Needle stuck in shuttle on brand new out of the box Singer
Cencals
| Posted in New to Sewing on
Hi there,
Hoping someone can help. I’m totally new to sewing and just bought a Singer simple 3223.
As the name says it should be simple and with literally the first thing I do I run into an issue. I was just handwheeling it without having threaded yet and literally just took it out of the box but it seems like it’s unable to do a single rotation without the needle getting stuck behind the shuttle. I can only unstuck it by taking the bobbin and shuttle and hook out. But when I try again I run into the same issue.
Am I doing something wrong or is this a faulty machine? Ive included a photo of where it gets stuck because I couldn’t add a video.
Replies
How awful! It really seems like something is very wrong with the machine.
Try to return it to the vendor. Hopefully, they can either
a. fix the problem
b. exchange it/replace it
c. give you your money back
Unfortunately, sewing machines are complicated enough that, even brand new, they may require tweaking. (I don't have good experience with Singer, but that was years ago.)
Another possibility is to take your machine to your local sewing machine repairman (ask others who sew to recommend someone), and see what advice you get there.
If you find yourself back in the market for a cheap sewing machine: again, ask sewing friends for recommendations. I have a 16-year old Janome ($350 to $500 current prices) that has given me very, very little trouble over the years of heavy use. Others recommend Brother. In general, it's probably better to avoid the bottom-priced models.
Which brings me to mention that the advantage to buying from a local sewing shop with a reputable repairman is that your sewing machine will be absolutely guaranteed to work well right off the bat. The disadvantage is cost. I once bought a used, bottom-of-the-line Brother from the local sewing shop for $15 more than Walmart's price for the same model brand-new...and I was happy to pay extra, because I knew it would work properly. And it did (and is still doing) just fine for my daughter.
Hope this helps!
Looks like you may have bent your needle, and that's why it keeps repeating the issue. Replace the needle and make sure it's inserted as far as it can go, and that the needle screw is secured properly. Also, make sure you're turning the hand crank wheel the correct way. It is counter-clockwise on most machines, I believe. Turning it the wrong direction can sometimes cause parts to move in a way that they weren't meant to and that could potentially cause the needle to jam and get bent up.
This is a known issue with the Singer machine. I suffered with it and cursed my machine too many times. I happened to look up the issue and found it video on YouTube that fixed it forever. Believe it or not a simple screw adjustment is all it takes. Once you make the adjustment you'll love your machine.
Thanks both!
I really didn't do anything with the machine yet. I haven't even switched it on yet, I just hand wheeled it and immediately noticed it got stuck. It can't go a single rotation without it getting stuck. I don't see how the needle could have been bent already. I'm pretty sure I did it in the right direction.
About the youtube video, do you remember what it was called? I've googled this issue loads but english is not my first language so maybe I just don't know the right terms for things.