# Needle won't engage? Help please!



## BlueBox Creation (Nov 8, 2009)

Hey guys! Huge favor, my SWF 1501 has been working great. I haven't used it in about a month. Well I have an embroidery job and all of a sudden when I start a job the machine doesn't push the needle down. The caseing around the needle too, everything else works. 


When I move the wheel in the back manually it works perfectly, but when it goes to embroider it doesn't catch. 

On the back of the 15 needle head all 15 have a piece sticking out on the top and bottom, when I do it manually it grabs the top piece and works perfectly, when i ask the machine to do it, it misses the top, it still moves like it is supposed to but just doesn't engage. 

I have tried everything I can think of, any help would be wonderful! 

I did a complete clean and re-oil and grease to no avail..


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## designconcepts (Jul 30, 2009)

This is probably asking the obvious, but I'll say it anyway.... is the head exactly "on" a specific needle (not half in between)?? 

I don't know much about the SWF (though I watched it a good bit from a repair DVD), but on mine, if manually turning the wheel moves the needle, it will embroider. If it won't move the needle, it won't embroider. (impossible to do one but not the other)


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

On the control panel, try pressing a different needle number, then go back to the original needle number, that will make sure the machine at least attempts to get on the correct center point for whichever needle you are using.

Try looking behind the head to see if the reciprocator is going up/down as the machine is trying to stitch. Have you hit a hoop recently?


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## BlueBox Creation (Nov 8, 2009)

you wouldn't even believe this if it wasn't true. I had a partner in business that the embroidery was his job, I learned a bit when we first got it, then never touched it for over a year.. He is gone and I was trying to do a job, I mis-remembered that the red light on the front was supposed to be on, I thought it went on if there was a thread break. oops.. I tok the entire machine appart (god because it got a full maintenance but, only way I figures it out was the solenoid was always sticking out making it disengage.. phew..

Thanks you for the replies, sorry to waste your time with something so stupid!


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## stundmma (Jan 18, 2010)

BlueBox Creation said:


> you wouldn't even believe this if it wasn't true. I had a partner in business that the embroidery was his job, I learned a bit when we first got it, then never touched it for over a year.. He is gone and I was trying to do a job, I mis-remembered that the red light on the front was supposed to be on, I thought it went on if there was a thread break. oops.. I tok the entire machine appart (god because it got a full maintenance but, only way I figures it out was the solenoid was always sticking out making it disengage.. phew..
> 
> Thanks you for the replies, sorry to waste your time with something so stupid!


Can you let me know what you did to fix it? Was it simply the red light switch? Need help Same exact issue. Ben [email protected]


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

If the machine is going through the motions of stitching but the needle is not moving up and down, either the switch is off or possibly the reciprocator is broken. Obviously flipping the switch is the easiest thing to try first...


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## redturtle (Dec 22, 2018)

I just about lost it....haven't used my 1501T for a minute and went to run a design....nope. Needles wouldn't move. Tried calling Mesa hoping to catch someone, no luck...retreat to forums...there's your response...I feel so stupid, that's exactly what it was, somehow the switch was off....so simple and so far far away from hitting my brain cause like I said, I was ready to lose it...CANNOT afford a tech at all...so I THANK YOU for taking the time to provide your answer to the other person, which was there when I also needed it. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!


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