Elna 7000 lower tension control

I have had my Elna 7000 about 20 years, but have never been able to get the tension right on the underside of my stitch. Elna said it adjusts automatically or doesn't need adjusting, but I only find the topside appears right, and am forced to stitch blind to get the right finish appearing outside and the underside appears too loose and irregular. It appears to be a very good machine, but my old bog standard Alpha machine, without any of the extras, gave much better results. Any ideas on how I might address this problem? Penny

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Reply to
penny
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Penny,

I would try adjusting the top tension a little tighter and see if that improves the stitch.

There are others here who know more than I so you are bound to have better advice soon. I have no experience with an Elna but I do believe that the stitches underneath are controlled by the top tension adjustment.

Judie

Reply to
Judie in Penfield NY

able to get

adjusts

right, and

outside and the

Alpha

Hello Penny,

According to the service manual, there is a lower thread tension adjustment on the 7000/8000/9000 machines. It is a baseline adjustment for the machine to sew properly.

The manual calls for the lower thread tension to be set at 30 -

40 (g)rams. Elna has a special tensiometer tool but i have found other suitable ways to gauge the tension.

A U.S Quarter is 5.6 g and a nickle is 5.0 g so doing the math either (6 Quarters) or (7 nickles) will get you ~35 g

So, to test if your machine already has a good tension you can try this test.

This is all paraphrased out of the service manual. Start with a machine that has the bobbin set up like you are ready to sew. You would turn the hand crank until the top thread take up arm is at its highest point. Then pull the bobbin thread up and loop it through that thread take up arm ( sort of like backwards threading the machine but you are not going back through the needle).

Now tape (6 Quarters) or (7 nickles) together and tape that bundle to the end of the loose bobbin thread. Slowly lower the weight.

  1. If the weight zooms down really fast then i suspect your baseline tension is too loose.
  2. If the weight drops slowly with very little budge or incouragement then your tension is great.
  3. If the weight takes alot of encouragement to move down then tension is too tight.
  4. If the weight kind of drops irregular fast/slow/stop/slow/fast etc then you may just need to clean the bobbin case area and check for any sticking problems where thread is rubbing feed dog or nedle plate etc.

A "fancier" test (my favorite, and yes i am a sewing machine geek) is to tie loose end of that thread to a small corner of plastic bag and drop your weights in bag one by one until it starts to slowly drop and then you calculate what the tension actually is.

If tension needs adjusting there is a small screw on the side of the bobbin case that points at the center of the bobbin case. actually ther are two screws tha do that. One holds the tension spring onto the bobbin case the other affects the tension. The only way to describe is the tension screw probably turns alot easier than the non-tension screw :)

HTH

robb

Reply to
robb

I forgot to mention that the tesnsion test called for usnig a full bobbin wound with Embroidery thread no. 30 - 2 ply.

But i do not know how important that is unless you are using some exotic or peculiar thread.

I usually test tension with whatever common/general thread i sew with like C&C all purpose / dual duty plus or Metler cotton etc

robb

Reply to
robb

brain fade ....

If you have not already done so .... make sure the bobbin case thread path and tension spring is clean first. maybe use some thread to floss under the spring a bit,

doesn't take much of a spec of thread or trash or gunk or thread lint ball lodged under the tension spring to goof up the tension.

robb

Reply to
robb

more brain fade .. last one...

you may have one of two different styles of bobbin case in the

7000/8000/9000 lines !!! apparently there was some bobbin case escapement upgrade ??????

anyways page 60 of your 7000 manual gives very good instructions on how to adjust the lower thread tension of your machine. An adjusment screw/knob with a +/- and arrow that is turned to adjust.

If this tension adjusment has no affect then you may need to calibrate the tension as described in a previous post. I described the one style bobbin case previously. On the other style of bobbin case (the one with the +/- arrow screw)there is a

*hex set screw* very close to the (+/- arrow screw) it is used to adjust the median or baseline tension setting.

you will have to decide which style of bobbin case is installed.

sorry for the confusion, i have several service manuals for the

7000/8000/9000 some combine the service info for all models into one manual and you have to read all the notes to figure out what you are suppose to do ....

hth robb

Reply to
robb

Penny,

thread your machine with 2 different colours top and bottom - now sew. Is it the top thread lopping and irregular on the bottom of your fabric? Or the bobbin thread?

Loops & tangles & irregular stitches on the underside is usually caused by poor *TOP* tension.

So, give your machine a good clean out, floss the top tension discs, put in a new needle, and see what happens when you try again. Putting 2 different colours in really helps you fault diagnose what is going on with your machine.

HTH, Sarah

Reply to
Sarah Dale

Loops on the bottom but not the top is typically an upper tension problem. Are you remembering to thread with the presser foot *up* -- this opens the top tension and allows the thread to enter. Or could you have a dirty top tension? "Flossing" with a clean, much washed fold of muslin dampened with rubbing alcohol will often get out some amazing grunge.

Another trick to try is to get out the manual and read each step out loud* and then do it. *No, I don't know why reading it out loud is better other than it slows you down a bit and allows the directions to sink in. But it does seem to help.

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

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