[Josie]

I recently bought a new serger, my last tore up and it would cost just as much to fix it as to buy a different. I made the mistake of buying a used one and now it makes an awful clunking sound. The arm that is below one of the bottom looper smacks the needle every time I sew, should I buy a new part or just try to bend it back?

[Nicole]

Hallo @hannahjosie, this is the bit where you have an internet random giving advice so take it with care 😉

I had a similar problem with a second hand overlocker (serger) I purchased.
I hope I am not stating the obvious but change your needle just in case that is bent.

As my machine was second hand and we live in the country (no repair place) I did resort to bending the bottom looper,just a little, until they stopped meeting.

I did this, just a wee bit at a time (power off) and turned the wheel by hand.

I think it may have taken a few attempts but that machine and I went on to have several very happy years together.

I would always recommend a repair place if you can. If you can get a new part and fit it, great!

Good luck, let us know how you go.

xx Nicole.

[Josie]

I’ve replaced the needles and they keep smacking into the arm and breaking

[Nicole]

Well, it’s bent then. What a pain.

Have a go if you feel confident too.

[brenda1652]

I know you changed the needle but you may want to try another brand. I only use top brands but my serger was also breaking needles and if the needle didn’t break immediately it would skip stitches. Supposedly it could take the same size needles as my regular machine, Type E or 130/705H. I had tried Schmetz , so next I tried Klasse and lo and behold, no hitting and no breaking needles. Odd of course since they state being the same needle size but that’s the truth of it. My serger also hates the nice needles from Superior threads which are actually Organ brand (another top brand), anyway, before you give up try other decent brands and of course (but I am sure you know this) stay away from those cheap needles that are available from various sites. Also check the owners manual for size recommended, mine for the White serger 1934D said Type E or 130/705 H (standard size that also fits my Janome 9500). My Janome Coverpro machine takes a size EL 705 and these do not fit my other machines. If you did not get an owners’ manual then you can find the info if you google the machine name and model and ask for needles size. Good luck, if all this fails, call fabric shops to find a repair person. Last time I had my timing adjusted (from sewing over a pin. don’t do that!) it only cost me $30.

[brenda1652]

another idea and pardon me it it sounds dumb (but I had to figure this out since it was not in my manual), when you insert your needles, insert the one that needs to be shorter first as it must go deeper into the machine so it is shorter than the other. In my machine the left needle has to go in further, and if I do not insert it first, the right needle somehow manages to block the way for the left needle going part way up and I cannot insert it as far as it needs to go. You’ll know you have it right when you look at the needles and the left one looks shorter than the right, at least this is how it is on my machine. There was nothing in the owners’ manual about this so maybe it is another quirk of my machine.

[Liesl Gibson]

I recently had this problem as well. As it turned out, the hook itself needed to be replaced because it had bent. I’d recommend bringing it to a good repair shop who can analyze the problem for you. It’s probably best if you can show them exactly what’s happening. Now that mine has been replaced it’s running like a dream–for the first time in ages!

P.S. I tried to bend the hook myself and nearly destroyed the machine, so be very careful…

• This reply was modified 8 years ago by Liesl Gibson.

[Kim]

I had a problem like this too and brought it to my dealer. On mine there’s a switch, in the area below the knife blade, that moves up and down to move a finger underneath the needle. If it’s down by accident it breaks my needles.

• This reply was modified 8 years ago by Kim.