Sink or swim

It's called "looking before you leap". LOL I am definitely guilty of the same.

Glad you got it sorted but don't be afraid of changing the bobbin tension, it's not rocket science. If you use the same type and size of thread ALL the time then in most cases you can set and forget (until wear takes effect of course) but if/when you change to a different type/size/manufacturer you should always recheck the tension and adjust if necessary.

The following page shows how to set the bobbin tension for *most* modern sewing machines (always check your manual first of course).

This isn't a modern sewing machine. It's a Consew 256R, a 38 year-old japanese industrial machine. The local repair shops won't touch it.

Didn't you try chocolate?

Mary

Rocket science is very simple ...

If you do adjust the bobbin tension (which is done by turning that teensy little screw) be VERY CAREFUL not to unscrew it entirely and do this over a tray with a cloth in it (plain color) because if that screw does drop on the floor, you will never find it again.

Light blue touchpaper

Run Away

Darn! You took the words right out of my mouth Alan.

Great minds think alike eh!

or is that 'Fools never differ'?

No. There was none to hand.

I did have a bottle of Blue Moon Ale poured into a frozen glass, with an orange wedge. It slowed the hyperventilating down.

The best thing about being a sole proprietor is also the worst. There's no back up. I can't roll my chair backwards out into the hall and say, "Hey, have any of you ever seen problem "X"? And what do I do about it?"

My husband is a tool and diemaker at GM. Maintains an industrial assembly line. Designs and builds new tooling. Programs and repairs computerized robots. And is no help whatsoever with this particular machine. He also works nights and even if I thought he'd be of any help with the matter, I'd rather chew my arm off than wake him in the middle of the day.

So I'm on my own. Sink or swim, like I said.

"I'm stitching along, get distracted momentarily and I'm almost over the edge of the seamline. Yank my foot off the pedal and grab the handwheel to stop the needle. There's a jerk, a thump ...."

Not to minimize your anguish, but it is a little funny that your maneuver to quickly halt your machine by backing off the throttle and quickly grabbing the handwheel to halt sewing progress,(panic stop) echoes the equestrian maneuver of a quick-stop while you were sewing some gear to protect the horse from that very same action.

Like to see what the end product looks like, if you have pix.

JPBill

It's not for horses, although my daughter rides. Cost-wise, I can't compete with what off-shore sweatshops produce.

What I make is for dogs, canine athletes. Once you let go of the harness there is no physical control, no such thing as a panic stop.

What are skidboots?

Protective leg wraps for dogs made of leather reinforced neoprene secured with velcro. They prevent injury to the stop or carpal pad (the pad that stick out of the back of a dog's wrist), and to the dew claws in those dogs that haven't had them removed.

I started experimenting when my daughter began playing flyball with her border collie, Scully, and the only available option was wrapping the dog's legs with co-adhesive bandage (Vetrap, Powerflex, etc.). I came up with a design that worked and began making them initially for our own dogs, and then for teammates.

When we competed in tournaments I began to get inquiries from other handlers and started selling them. I named my company Z-Control after Zane, my lunatic border collie, who routinely turned in sub-4 second splits and all but threw sparks skidding to a halt after his runs.

I now have customers all over the US and Canada as well as in the UK, France, Belgium, Poland, South Africa and, most recently, Australia, whose dogs participate not only in flyball, but also agility, frisbee, hunting, and lure coursing. I also supply a couple of animal fitness and rehab centers which prescribe them for the prevention and treatment of injuries.

My company:

And so are many rocket scientists. Doesn't make them any less fun.

Moral - pack one drawer with the best - for emergency use only of course :-)

No idea what Blue Mooin Ale is but if it helps it's Good Medicine!

Oh yes, I know all about that - although not in the sewing mchine area.

Well, it's not the end of the world until it's the end of the world ... I tell myself, unconvincinly ...

Mary

betsey (if eli grows up to do agility, i'll be calling ya!)