HELP! Just bought an overlocker/serger

lindos90

Hi! Ive recently gained our dining room back from the kids, who used it as a games room for 10 years while they were growing up. I've decided to turn it into a craft room! 

I've tried to furnish it with freebies and second hand things to keep costs down. I've always fancied having an overlocker and yesterday I spotted one for sale on FB marketplace. 
Me and my other half have spent all day today cleaning it up (it was very dusty) and getting it ready to use. Seemed very hopeful as the light came on, and it ran really smoothly.

However once we threaded it, it runs like a dream but doesn't make a stitch! We have checked and double checked and all three threads appear to be threaded perfectly, its been oiled, the needle has been changed and is moving up and down smoothly, the teeth move the material through, everything seems to be moving correctly and very smoothly but the threads are not 'catching' each other to create the chain of stitches (with or without the material in place)

The lady was selling it from a relatives estate, so all she could advise was that she tested it and it was running, but she hadn't tried sewing because she didn't know how to thread it.

Is there something really obvious we have overlooked? Does anyone have an overlocker who might be able to suggest anything, or maybe a website that might offer suggestions? I'm crossing my fingers that it is something that can be worked out, and its not irreparable!

(I have googled trouble shooting, and the closest thing its mentioning is when it is missing 'some' stitches in the chain while it is stitching)

Katiehound

If you have the model name & number maybe there is a helpful YouTube to watch?

i treated myself to an overlocker a couple of years ago- still in box since I was overwhelmed by the set up process!!!

carly

There are lots of helpful sewing groups and overlocker specific groups on facebook.  Youtube is often a good palce to find videos of "how to "do anything with overlockers .  Manner of threading is all important : some overlockers need to be threaded in a particular order, and it is important that the threads are well seated behind the tension discs by gently pulling them to the rear of the disc when threading.. Thread with the tensions at zero and then adjust to the manfacturers default settings.    Threading seems to be a bugbear with a lot of users , but honestly when youve done it correctly a few times it becomes second nature and nothing to fear.   One tip if changing the colour of your thread is not to unthread the whole machine,   cut off the unwanted colour and tie the new colour onto it and either run it through the machine or pull it through manually.   This greatly reduces the number of times you will ever need to rethread the overlocker.

lindos90

Thankyou for your replies. The overlocker came with an instruction video, we couldn't play it but we did find it on YouTube, it definitely helped with the threading! 

The good news is, we've solved the problem! I changed the needle as part of its sprucing up, and I must not have pushed it all the way up, meaning it was longer than it should have been, so the eyes were missing each other. Repositioned the needle and it works perfectly! 
Sadly I don't seem to be able to upload any photos to show you a before and after, but I'm really pleased it is now fully functional 🙂