# Thread breaking?



## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

Hi, im new here, and new to embroidery. I recently purchased a prodigi single head 12 needle machine and i keep getting thread breaks. Ive adjusted the tension and im thinking i need better thread. Most of what i have is isacord and i was wondering what thread is best to use, and where is the best place to purchase it? Any other advice would be great also. Thanks.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Try Madeira from www.allstitch.com


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## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

Is the thread actually breaking or does the machine give the "thread break" message when it stops?


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## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

Yes it is actually breaking. Sometimes it just gives the thread break warning without actually breaking, but most of the time the thread frays an breaks. 

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## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

Thanks

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## Threadhoney (Jul 23, 2013)

is it happening with all colors or just one? Did you check your bobbin?


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## Wildgoose (Mar 5, 2013)

Are your needles turned so the groove is at the front for the thread to set in during each punch? You should be able to feel it with your fingernail.


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## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

Seems to work fine until half way through, then the thread starts breaking. Bobbin is fine.

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## ShirlandDesign (Nov 29, 2009)

Thread breaks can happen for a variety of reasons, timing, rotten thread, the digitizing, the needle and more. 

If the hook point is to close to the needle scarf (the groove in back) then usually if frays then breaks, all needles,all designs, but black thread sews the worst, and some designs are borderline and sew worse than others.

If the thread is bad it will "mushroom" at the top of the spool. Get a fresh spool and break the thread by hand and if the spool your comparing it to is rotten the difference in the amount of force needed to break will be obvious.

If it happens on all your designs, well it's obviously not the design.

Change the needle, or if it only happens on one then that'll tell you something. Rotate the scarf straight back and see what that does.

Isoalate the circumstances and let us kow what the commonalities are.


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## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

Tried again. All needles are correct. It is mainly black thread. I am currently using a brand new cone of surelock black thread. I have some madeira ordered. Just cant seem to make the thread stop breaking. Very frustrating. Are there any companies who service these machines?

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## inobu (Dec 29, 2010)

You have to observer how the thread is breaking. Is it fraying from the needle or from the hook plate area. 

Slow the speed down enough so you can see what it happening.

Once you learn how it is breaking you can remedy the cause.

Inobu


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## Threadhoney (Jul 23, 2013)

get a different design and a test piece of fabric. See if it is related to the design you are stitching. If another design is stitching fine, you know its not the machine.


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## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

Changed the thread to another needle and it broke again. Changed color on that same needle and all was well. Pretty sure its the thread.

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## pjmom60 (Mar 31, 2013)

Is the black thread you are using an embroidery thread? I thought surelock was a serger thread.


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## 539162 (Jun 12, 2015)

shirtmantees said:


> Tried again. All needles are correct. It is mainly black thread. I am currently using a brand new cone of surelock black thread. I have some madeira ordered. Just cant seem to make the thread stop breaking. Very frustrating. Are there any companies who service these machines?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using T-Shirt Forums


Prodigi is no longer made. I work on Prodigi. Prodigi is a cheap Chinese machine. Everyone here so far has had some good suggestions. The biggest issue on any Chinese machine that can cause false or even thread breaks is the rotary disk which is the metal wheel under your mid tension knob. The chinese machines have poor quality disk and can have rough edges of metal and not allow them to spin correctly. The can start and stop or completely lock up. While the machine is sewing watch the disk and see how it moves. If it seems to bind there is your problem. If you need help PM me and I can give you my number if you need any other help. Make sure the thread you are using is not old thread or cheap thread. This can give you issues as well. I would try to make due with the Prodigi for a while then get rid of it. You are destined for problems and no support for that brand. How much did you pay for it? Typically those machines should be between $800 and $2000. If you take your knob off and look in the disk sometimes you can use 600 grit we/dry sandpaper to smooth it out. You can also pick up new disks at Sew Many parts and just get the Generic or Tajima ones. The Tajima ones are the same. I think if you keep the machine you should invest in the disks any way and also get the generice Tajima springs and knobs for all your tensions. That will solve half the issues on any chinese machine. I attached a pic of the part to look at


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

Have you tried an H or FOX tension test to make sure you have the tensions set correctly?


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## brandonlaura (Dec 26, 2015)

Get a better quality thread


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## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

Thanks for the info. Ordered better thread and tension disks. Hope that will work.

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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Try the magnetic core bobbins. We use them exclusively


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## LTPEMB (Jul 10, 2015)

If it is breaking in the same places or more often than it is a bad file and needs adjusting or redone.


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## shirtmantees (Feb 13, 2016)

How do i go about doing a tension test?

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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

First, you need to get the bobbin tension set correctly. Some machines have specific instructions on how to set the bobbin tension, you can also purchase a bobbin tension gauge... Do a search on "Towa Bobbin Case Tension Gauge" for one of them...

Most people use what is called a FOX or H test to check/set the tensions. H is simpler, sew out a capital H and look at the backside - you should see even 1/3's of top thread, bobbin thread and top thread. Do this for each needle and adjust the top tensions until they all sew out correctly.

FOX is the same thing but it really exercises the pantograph in all directions so you tend to get the tension set pretty close by including the O.

If you have a problem with thread breaking and can't even complete a FOX or H test and you've replaced all the needles, I'd look at replacing the bobbin case or seeing if you have a burr on the rotary hook.


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## digitizewedo (Nov 2, 2010)

*Upper Thread Breaks*
- Check threading
- Tension too tight
- Replace needles
- Needle too small
*Bobbin Thread Breaks*
-Replace bobbin
-Check bobbin thread path
*Skipped Stitches*
-Check tension in bobbin
*Frayed Stitches*
- Check top tension
- Change the needle
- Check needle size 
*Threads loops on the bottom* 
- Needle too small
- Tension too tight 
- Damaged thread 
*Irregular Stitches*
- Damaged thread 
- Check top tension 
- Check thread path


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## LTPEMB (Jul 10, 2015)

One final tip. Check Needle angle. the eyelet should be perpendicular or slightly turned counter clockwise by a degree or two from the rotation of the rotary hook.


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