Pre-wound bobbins - plastic sided v. cardboard sided...... what is your opinion of either or both?

Alma, I understood when I purchased my Brother machine many years ago that many home embroidery machines could not use the cardboard sided prewound bobbins because of the sensor, so I had great luck using the NEBS clear sided plastic ones. I, occasionally, rewind the empties, but rarely, because a gross lasts quite a long time.
Now, I have a commercial machine, and I use the cardboard sided bobbins with it, which is the kind the original owner used. I have been amazed at how much thread is on them. They last through several truly dense designs. I clean the lint regularly, but do not find a lot even after many designs. I need to find out if the plastic sided will work on this machine, too. I absolutely love the convenience of the prewound bobbins.
Angel

I've never used a pre-wound. Do you have to change the bobbin case for that? I have the one in my machine now (a Brother) and one with a green dot on it that sits in my case. I just fill bobbin after bobbin after bobbin, etc.

2 comments

by jofrog2000 14 Feb 2012

No, I first used L size in my Ellageo, and now my Ellegante and the Brother 270SE take the A (larger). But the Ellegante came with an adaptor that the L size sites on. Or... a dime in the bottom of the bobbin case gets the bobbin up high enough to make the machine happy. Started with NEBS, but now have some from metroemb, which was a great price.

by jofrog2000 14 Feb 2012

the sensor work. Started with NEBS, and now have some from metroemb, which is the best pricewise. And I reuse the bobbins for fsl. Just put a teeny strip of wss through the hole when putting on the spindle, and it holds.

Thank you so much to all of you people who sent me some feedback to my question. Very interesting answers... :}

My mind raced wildly ahead of my senses this morning and I wondered if there was a build up of cardboard lint, if during a busy stitching session it could get very hot and cause a fire......

AlmaG.

My little old machine just loves the cardboard ones. I also have no trouble with the 'sensor' reading when the bobbin is nearly empty. I must just look into the bobbin casing to see if there is a lint build up. Thank you for question.

2 comments

by almag 14 Feb 2012

Well, that's interesting. Does your machine read the 'fullness' of the bobbin from the side?
Thank you for that input.
Alma.

by airyfairy 14 Feb 2012

Alma - I cannot answer that one . My machine is really basic, I cannot even alter the speed.

Have three Pfaff machines and use Metro cardboard sided bobbins in all. However, I remove the cardboard before putting them in the machine or the bobbin sensor won't be able to read when it is empty.

1 comment

by almag 14 Feb 2012

That's what nanabs was saying and I hadn't given that aspect a thought.
One thing...... have you ever had the thread fall apart in the bobbin if you remove the sides????
Alma.

Plastic only for me. The sensor can't read thru the cardboard.

1 comment

by almag 14 Feb 2012

Oh, I didn't think about that.
Thank you for that input.
Alma.

I only use the plastic side bobbins. The cardboard causes a lot of link in the bobbin area.

Marcelle

2 comments

by marcellelewis 13 Feb 2012

Lint not link.

Another of my senior moments when my brain doesn't send the right message to my fingers when typing.

by almag 14 Feb 2012

Ah ha!!! That's what I was wondering about the cardboard sides.
Thank you for that input.
Alma.

I use prewound, but I think your machines opinion is the most important one. I have had a few machines and they all liked different bobbin thread. I am just thankful that both of my pr machines like the prewound because I don't have the patients to wind it myself.

1 comment

by almag 14 Feb 2012

... :} ..... Alice, you're back!!!
I missed you.
I'm looking into stocking up with pre-wound from shoppersrule.com although I don't mind a bobbin-winding session occasionally.... don't do your sort of embroidery, though.
Alma.

I only use the plastic ones, I tried the cardboard sided ones and did not like them. I refill my with my colors for FSL.

3 comments

by almag 14 Feb 2012

Thank you. I like the plastic refills for FSL, too - it's easy to see the colours. My machine uses green Viking bobbins - not so easy to see thread colours.
Alma.

by mops 14 Feb 2012

Unfortunately you can't rewind the empties on your Viking, that only accommodates the green ones.

by almag 14 Feb 2012

Yes, that's true, but I rewind them on my side-winder and have a lengthy 'sit-down' session occasionally to refill the white thread.
Alma.

I use nothing but plastic and like them very much. I refill them with colors for FSL, etc. to have matching bobbins when needed.

1 comment

by almag 14 Feb 2012

Thank you for the feedback.
It's easier to see the thread colour through the plastic, too.
Alma.

Alma I use cardboard sided in my Janome 11000SE for embroideries and satin stitch ,and non sided in my Janome MC6500 when doing satin stitch applique. Each machine has a mind of its own and prefers these. Each accepts Janome plastic spool bobbinfil but this becomes quite expensive when using lots of them- the machines do not like bobbinfil which I wind myself! Hope this is not too confusing. LOL Barb

1 comment

by almag 13 Feb 2012

Thank you. Not at all confusing. It seems that even identical machines can have their own likes and dislikes.
Have you ever had non-sided bobbins collapse into a mess in the bobbincase?

I have both in white. My Ruby does not like the cardboard sided ones, but loves the plastic ones. The latter are more expensive, but I fill the empties with black (on a different machine) so they come to good use.

1 comment

by almag 13 Feb 2012

Thank you. I, too, refill my empty plastic bobbins, using my little side-winder since I can't fit them onto my HVDesignerII winder.