadoc]

Sometimes, those skinny ones will spin too freely in the bobbin case. When this happens, the thread can get tangled when you stop suddenly. But, if they came with the machine, they might have been working OK.
Raise the welt foot when winding while not sewing. Take the thread out of the needle. It wouldn't hurt to remove the bobbin as well, it might tangle up.

[lruthb]

I have another spool of thread so I can make a bobbin while sewing. Works good for me. The machine stays ready. The bobbin is always ready too.

[Mojo]

Remove the thread from the needle, remove the bobbin, raise the foot, and start winding.

I typically will grab myself a cup of coffee, turn on the stereo and sit down and have a bobbin winding party. I will normally wind a gross of bobbins all at once so I do not have to screw around with them while I am knee deep into a project and busy sewing. :)

Chris

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

Only use correct bobbins.  I would toss smaller.  Even if they work, they will not likely be consistent.

As for using the bobbin winder...Two ways really.

One is to wind a bobbin as you are sewing.  This is why the standard tree stand has provisions for two spools of thread.

The other route as stated was to wind them all at one time.  Not a bad choice if you have many bobbins, and are not changing colors frequently.  I would take the thread, backtracking from the needle, up to and out of the take up lever.  Also remove the bobbin and bobbin case, as a tail can get caught.

Also, keep in mind may people choose to purchase pre wound bobbins.  The plus is convince, and time saved not winding bobbins.  The downside is that pre wound bobbins are not as consistent coming off the bobbin, and can give sewing issues, the thread is not always equal quality as the top thread cone, and they are more expensive than winding your own. 

[bobbin]

I "roll my own" at home, always have. 

But the prewound bobbins are what is used at the shop.  I'm glad Gregg raised the issue of thread quality varying between varieties of prewounds.  I notice that the bobbins are often not the same quality as the treated polyester required for enduring stitching on awnings and marine canvas.  The prewound bobbin thread frequently degrages before the stuff off the spool does. 

[sofadoc]

I couldn't agree more about the inconsitency of pre-wound bobbins. I wore out that little bobbin tension adjustment screw, I had to re-adjust it almost every time I changed pre-wounds. Winding your own metal bobbins is the way to go.
While the welt feet that you can get from those E-Bay stores aren't always up to spec, the metal bobbins they sell are pretty good. I paid $36 delivered for 100.
CHRIS> A "bobbin winding party"?  ???    Man, you are a party animal!!!  :o

[Mojo]

I couldn't agree more about the inconsitency of pre-wound bobbins. I wore out that little bobbin tension adjustment screw, I had to re-adjust it almost every time I changed pre-wounds. Winding your own metal bobbins is the way to go.
While the welt feet that you can get from those E-Bay stores aren't always up to spec, the metal bobbins they sell are pretty good. I paid $36 delivered for 100.
CHRIS> A "bobbin winding party"?  ???    Man, you are a party animal!!!  :o

I have held a lot of them. I send out invitations but no one ever RSVP's. :)

I cannot stand running out of bobbins while in the middle of a project which is why I will wind a heap of bobbins at once. I also do not like getting distracted while sewing - trying to keep track of bobbins on the winder while also sewing.

It just works for me. I know there are people who wind and sew at the same time. I myself prefer to have a gross of bobbins ready to go and because I sew primarily in black, it makes it easy to wind up a few dozen.

I have never bought prewound bobbins so cannot comment.

Chris

[sunshine_n_pc]

I'd come to a bobbin winding party, but I'd have to bring my children and I am sure that I would never be invited again :)

Thanks for all the great info - I knew the "skinny" ones didn't fill up the bobbin holder (I know there is a name for it), but didn't know what they were for.  People I bought it from went out of business and just gave me a box with alot of stuff in it - before I got rid of them Iwanted to make sure  that I didn't need them for something important in the future.

I also wanted to make sure that it was ok for the needle to go up and down if I wanted to wind bobbins without sewing - all I have experience with is (gasp) home machines.

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

I couldn't agree more about the inconsitency of pre-wound bobbins. I wore out that little bobbin tension adjustment screw, I had to re-adjust it almost every time I changed pre-wounds. Winding your own metal bobbins is the way to go.
While the welt feet that you can get from those E-Bay stores aren't always up to spec, the metal bobbins they sell are pretty good. I paid $36 delivered for 100.
CHRIS> A "bobbin winding party"?  ???    Man, you are a party animal!!!  :o

No doubt.  I've heard a lot of stories of people swearing by, and then swearing off pre-wound bobbins.  I've seen in one case where a black thread was UV protected, but the bobbin thread was not!  The color on one side was like brand new, and the pre wound bobbin side had the color wear off in six months. 

Also...not every prewound bobbin is made the same, even in the same gross, box, or package.  They way it is processed, in comes off, for lack of better words "Free, sticky, free, sticky..."  This is due to the manufacturing process.  Some are paper, some paperless.  Sometimes, the thread coming off is more of a box or flat than it is round.  Again, more tension inconsistency.  And a little bit of inconsistency at the bobbin is going to be a lot at the needle.  I do under stand that a lot of people are going to use pre wound no matter what, but as long as people understand their limitations, and have a metal bobbin handy to test machine in case it does not work, they are going to be OK.  I've helped trouble shoot equipment many times, only to find the problem to be the prewound bobbins were the culprit. 

[Mojo]

I'd come to a bobbin winding party, but I'd have to bring my children and I am sure that I would never be invited again :)

Ce Ce:

My wife loves kids so bring them with you and while she is babysitting we can wind bobbins.......:)

Chris