5 Tips & Tricks for Sewing Machines
This video series covers helpful tips and best practices for industrial sewing machine users so they can maximize productivity across their machine's lifetime. While demonstrations in the videos are on a JUKI LU-1508NH Extra Heavy Duty sewing machine, what is shown will translate for many industrial sewing machines including long arm sewing machines and brands like Consew, Janome, Pfaff, Yamata, Brother sewing machines, and others. These videos can also be of help to users of quilting machines, embroidery machines, lockstitch sewing machines, and sergers.
Before we get started, a few basic tips: Make sure you're familiar with your machine manual. Always use good quality thread that's right for your project. Know what type of needle you need as well as what needle size is the correct size for your project.
Here's how to care for your machine and identify and address common sewing machine problems.
Video 1: Terminology, Lubrication, & Fundamentals
This video goes over the most common machine parts of an industrial sewing machine including the needle thread adjustment, torsion spring, thread guide, needle bar, thread guide, presser foot, stitch length indicator, the reverse lever, the feed belt, hand wheel, and more.
Video 2: Safety Clutch & Hook Timing
Learn basic troubleshooting and how to re-engage the clutch on an industrial sewing machine in this video. Your industrial sewing machine clutch releases to prevent damage to the machine parts when something malfunctions. Troubleshooting tips include: checking to make sure you have the correct needle; checking to see if you have a broken needle, a wrong size needle, or a misfed needle-threader; checking for tangles in the thread line; checking the needle plate; checking for lint buildup in the throat plate or bobbin case; checking the bobbin area for problems with the bobbin or bobbin thread. There is plenty of DIY sewing machine troubleshooting that can be done before calling a technician.
Video 3: Needle, Threading, & Bobbin
This video covers what to do when your industrial sewing machine malfunctions by checking the five key machine parts to look for before calling a certified sewing machine technician. The video also goes over the anatomy of an industrial sewing machine needle, how to insert the sewing machine needle, thread placement to avoid problems like thread bunching and puckering, and more.
Video 4: Do You Have the Right Machine for Your Project?
It's important to choose the correct sewing machine for the type of fabric you are using. This video describes three basic types of industrial sewing machines: a drop-feed machine for lightweight sewing, a needle-feed sewing machine for medium to heavyweight fabrics including light upholstery, and a heavy-duty compound walking-foot industrial sewing machine for thick fabrics, heavy upholstery, and leather. Whether you need a single needle-feed machine or a heavy-duty sewing machine, this video will help you pick the right one.
Video 5: Basic Cleaning and Machine Maintenance
This video covers basic cleaning and maintenance of industrial sewing machines, using a Juki as a model. Keeping sewing machine parts clean and well maintained will extend the life of the machine and allow a user’s industrial sewing machine to operate more efficiently. Tips and tricks include how to clean the rotary hook area with canned air or compressed air, check the oil pan area, keeping the sewing machine lubricated and oiled with both yellow oil and clear oil, monitoring oil reserves, applying type A sewing machine grease to the rock frame area, and more.
