Thread and Bobbin Tension???

I have a Brother BES-1210AC 12 needle single head and I can not figure out the tension. I have been running a test pattern for all 12 needles and when I do, I see NO bobbing on the back of the design. It is the same for all of the needles. I have tried adjusting the tension of the bobbing and the top thread tension up and down and it hasn't done a thing.

Please Help!!!

Location: 
United States
AJST's picture

Your problem sounds like the upper tension needs to be tightened. Here is the tension PDF from Brother for your machine.
http://www.brother-usa.com/ModelDocuments/Consumer/Maintenance%20Guide/MG_BAS_416_416A_423_423A_BE_0901E_1201B_1204C_1206B_BES_116_1210_EN_405.PDF

Always set the tension on the bobbin first. Then set the upper tension to the bobbin.

If you do not have a tension guage, you may want to use the Drop test on the bobbin to set the tension. Take the bobbin thread out of the pigtail of the bobbin (if it has one), hold the thread with the bobbin hanging and drop your hand. the bobbin should slide down about 2 inches then stop. Use the larger screw on the bobbin to tighten or loosen the bobbin. Only turn the screw in small increments to adjust.

After the bobbin is adjusted you can now focus on the upper thread tension.

AJ’s Stitchin’ Time
Dennis Wilson
Embroidery Machine Technician
ajstitch.com Dennis@ajstitch.com

Thank you Dennis for your reply, and thank you for the link to the tension guide. It wasn't a problem with the machine after all. I had a few bad bobbins, the cardboard sides were swollen. I didn't think that was it because I had tried three different bobbins and they were all the same. The drop test would work fine because the bobbin wasn't being pressed in at all by the machine but when I put it in the machine the bobbin was too big and too tight.

Thank you again.
David.

AJST's picture

Glad you worked it out. I have taken the cardbord sids off of the bobbins and used them that way. This might work for you if you dont want to loose a box of bobbins.

AJ’s Stitchin’ Time
Dennis Wilson
Embroidery Machine Technician
ajstitch.com Dennis@ajstitch.com
Screen Printer's picture

daviamp wrote:
I have a Brother BES-1210AC 12 needle single head and I can not figure out the tension. I have been running a test pattern for all 12 needles and when I do, I see NO bobbing on the back of the design. It is the same for all of the needles. I have tried adjusting the tension of the bobbing and the top thread tension up and down and it hasn't done a thing.

Please Help!!!

I am fairly new to embroidery...but what I have learned.

If you see bobbin peaking out the color on the front..the bobbin is too lose.

No Bobbin in the rear...the bobbin is too tight.

If your card board side were swollen..it was too tight and dragging.

A test for your bobbin.

Install a new bobbin. Hold it in your hand and let it hang from the thread.

If it unrolls..it is too loose. Make your hand do some small downward jerks..similar to a cork bobbing in the water.

It should drop a small amount on each jerk.

If it doesn't drop..it is too tight.