How to Timing Your Sewing Machine

In this Instructables I'm going to show you how to 1. Tell if your sewing machine is out of time & 2. How to fix the timing on your sewing machine.

Tools

A NEW!! pack of needles 80/12 or 90/14 preferably

Scrap fabric

Good quality thread

#2 Philips (for most machines)

A set of straight screw drivers preferably #1-3

A set of hex keys (most machines use metric)

You will also need torx 8,10 &/or 20 if you have a Bernina, Viking or Pfaff in place of the Philips

Rubik's cube (optional it works great for tipping the machine so it's easier to view.

Flashlight or work light- helpful but not necessary

A sense of mechanics in general is very helpful if not vital

Timing:

Timing is quite a common issue for machines, however; many people like to blame all life's problems (at least sewing problems any way:) on timing and this is not always what is wrong. To find out if your machine is actually out of time, ALWAYS!! begin by replacing the needle. I can hardly emphasize this enough, for about half the people if your machine is skipping stitches you have a bent needle. I don't care how recently the needle was replaced even if you just replaced 5 min ago replace it again. Needles are cheap in comparison to the frustration of timing your machine over and over again, and please get a brand new one not one you used even the smallest amount. Oh, and by the way make sure your needle is up in the whole way.

Now that you are 100% sure that your needle is brand new its time to make sure your machine is out of time. If you have a machine that can do zigzags set your machine to the widest zigzag and stitch a row on a scrap piece of fabric. If your machine skips a couple stitches on that zigzag it is a sure sign your machine is out of time. If you don't know what I mean by "skipping stitches" it basically means that the thread will not make a stitch on the one side (see the pic). If your machine only does straight stitch and is out of time it will make either no stiches or long spaces between each. Occasionally a machine will be so far out of time that it will bend the needle in this case it is pretty obvious, don't try to sew on it.

This step is one you have to figure out for yourself, however; I'll give you a few tips. First though, please unplug the machine to avoid charring yourself- not funny actually😉. If your machine has a screen on it there is circuit boards and lots of wires to deal with so you may want to consider taking it to a professional, however if you are careful it is possible for you to do it. First look to see where the seams of the covers on you machine meets. Especially on the older machines the top and bottom of the machine will unscrew and come right off. If this is the case for your machine that is all the covers you will need off. If your machine is newer it may be in only 2-3 pieces so you may have to take off the front &/or back cover. If you machine is like this you will want to look for hidden screw. If the one cover appears really tight you may need to take the opposite cover off first, however; on nearly all machines with plastic covers they put nasty little clips on the covers that lock into each other use your #1 straight to pop these out. Try not to break them but general speaking if you break 1 or 2 the screws will hold the covers fine and you will never notice it.

On about half of the old machines and most of the new, there is a belt that runs from the top shaft to the bottom shaft (no it is not the same belt that is on the motor ever). On the machines like this the best place to time is either at the top gear or the bottom gear, if one has a drift pin use the other. If your machine has no belt running from top to bottom you will need to time it at the gears that turn the hook--unless ( I'm getting tired of exceptions too 😅 as you can tell this is my job so I've fixed hundreds) you have a older singer with a shaft that runs from top to bottom then you would use this shaft. By the way if you put your Rubik's cube under the one side of the machine, it works great to prop it up so it's easier to see the hook and such like.

Now for the fun (I say this sarcastically). How to time, again to different types of hook setup, if you have a front load bobbin listen to what I'm saying in now. If you have a top load bobbin yawn(not necessary for success but coffee might be😉) and scroll down to the big black #2.

#1

Now to begin timing a front load machine. Set your needle so it is in the farthest right position. It is easiest if I tell / show you were it should be and leave you figure out how to get it there because all situations are a little different. While turning the hand wheel of the machine counter clockwise look at the hook on your sewing machine. If the hook on your sewing machine goes half way around and the rocks back the opposite way i.e. oscillating, then you will need to check your timing after the hook has went as far left as possible and has begun to come right again. On a machine that the hook just rotates in circles you will check you timing when the hook reaches the top. Now all of you that have a front loaded hook can skip down to #3 while I talk to the other folk.

#2

Now for those machine with a top loading hook. Set your needle on the farthest Left position. Now turn your hand wheel counter clockwise till the tip of your hook is just so (as in .5-1.5mm) showing on the left side of the needle. Now we're ready for step 3 which is relevant for everyone (finally....sigh).

#3

Now take a look at your timing positions. Look at the set screw that is facing you, you may find it helpful to mark this screw with a sharpie just for future reference. Now rotate the handwheel Clockwise and find the other set screw, loosen this set screw and then rotate your handwheel Counter Clockwise until you are back to where I put you in either #1 or #2. Now we will loosen the set screw facing us, at this point the hook should be free so when you turn the handwheel it will not turn. Now while turning your handwheel Counter Clockwise notice how the needle goes down in and then begins coming back up. For the machine to be timed correctly we want the eye of the needle while coming up to come just under the tip of the hook when the hook tip is just so peaking out the other side. Look at the pics if you are confused, I will admit it is hard to explain. Once you have yours like mine in the pic tighten the set screw facing you. Now reassemble the machine and do the widest zigzag again to make sure its in time. If you have questions put them in the comments.

Happy timing,

Prusa Fanatic