How to Repair the Timing on a Sewing Machine

Sewing machines need regular maintenance.

The timing on a sewing machine refers to the adjustment of when the needle eye and the bobbin hook pass each other to create a stitch. When this timing becomes off the sewing machine may not stitch at all or it may stitch off and on leading to sewing frustration. Correcting the timing isn't difficult but it may take some patience since timing problems are often caused by worn parts and adjusting against the wear is a little tricky.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine
• T-bar screw driver with hardened insert bits

Instructions

1. Set your stitch count to more than 32 per inch. This should set the machine for no forward movement. The needle bar should move straight up and down and the fabric will not move forward.

2. Remove the needle plate under the pressure foot. You will notice that each bobbin case has a tab which slides into a slot on the underside of the needle plate. When you slide the tab out of the slot the bobbin will rotate freely--this is normal. You need to remember how your bobbin cases slot into the needle plate for reassembly later.

3. Check your needles for straightness. A bent needle will make the timing adjustment wrong. If there is any question about the straightness of a needle, replace the needle with a new one. Rotate the balance wheel so that the needle bar descends to its lowest position. With Singer sewing machines, and some others, you will see a line scribed across the needle bar 1/4-inch below where the needle bar enters the frame.

4. Rotate the balance wheel down and up until the scribed line on the needle bar just enters the frame. If your machine doesn't have a scribed line just look for the general description to match what is described here. Look at the bobbin hooks. The point of your hook should be passing across the center point of the needle about 1/16th above the needle eye. If it isn't, then you need to reset the timing so that it is.

5. Tilt the machine back. Look for bevel gears that rotate on a vertical shaft for each bobbin hook. There should be two set screws that tighten the gear to the shaft. Unscrew the screws to loosen the assembly. Make your adjustment and then retighten the screws. Note: make sure the head of your screw driver fits well. If you need to, file the tips to improve the fit. Do not strip your set screws.

6. Tip your machine forward. Insert your bobbin case tabs in the underside of the needle plate. Tighten the needle plate down and re-thread your machine. Test sew on some scrap fabric. You may need to adjust your bobbin hooks several times to fix the timing. In older machines wear develops and makes the bobbin hooks sloppy. To correct for this try rotating your hooks counterclockwise before setting the timing.

Tips & Warnings

• Your machine may be different than I've described here. You should always consult your owner's manual for specific instructions on how to adjust your specific machine. Your machine should be lubricated and cleaned after each sewing project.

References

• Sew USA: Timing the hook
• The Craven Family: Adjusting Singer timing

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish