How to Install a Needle Clamp on Your Sewing Machine
Assembling the needle clamp can be an intimidating experience for beginners, but it is one of the easiest things that you will need to do. The needle clamp is one of the most important parts of a sewing machine, which is why this tutorial will be very helpful for you.
The needle clamp is a crucial part of the machine that holds the sewing needle in place. While you are working with heavy duty fabric, you will need to have a needle clamp that is light and tough. This guide will teach you the best way to install needle clamps.
How to Install a Needle Clamp on Your Sewing Machine
Contents
Follow the steps if you want to install a needle clamp on your sewing machine. The following steps are ideal for brother and babylock machines. The overall process is uniform and can be used comfortably with the other kinds of sewing machines as well.
Step 1: Clear a Space
The first thing that you need to do is clear a space for all the things that you need. There are a lot of small parts involved, so you need to make sure that they don’t get misplaced while you are working on the clamp.
Step 2: Get the Tools
While working on installing the needle clamp on your machine, you will need to use the perfect tools for the task. You will need a flat head screwdriver and a small Allen wrench as well. The ideal size of the wrench should be 2 mm.
Step 3: Organize the Needle Clamp Parts
Next, you will also need to organize the parts of the needle clamp before you start. When you purchase a standard needle clamp assembly, you will notice that it has exactly 4 parts. There’s a body, clamp and set screws and a pin.
If you are using a brother sewing machine, then it is also a very good idea to buy a brother thread guide for the assembly. It will make your life easier later on, and it will also make the assembly process easier. Once you are organized, you can move on.
Step 4: Screw the Set Screw
Using your 2 mm Allen wrench, screw the tiny set screw of the needle clamp set into the smaller hole on the needle clamp body. The 2 mm Allen Wrench will allow you to do this very easily – it’s the perfect size for this.
There’s no need for you to run the set screw all the way into the body of the needle clamp. Make sure that you give the thing enough turns so that it is fit quite securely. This is the part of the clamp that will accept the needle rod later.
Step 5: Fix the Needle Clamp Pin
Next, you can use a pair of tweezers to pick up your tiny clamp pin in a way that the pointy end is pointing downwards. Drop the clamp pin into the little cylinder that is present on the body of the needle clamp.
This cylinder is basically what is going to hold the needle tightly in place while you are sewing. If you want to sew in the simplest and most convenient way possible, then you have to make sure that the needle clamp pin has been dropped properly into the clamp cylinder.
Step 6: Insert the Clamp Screw Into The Cylinder
Next, you need to take the clamp screw and insert it into the same cylinder that you put the clamp pin into. Next, take your needle thread guide and then insert it into the slot present on the needle clamp’s bottom.
You will know that you have done this correctly when the circular part of the thread guide is just adjacent to the body of the pin. This is going to make threading the needle much, much easier when you are working later on. You need to be careful right now.
Step 7: Attach to the Needle Rod
Take the clamp that you have just assembled and attach it to the needle rod on your sewing machine. Use the flat head screwdriver and the smaller set screw part to ensure that the needle clamp assembly part stays firmly stuck in place.
The thread guide of the sewing machine can also be customized based on your preferences and your convenience. You can use the screwdriver and the set screw to make sure that the thread guide is at the perfect height for you. This part can be modified according to your needs.
Step 8: Insert Your Needle Into the Clamp
Next, you will need to insert your needle into the clamp and make sure that it fits properly. If it does not fit properly, you will need to adjust the screws on the needle clamp assembly so that the needle goes in.
The flat head screwdriver and the Allen wrench can be used to make any adjustments in case the needle does not fit properly.
You might need to make some adjustments and tweaks while you are working with different fabrics and needles. This is all that you will need to do.
That’s it! This is basically all that you need to do to install a needle clamp on your own sewing machine. This is a very simple task – made even simpler by using a thread guide and the right tools. All in all, it will take you 5 minutes to complete.
Caution – Do Not Overtighten the Needle Clamp!
Be careful that you do not overtighten the screws of the needle clamp, especially when the needle has not been placed in the clamp. While you are assembling the clamp, make sure that the screws on the clamp are rather loose and lax.
In most sewing machines, if you tighten the needle clamp too much before installing the needle then there is a chance that the metal wall of the clamp can bend. If there’s a needle inside the clamp when it is bent, it can be very hard to replace the needle.
In some models of sewing machines such as the Bernina machine, overtightening the needle clamp before installing a needle can actually cause the clamp pin to break. The clamp screw and the body can also get brittle and fall apart. Then, it’s impossible to install another needle in the clamp.
Why Does My Needle Keep Falling Out Of the Clamp?
When you first start sewing with a machine, the needle can keep falling out quite frequently. The primary reason behind this is a faulty needle clamp. If the clamp screws are loose, then the needle will not fit properly.
If the needle is inserted too tightly, then the holder on the clamp can actually break as well. This will cause the needle to get oriented in a weird way, making it fall out every time you try to use it. Replacing the clamp screw will usually fix this problem.
Why Do I Need To Use a Screwdriver for This?
Many people seem to think that they do not need to use a screwdriver while they are installing the needle clamp on the sewing machine. Twisting the screws in place with your fingers will not be enough at all.
If you use your fingers, then the clamp screws are not going to be secure. The best course of action is to use a screwdriver to make sure that the screws have been fastened properly.
Make sure that the screws aren’t installed too tightly. Overtightening can break the clamp holder.
Final Thoughts
This has been a comprehensive and in-depth guide that you can use to install a needle clamp on your sewing machine.
Make sure that the clamp assembly set that you purchase is compatible with the machine that you have. Following these steps will make the process very easy.
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