For those that sew! help needed with an overlocker

sewingmachinegirl

sewingmachinegirl

VFG Member
Hi! I am hoping someone can help me out in the USA from down here in Australia. I have bought a second hand 5 Thread Union Special industrial overlocker model number PL 654/Class 39600 (504 stitch). It's at least 30 years old and an American model from what I can gather, and came with the threading diagram, but to be honest- I think you need an engineering degree to thread this thing. I have tried google for more info from my end, but no luck so far.
Does anyone know anyone who may have knowledge of this machine or know of any web links that can help with the threading of this thing?. I think my diagram is a bit dodgy, and am just wanting a little more information about the machine and threading. My mechanic said he wouldnt touch it, and I should throw it in the bin as these machines have such a bad reputation,( if only I had known that when I bought it!!) but I am determined to prove him wrong!! cheers, sewingmachinegirl x :duh2:
 
mine's only about 10 years old, and ITS a beast to thread. as much as i love them, i absolutely HATE threading them.

good luck; those old ones can be absolutely manic. But Joules has a great idea, there are SO MANY crafty/sewing types over there (etsy), that maybe someone will have a magic answer for you.
 
A little thing that might help . If the booklet has a threading diagram, take different color highlighters and follow each thread as drawn in the diagram. It makes it alot easier to read.

Hollis
 
Thanks so much everyone for the advice! The Etsy idea is great, so I will give that a go! I have never been defeated by a threading diagram before, I am determined to win this one , best wishes, Gayle x ;)
 
Gayle, can you post your diagram here? It's over twenty years since I've used an industrial five thread overlocker but I haven't been defeated by the threading yet.

I'm sure you've contacted the seller to ask for advice? Have you found anywhere you can get it serviced? If so - they can thread it for you, if not - you're going to have trouble with this machine so you might like to consider getting an easier brand.

Nicole
 
I am doing a sewing class at the moment and the teacher showed us an overlocker last week. She trained at London College of Fashion in the 1960s and then worked at Norman Hartnell so is very experienced. She said they are notoriously hard to thread. She advised that if you wanted to change the cotton colour - not to remove it but to tie it on to the old cotton and gently thread it along. I think the service idea ( as Circavintageclothing suggested) sounds like a good idea and then never unthread it if possible! It sounds like the threading is the worst part but once that's done they are well worth using.
 
re overlocker threading nightmare

Thanks Nicole and beach-Bygones!
Thansk for the advice, yes I ended up paying for a mechanic to service it and thread it in the end- and would never have unthreaded it again EVER! BUT- there is a sad end to this story-After using the machine the first time for just 12 lousy minutes the engine died- thats it -dead as a doornail. I now have a useless piece of machinery- that will cost about $300 to get a new engine for.
Very very unhappy with the seller!!!:flaming:

Gayle x

ps: The mechanic has found me another machine which I should have in about 3 weeks ;) and it will come already threaded, and I will keep the original one just for parts!
 
Oh Gayle - 12 minutes!! that's spectacularly bad - are you going to contact the seller? I hope you didn't pay much for it!?

Well, I'm glad that you have a replacement on the way - and hopefully the next one will be better :restlessvillagers:

Nicole
 
Thanks Nicole!
I tried and tried with the seller but they would not admit their was anything wrong with it- my lesson here is to ask more questions, especially if any industrial sewing machine has a new or re-conditioned engine- or at least not the original one! .
The power plug was dangerous too- and had to be replaced before I could even turn the thing on!
Happy to be sewing though ;) and my little domestic overlocker is coping admirably in the meantime ;)
Gayle x
 
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