Help plse, after threading it dont make the overlocking stitches. New machine, help with right way to thread machine and the smaller detail of threading.

Install brand new needles.

Keep the presser foot RAISED during the threading process.

Rethread everything from the beginning--thread it in the proper order and verify that it is threaded correctly.

Set the tensions to the midway point and test.

If it is still not creating stitches, you need to take it for service. It most likely has a timing issue.

...

Have you tried setting thread tension?
Maybe that's problem
The thread tension should be equal from bobbin or from spool of thread.
Hope this helps.

It may be difficult to solve a computer controlled machine with as many options as the 936 serger. Stepper motors control many of the functions. You can check out this video I made 4 years ago to get an idea of where to look.

For knits with lycra in, you are best to thread up four threads and seam with the 4 thread marrowing stitch like this, preferabbly with ball point needles in your overlocker, size 80. Use cones of polyester thread, 3,000 metres or 5,000 metres rather than normal thread. (Although if you have trouble matching thread colours you can use a small reel on the left needle as this is the thread that will show on the right side of the garment.)




Start with your machine tensions on 5, both needles in and threaded, stitch length of 2.5 and no differential (set it on zero) and test stitch. Using stretch or ballpoint needles is a good idea too to avoid any deflection and skipped stitches. Then practice serging on some fabric scraps, double layer and look at the seam, if it is tunnelling (pulling up the fabric), then move the cutting blade to the left. Test again and if still tunnelling, then loosen off the tension on the top and bottom loopers by a half number and test again.

If the opposite is happening and the threads are looping off the edge of the fabric, then move the cutting blade to the right to trim less fabric, test again. If still too loose, then tighten up the top and bottom looper tensions by a small amount and test again.

You want the seam to lie flat, the two looper threads to meet right on the cut edge and the needle thread to be just visible from the right side when you press open the seam.

There is always a small amount of adjustments needed on an overlocker when setting up for a new project as every fabric will behave differently. Don't tighten up the tension on the needles much past 5 though, or you may get thread breakage.

If you find that the seam is flutting then you can use the differential feed to adjust for this too.

There is some good overlocking info on Debbie Cosgroves website, www.sewing.about.com, with images which may help too.

Rolled hemming on any overlocker is usually achived the following way. Right hand needle only.
Blade over to the right usually to cut wider than normal but you can vary this to suit the fabric and stitch width you want.
Thread in this needle and the upper and lower loopers. If you can source any, use woolly overlock thread in the upper looper, this fluffs out when not tensioned and covers the fabric to give the look of solid stitching. Change upper looper tension to about 2 and lower looper tension to about 6 or 7.

The lever by the plate is usually to control the little stitch finger where the stitches are formed, move it backwards and it should move back towards you?? If this happens, then you want it in the retracted (towards you) position for rolled hemming so the stitching is much smaller and the fabric can roll. Normally this stitch finger holds the fabric firm for the loopers to form the stitch over for your normal 3 or 4 thread overlock.

Now test stitch and see how it looks. Tighten the lower looper thread so it lays right beside the needle on the underside. You may need to then tighten or loosen more the upper looper, you want the upper thread to wrap all the way around to the underneath against the lower looper thread and needle.

The cut edge of fabric should roll to underneath inside your seam. Once you've got this happening, turn the stitch length down to 0.5 or so to close it right up tight. This uses heaps of thread so I usually test everything else, then close it up at the end to minimise waste.

Hope this makes sense, good luck.

Making a rolled hem on any overlocker is achieved in the following way:

use right hand needle only and top and bottom loopers. Turn stitch length down so threads are closed up (on mine this is 0.5). Your stitch length dial will be one on the right hand side near the flywheel usually. Loosen off the the top looper tension and tighten up the bottom looper tension (these are the right and 2nd right tension dials on front of the machine). On my Bernette I leave the needle at the usual 5, 2 on the top looper and 6.5 to 7 on the bottom looper thread. Move cutting blade position to the right so that you are trimming the fabric quite a bit wider than your stitch, this makes the fabric "roll" underneath inside the stitching to form the rolled edge or hem.

There is also another step that needs to happen where you change or remove a little stitch finger that sits in the pressure foot or just under it. On the Bernettes, you flick a lever to move this stitch finger back towards the operator so it is out of the stitch forming area. On some machines, it is a case of changing the little stitch finger which is screwed onto the pressure foot with a screwdriver.

I really don't know with your Necchi which it is but have a good look at the pressure foot, and around the blade cutting area and see if you can see a lever or check out the accessory bag and see if there is another stitch finger in there, it would be smaller than the one on the foot now. In effect, this finger sits out and the threads wrap around it to form your normal overlock but for rolled hem you want a much smaller finger in place to make a very little seam.

The other variable which makes a very neat job is to use a thread called "wooly Overlock" in the upper looper only. This thread when pulled under tension is tight looking but when you let it go, it fluffs out. So when seaming on a rolled hem it fills out the stitching and covers the edge of the fabric fully giving a smooth look. You can do it without but wooly thread makes a great job and you'll see it on all Ready to Wear seams usually for this reason.

If I am going to roll hem a fine sheer woven fabric like organza or chiffon I will change the needle to make sure it is nice and sharp and also ensure it is a regular point, not a ball point (I seam lots of knits so have ball points in most of the time on mine) Usually a size 80 is fine.

I hope this gets you going with your overlocker, I usually test stitch quite a bit with the stitch length at the normal 2.5 setting and adjust the looper tensions until I've got the stitch looking good, then turn it down to the very close 0.5, just to not waste a ton of thread.

I would suggest that you buy a new manual for this as your overlocker has 5 threads that need to be threaded up correctly to form a stitch and there are several different stitches that can be made with this model such as a rolled hem, chain stitch, three thread overlock, four thread overlock and safety stitch with three thread overlock, lots to learn.

You can buy a manual here for $USD14.99: http://www.sewingpartsonline.com/instruction-manual-elna-pro5dc.aspx
or this website has a copy for $USD10.
http://www.sewusa.com/Sewing_Machine_Manuals/Elna_Manuals/Pro_4DC_DE_Instruction_Manual.htm

Always well worth buying the manual and saving a lot of frustration trying to guess how things work and it adds value if you are going to sell the item.

You can get some general overlocker threading tips from http://sewing.about.com/od/sergersoverlock/ss/serger.htm which may help you too.

I would suggest that you drag out the manual (or buy one if you don't have it) and then go to You-tube and search on threading overlockers and watch a video or two. The threading techniques are same for most machines, you need to thread loopers, then needles through all the thread guides. Open the front flap of your machine and check if there is a threading diagram there and follow it. MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS RAISE THE THREAD AERIAL TO FULL HEIGHT BEFORE YOU USE THE MACHINE.

Also make sure you use the correct needles for it, usually EL705 rather than the standard sewing machine 130/705H. It has a groove down the front which helps with stitch formation.

I would also suggest that you hunt down a local dealer and enquire about classes on cleaning, threading and using an overlocker as it will help you so much.

And if your machine accessories are not all there, then invest in tweezers and the fine wire threading up gadgets, they really help getting the thread into needles.

Hi I have bought a Toyota sl3304 overlocker. Unfortunately the manual is missing!!!! Can anyone help please.
Wendy

I was having this very same problem with my lower looper . I had been using the one needle stitching all afternoon and I was doing quite nice stitching. then I decided to put the right needle back in and do some overlock stitching and guess what I spent the next two hours fighting the looper problem. I had completely re-thread this machine at least 20 times now. I decided to take the needle out and re-insert it and re-thread it one more time (right lower looper- then upper looper- right needle- then left needle) was careful to pull all threads to the back and under the presser foot for about 6 inches.
Held on to the thread, lowered presser foot and did the chaining stitch. BINGO it didn't break, tried it with a piece of cloth and Perfect stitches. I have a Babylock BL402 and used tension settings left to right
4-3-3-3 and default settings for the rest.
Hope this helps someone someday.
Jo Griffith