HELP ! ! ! Juki 1541-S

[Half-Fast]

I've got a jam up somewhere and fear that something's been seriously knocked out of whack.

Wound a fresh bobbin...no big deal....but noticed that when the thread came off the lower end of the spool, it would catch on the spool edge "loose end" notch and try to pull the spool off of the spindle.

Rethreaded the machine with the new color thread and started to sew a sample piece.  After a few runs, the thread caught on that notch in the spool and the machine bogged down as it tried to lift the spool.

I've tried to reset the safety clutch as per the manual, but haven't had much success.  I can turn the machine by hand, but it will bind whenever it gets to the top of the needle stroke.  Turning the wheel backwards and then forward a couple of times gets through the jam, until the needle once again gets back to the top of it's stroke.

Watching the bobbin/hook area, it appears that the pawl that rides along that mechanism is grinding into the surface of the "cam" it's riding on.  The jam can be "cleared" by manually reversing the rotation and then turning it forward. 

Jeff

[sofadoc]

Sounds like there's thread wrapped around the bobbin case.
Have you removed the little screws, and pulled the bobbin case out to see if it is clear? 

[Half-Fast]

Thanks doc....

That's kind of what I'm thinking since it hangs up at exactly the same point.  Can the bobbin case be removed without messing things up REALLY bad?

Jeff

[Mike8560]

I was going  to sugest thread under the bobbin Also. It's what hapens to me when I've got a bad mess

[bobbin]

Yup, that's what it sounds like to me, too.  But it happens to me more when I'm at work and working on the horizontal axis bobbin machines (load from the top, not underneath like the 1541). 

If you flip the head back you may be able to see the offending thread and grab it with tweezers, avoiding the necessity of removing the bobbin housing. 

[sofadoc]

Thanks doc....

That's kind of what I'm thinking since it hangs up at exactly the same point.  Can the bobbin case be removed without messing things up REALLY bad?

Jeff

My LU-1508 is the top load version of your machine. It is VERY easy on mine (it has NO effect on the timing). The ONLY danger, is dropping the two tiny screws, and not being able to find them. It's been 30 years since I sewed on a bottom loader,so I don't remember if it comes out the same way.
On the top loaders, the thread sometimes will "ball up" under the bobbin case (Between the bobbin case and the hook assembly). When that happens, you can't just pull it out with tweezers, you have to remove the bobbin case. When it's just simply wrapped around the bobbin case, you can usually dig it out with tweezers (like Bobbin said).

[Half-Fast]

I've had the machine flipped up for quite a bit now, but haven't seen the offending thread unless it's really jammed in between the inner and outer hooks.  When you refer to the little screws that hold the bobbin case, are you talking about the 2 screws that hold it onto that shaft?

That pawl that rides against the inner hook, is it supposed to stay in a notch on the inner hook, or is it supposed to ride along the outside edge (as it is doing now)?

Jeff

[Mike8560]

I have the same juko as Sofa I think the 2 stews he mentioned are the sa
e one I have dropped. They don't hold the Bo Bon to a shaft but hold the hook / pointy piece on the bobbin case.  On. It is off the case can be lifted up  and reveal the jammed thread.
My singer Is the same topload as   the juki Its a perfect copy of 
Singer though the singer dosent jam nearl as much and I can normaly remove the thread with I use hemostats

[bobbin]

Jeff, my 1541 has not yet jammed that way, so I don't have any experience removing the assembly that surrounds the removable bobbin case.  But what Sofa. and Mike are referring to is exactly what you prob'ly need to do.  If you have a manual and partsbook for the machine it will prob'ly tell you how to go about it. 

The screws are really little; it may help if you have a magnetized screw driver and put down a clean white paper towel or rag to catch them in case they get dropped, once removed put them in a container of some sort.  Ask me how I know tthis... having seen work grind to a halt after one of the screws hit the floor in the filthy shop where I work.  I still marvel that it was ever found!

[baileyuph]

Comment:  Top load bobbin revolves about a vertical axis.
Loading the bobbin underneath is a horizontal axis.

Regarding the thread knotting up, was this machine knocked out of time and was it put back in time?  It was indicated that an unsuccessful attempt was made.  I would want to be sure the machine is back in time at this point.  Just a comment, not critical.

As a note, I cleaned one of my machines. top load, and when I slipped the bobbin cover plate back in place, inadvertently it got rotated and caused the same problem you mention.  I proceded by slipping the machine back into time, resetting the safety clutch, but the thread bunched up again.  Took a couple minutes to learn that the plate had been installed 90 degrees out of proper position.  Just passing this on and is not likely the problem as there is no mention that the bobbin cover plate was ever removed.  Thanks for safety clutch , without that I can't imagine the damage that can be done from thread jams like this.  These threads today are very strong.

I am sure you have opened the bobbin cover and visually inspected things as the flywheel is turned by hand.  Thread jams can be frustrating, but I don't recall one that I wasn't eventually able to clear with perseverance.

Frustrating isn't it?

Wish there was more helpful information.

Doyle

[bobbin]

Thanks DB, for clarifying what I thought I'd said (duh).  I do know that the 1541 is a horizontal axis hook/bobbin and the 1508 is a vertical axis hook/bobbin. 

I will add this, though.  In my experience over the years it takes rather a lot to whack a machine out of time, they're really very forgiving of a variety of common mishaps and the safety clutch prevents a lot of damage.  Most often timing issues arise when a machine run hard and breaks a needle "hard".  Generally speaking, if you run the correct needle size and go easy when transitioning from one thickness to another or manoeuvering around grommets, snaps, zippers, etc. it's unlikely you will whack the machine out of time.  If your machine has had a couple of "close calls" evidence of timing failure can be noted by skipped/dropped stitches in corners or by thread fraying/breakage, typically in reverse.  (Both the workhorses in the shop are in dire need of some mechanical TLC though my repeated pleas for it have fallen on deaf ears so far.)