The Upholstery Forum

So I’m new to all of this. I picked up a Pfaff 545 a little over a week ago. It was running like a sewing machine. LOL! Now it has suddenly started to break the top thread. I’ve got new needles. Watched tons of videos of how to thread the machine. It pulls through smooth. Then it gets in a bit of a bind. I can feel it dragging hard when I pull it by hand. And it will grew up and work great again. I took this apart and cleaned everything. Still no luck

This can be caused by a ton of things. I would check these things.
- Make sure your needle is correct for your thread size. (Watch my YouTube Video on needles)
- This can be caused by using cheep thread. What brand are you using?
-Make sure that your needle is installed correctly. The long thread grove on the needle should be facing left. (on most machines. Check your manual to make sure)
- Check that you bobbin hook is smooth with no burs also check that the point is not bent
- Try a different needle again
- Check the timing on your machine or take it in to get serviced. Sometimes if the timing is just a tick off the hook will cut the thread causing this problem.
-If non of these are the cause then you might have a burr in the thread path somewhere above the needle. You can use a cue tip and rub it along all the areas the thread travels to see if there is a burr somewhere.

I hope this helps!

I got the needles and thread at my local upholstery supply. He looked up the machine to make sure he was giving me the right needles is what he said. I’m not sure on the brand name of the thread. I just know it’s 92 bonded polyester. At first I didn’t know the needle went a certain way until I took the old one out. I had to read the manual to see how to put it back in correctly. I will definitely check the bobbin hook in the morning. And all the passageway of the thread with a q-tip. I did get a guy to come time the machine yesterday. But I found another guy that can service everything for me. Thanks for the help @John!

@John , for all the thread I have used one that breaks most esily is Serrabond. I have no idea why it just breaks at the needle eye when I am being rough pulling thread. All is smooth on my machine its the thread pulling operator, just thought I would share that as it is a well known brand.

This is the thread I have.

And these are the needles they told me I needed.

But I was checking over everything this morning and noticed the needle is hitting the bobbin case.

So I’m going to try to adjust it this afternoon and go from there. Will this needle and thread work as it should?

It’s fixed!! It turns out the needle was hitting the bobbin case because it wasn’t in the right position. I guess the guy didn’t time it right. And the hook or bobbin case was tearing the thread on the outside every so often. Now to get back to work on the courses.

Two things, First, I'm glad you you got it figured out and second, Thank you for updating the thread and letting us know what you found out.

John

@John Long unfortunately that did not fix my issue. It has somehow made it go a lot further before the thread breaks. It would break once in a 12” long seem. Now i can sew about 10-12” long seems before it breaks. It’s almost there but still a slight issue. It’s aggravating to see someone is having the same problem but never update with a solution. So I’ll try to keep it updated

I have three Pfaff machines. The one I like the best is a very old 145. It is very temperamental about the type of thread it will permit me to run through it. It WILL NOT let me run Sun guard through it. I run High Spec #69 with absolutely no problems. Another thing is, when threading the machine, the thread DOES NOT go around the little pin that sticks out of the thread tension disks. That pin is to hold the disks in place.

I have been wondering if it did or not. Some videos they do go around it. Some they do not. I just ordered a different brand of thread and needles to see if it helps. Thank you for clearing up the pin for me! Lol

I had a terrible time with sunguard thread. It kept doing the same thing. I’d switch brands and nothing else and it would work fine, go back to sunguard and problems all over again. It would fray and the color would even come off in powder all over the table. I’ve come to the conclusion sunguard is just bad thread. I don’t understand as others have used it religiously and had zero issues. I always do.

I’m really hoping that’s what has been wrong. I had no idea thread could make that big of a difference. I did go ahead and order more. Have you ever used A&E thread from the thread exchange? I looked for coats on their website but I couldn’t find it. Hopefully this will work better. What kind of machine do you have if you don’t mind me asking?

@M_Cobern , any chance you can sew a 12" strip of 02 layers of material and post a picture top and bottom for us?

@BigRig yes sir I will. It will be Monday morning before I can though. We are on a little weekend vacation at the beach. I really appreciate all the help!

I don't really inderstand how you can take off for the weekend with a sick sewing machine at home but I guess we will just have to wait.

John

I tried so hard to get it fixed before we left! And even though I’m enjoying being here I can’t wait to get back and get this thing figured out. I think I have been bit by this thing y’all call upholstery. Lol!

Top and bottom

Yeah sungaurd has been known to cause problems for people. I dont like it at all. I would suggest using Coats or Amman Serabond. Thread Is the one thing you dont want to buy cheap. Its the glue to all your work. Also from the pictures you posted it looks like your tension is set perfect. The only thing you might want to try tension wise is to back off both top and bottom tension to reduce the overall tension. Sometimes that will cause a problem.