Facebook Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Tiktok Icon YouTube Icon Headphones Icon Favorite Navigation Search Icon Forum Search Icon Main Search Icon Close Icon Video Play Icon Indicator Arrow Icon Close Icon Hamburger/Search Icon Plus Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon

Conversational Threads

Brother PR-600 Problem

kbalinski | Posted in Machine Embroidery on

I’m trying to stitch a hat with the cap attachment, but I’m having some trouble.  I’ve done a hat before with this same design with no problems, so I’m really frustrated.  The brim holder keeps bumping into the neck of the machine as if the design is placed too low (close to the brim) but it isn’t.  The machine knows the design is an acceptable size and I’ve tried removing the attachment and re-setting it.  I’ve tried re-hooping the hat and powering off and on again.  No luck, when I advance through the stitches to check the size, it keeps ramming into the neck even though it shouldn’t.  Ideas???? Brother is closed for the night and my dealer was useless.  So were the other 2 dealers I called for help…

These 20 hats aren’t going to stitch themselves, and doing it by hand isn’t an option!Ha!

Kristine in Michigan

Replies

  1. kbalinski | | #1

    This morning (less than 24 hours later!) I got this reply from Brother.  Maybe someone else will need this info. in the future.

    You will need to recalibrate the embroidery frame sensors to make sure they are aligned correctly. Make sure you have installed the latest 2.22 version onto your machine.  This update is located on our website at http://www.brother.com/usa.   Once this has been done, please follow these steps: 1. While pressing the Start/Stop key and needle threader key, turn the power   on to access the A/D test mode. 2. Install the flat frame holder to the carriage assembly. 3. Loosen the 2 thumbscrews securing the left side of the frame holder and slide the holder to the left to accept the LL (large) hoop, tighten the screws. 4. Press the LL key on the LCD. 5. Loosen the 2 thumbscrews securing the left side of the frame holder and slide the holder to the right to accept the S (small) hoop, tighten the screws. 6. Press the S key on the LCD. 7. Turn off the power switch and turn the machine back on. If the problem persists, please contact your Brother dealer concerning your machine may require service.   If you have any further questions or concerns please let us know. Sincerely,  Customer Service Brother International Corporation

    1. sewelegant | | #2

      This all sounded like GREEK to me because I do not own an embroidery machine.  I just wanted to comment that looking at this problem, from the twilight years of my sewing career, opens my eyes to the wonderful scope young people have today to experience the sewing options available.  Having the company and the computer to obtain the needed help directions is something special. I do not indulge in an embroidery machine because I tend to think it is too expensive to use just for my own pleasure. 

      Granted it is expensive, but I look back to the first sewing machine I bought in 1964 for around $200.  It was the top of the line Singer and I couldn't have been more thrilled with it.  At the time my salary as an RN was around $200 a month. (Before Taxes).  So, are todays machines really any more expensive?  I rarely bought any of my own clothes, preferring to make them.  Fitting was not a big problem then so I didn't have to spend so much time on the preliminaries.  I loved making clothes for my children and having an embroidery machine then would have been wonderful!  They were used to me sitting at my machine so it was not a novelty and they went about their play as usual.  My sewing was portable so we were usually in the same room and I always knew what they were doing. 

      So, anyway, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your input, Kristine, you are living in another age of sewing.  I just wish there were as many sewers around today as there were back then because I miss all the fabric stores and options we had available, but I rather envy you with all the modern advances.  Happy sewing!

      1. Palady | | #5

        Like you, I've held off getting an embroidery machine.  But, as do you, I delight in what's avaialble to today's sewist.

        My daughter has an embroiderier.  A early Bernina Artista 186 (?), circa 2000.   She's exploring the possibility of a new one.   So I understood just an inkling of the reply Kristin received.

          My time goes to 1952 when I bought my first used str st Singer portable for $20 or $25, on lay-a-way.    In 1957, I traded it, regretable now because of the type of Singer it was, but budget necessary at the time.  The replacement was a Kenmore console str st for $100 +.   Did all manner of sewing on that one starting with my maternity wear, which is why it was bought.  I figured a console would be the better.  Still feel this type of set up works to a higher degree.  I posted a photo of the head in another Thread.  Any chance you still have your Singer?

        The emboridery done on my children's clothes, daughter & son, was by my hand.  As were the appliques made & placed. 

        I've "graduated" to Zz'ers & sergers since those early days.  What are you using now?

         Smiled at your mention of your RN salary.  Mine when I entered the field in Feb '52, was $110.00 per month for a 48 hr week.  The extra $10.00 was because I worked in the o.R. and it was "call" pay.  When I left in Dec 1956 to marry the following Jan, my salary was $150.00 per month.  The call amount was the same.  Difference now, the  total was divided & received every 2 wks for a 44 hr week.

        My retirement from health Care came in June 1996.  I'd gone full circle, returning to the O.R. after experiencing bedside to mangerial positions.

        Are you still in the field?

        nepa

         

        1. sewelegant | | #8

          I answered your thread late last night and it must have been too long!!! because it seized up the on line page and I ended up turning the computer off.  I see it did not go through. 

          I bought a new machine in the mid 90's, the Bernina 1630 and have been happy with it.  It is not the embroidery machine I had been waiting for, but didn't know how long I would have to wait for Bernina to perfect it.  I wanted a Bernina because the shop was right up my alley with all its amenities.  I could spend hours there!  My Singer went off to college with my younger sewing enthusiast daughter and I think she still has it tucked away somewhere, but she has a Bernina Artista embroidery machine now that she is very attached to.

          So, you too are a member of the Old Nursing School Club!  We do seem to have a comaraderie with other nurses from back then because of the way we were all trained.  That does not exist today.  (Neither does WHITE, to my regret)  I have not worked since the early 90's when we retired and moved back to the house we bought in San Diego in the 70's.  My only regret is not being close to my two daughters in the Chicago area, but they love having a place in the sun to visit.  Our two sons live in CA, but only one is married and he lives 8 hours away (driving) It's a two hour drive through LA no matter which way you go so we do not see them frequently.  The younger son flies for American Eagle and lives not so far away so we see him quite frequently.

          By the way, I kept the zipper attachment for the Singer (or maybe bought a new one) because I liked it so much better. Maybe it was just that I had mastered it and it was comfortable, but I seem to have so much more control with it than with the new ones.  I still get it out whenever I need to sew close to something, like piping. 

          1. Palady | | #9

            >> ... Singer...to college...younger sewing enthusiast daughter...tucked away...<<  Hopefully she does because it's likely of a quality gone from today's machines.  My Kenmore console came full circle & is back to me. 

            I purchased a Singer single toe zipper foot for my New Home.  The Kenmore head needs service which I have yet to accomplish but know where I'll be taking it.  The one that came with that machine is narrower than the Singer, so it really does a wonderful job. 

            My Singer 500A also came full circle.  When the White I bought for daughter as she told me, now-don;t-get-all-enthused-I-just-want-a-machine-to-do-seam-repairs.-I'm-not-getting-into-sewing, was limiting, I found the Singer 500A.  She had a friend remove the White head out and used the console top for the Singer.   The White was the style that the head came up as the top was lifted open.  My mother had one exactly the same.  Which is mine now as well.

            Daughter married, had a sewing room and the Singer became limiting because it came w/o the cams.  So she moved up to a Kenmore to do some fancier stitching.  From there it was on to a Bernina Artista 186 (?).  As to the idea of only-doing-seam-repair,  long gone.  Daughter now does exqusite fashion.  Drafts patterns, and posts on Sewing Divas. 

            >> ...seem to have a comaraderie with other nurses from back then ...<<  Agreed!

            nepa

    2. Pattiann42 | | #3

      This is representative of great customer service from Brother.

      I do not use the model you have, nor a cap hoop, but will be referring to this should it come up at another forum.

      Thanks for sharing the experience.

       

       

      Edited 3/11/2009 2:22 pm ET by spicegirl1

    3. User avater
      ThreadKoe | | #4

      For those that need a translation of gobbeldegook, Brother is telling us the machine needs to be reset to the Zero point. I wondered if that was the problem. I hope you have it all well under hand now and are zooming through those caps! Just a note, watch the brim on those caps my friend! Some of the more upright styles can actually interfere with the motion of your machine, and can push the machine off the zero point! They have to be hooped higher than you think. The lower sloped caps do not run into this problem. I ran into that blessed problem, argh! Good luck. Cathy

      1. kbalinski | | #6

        Sadly, that great customer service didn't pay off.  I did everything they recommended, but the brim still interfered with the body of the machine! I made another call to a reliable dealer (not mine, but my favorite).  He explained that the email I recieved was to make sure the machine was properly recognizing the different hoops, not to recalibrate the positioning.  He walked me through some check points, and we verified that my machine positioning is perfect, so the problem lied elsewhere.  After some other checking, we figured out that my cap attachment part that holds the brim down was bent out of shape.  After 3 years of sewing caps, all those stiff brims slowly bent that part forward.  The dealer explained how to bend it back into the correct shape, which my husband did, and voila! Back in business!  Can you believe it?  The dealer said he's seen it before and will let Brother know how often he's seeing this issue.  This dealer is always helpful, and tonight he stayed on the phone with me after his store closed to make sure I could get my machine working properly.  Yet another example of stellar customer service!

        New problem: thread breakage! Fresh needles and the usual thread, but it's breaking every couple minutes.  Slowed it way down, but no help.  Wondering if the caps (structured) require a thicker needle than the standard?

        1. User avater
          ThreadKoe | | #7

          Yes! The buckram in the cap will require a thicker needle and possibly a slower sew out! Just like a sewing machine, embroidery machines sometimes need to have needles for the thicker materials. A size 12 is a standard size enough for most projects, but you might have to up it a size. or maybe two. The speed and flex of the needle is higher, and the stress is higher on these machines. Put a heavy buckram backing into the mix, and it is just asking for trouble. Because you are sewing on a flexing curved surface as well....... Needles are not that expensive, and are worth changing to suit the purpose. Sounds like you need to go outside and SCREAM! Hope you get this project well underway soon! Keep me posted, I really disliked doing caps, they were always full of pesky problems, but were really a capfull of satisfaction when they were finally DONE! Cathy
          PS, That is one GEM of a Dealer, send him some Flowers when you are done! Stitch him a thankyou! C

          Edited 3/12/2009 12:10 pm ET by ThreadKoe

        2. jjo1 | | #10

          Cap frame bumping neck of machine

          Could you please explain how to bend the cap frame back into place mine has been hitting the neck of my mahine. I would like to know the best way without damaging it. Thank you for the help!

This post is archived.

Threads Insider

Get instant access to hundreds of videos, tutorials, projects, and more.

Start Your Free Trial

Already an Insider? Log in

Conversational Threads

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |

Threads Insider Exclusives

View All
View All

Highlights

Shop the Store

View All
View More