# Problems with ribber, needles get stuck!



## Berlin (Jul 3, 2013)

hello! I'm a happy owner of a new silver reed sk840, and a neewbie in machine knitting. It's quite hard to find info, youtube ofcourse, but if you have a problem, youtube doesn't really have videos to help you there. Therefore i'm thrilled i found this group! Hope someone will be able to help:
When i first used the ribber, the ribber-needles got stuck in the carriage. (I can post a pic if it helps?)
I lowered the ribber, and it worked ok. 
Now i haven't been using the ribber for a few weeks, tried yesterday, and the same problem again. My sponge bar is ok, the auxiliary pieces se as they should be (well, i did exactly as the intstructipnbook told me to). 
I can not understand what's the problem.
I'm getting hopeless!


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## jaysclark (Jan 26, 2013)

Berlin said:


> hello! I'm a happy owner of a new silver reed sk840, and a neewbie in machine knitting. It's quite hard to find info, youtube ofcourse, but if you have a problem, youtube doesn't really have videos to help you there. Therefore i'm thrilled i found this group! Hope someone will be able to help:
> When i first used the ribber, the ribber-needles got stuck in the carriage. (I can post a pic if it helps?)
> I lowered the ribber, and it worked ok.
> Now i haven't been using the ribber for a few weeks, tried yesterday, and the same problem again. My sponge bar is ok, the auxiliary pieces se as they should be (well, i did exactly as the intstructipnbook told me to).
> ...


Silly question - but have you got the right sinker plate on? If so, you might need to realign your ribber bed as it might be too high. Have you raised the main bed on the S shaped clamps?


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## Berlin (Jul 3, 2013)

Yes, i do believe so.


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## jaysclark (Jan 26, 2013)

Berlin said:


> Yes, i do believe so.


Looks ok - sometimes taking off and putting the connecting arm makes sure that it is seated properly. The connecting arm might be slightly bent. Take the carriage across very slowly and see where the needles start to get caught up. Does it happen without the connecting arm? Have you got the racking handle set correctly? When you pull out needles from both beds - do they touch or are they slightly 'off'?


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## Berlin (Jul 3, 2013)

Connecting arm: do you mean the metal part leaning on the table, or the plastic white one with the arrow? I assume you mean the metal one. It kinda doesn't want to stay all the way on the table, it really easy lifts the table-end up a bit. 
I took the plastic ones down, ran the carriage, still got stuck needles.
The needles on both beds do touch, yesterday they were slightly off, but i adjusted the racking handle, and now they are on top of each other. But, on the swing indicator, on P position the red mark is not exactly on 5. It's slightly (2mm) on the right. Is that a problem?


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## Tallie9 (Jul 24, 2012)

Berlin said:


> When i first used the ribber, the ribber-needles got stuck in the carriage. (I can post a pic if it helps?)
> I lowered the ribber, and it worked ok.
> Now i haven't been using the ribber for a few weeks, tried yesterday, and the same problem again.
> 
> ...


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## ValT (Aug 15, 2012)

You need to make sure that the ribber and main bed needles do not collide.

Try setting to P4 and you should see that the ribber needles go in between the main bed needles.

Val


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

I believe what Tallie has said is probably right....the height and spacing between the two beds needs to be adjusted. Unfortunately I don't have the info on doing this on a Knitmaster/Silver Reed machine.
If it was me I would dismantle the ribber and start again from the beginning. There maybe something that you have done slightly wrong and a second try maybe all that is needed.
I have found the following on youtube that may help. Note how she says that you must have the correct brackets for your ribber...some can look the right ones but the slight difference that they have can create problems. If your ribber was bought second hand the brackets could have been mixed up between two different models of ribber. 
Sorry that I can't help you further.


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## KateWood (Apr 30, 2011)

Scroll down to the pdf for adjusting the ribber on this page

http://www.aboutknittingmachines.com/SilverReedManuals.php


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## dialknit (Oct 17, 2012)

I think you might have the pitch lever wrong : when set to P that means Full pitch H means half pitch. when using all needles on both beds i.e. full needle rib you set to H an when using alternate needles as in 1x1 rib you use P . put up a few needles on each bed and move the p to H and see what happens. Set to P needles crash set to H needles avoid each other. Hope that makes sense
Diana


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## Berlin (Jul 3, 2013)

Ok, back in business, unfortunately my kids make sure i can`t spend all my time by the knitting mashine. 

Tallie, yes, the ribber and the main bed worked ok after i lowered the ribber. 
When i slide the ribber carriage to connect it to the connecting arm, i have to use quite a bit of forse, it definitely does not just slide. 
The carriages do slide smoothly over the beds, no tightness. 

I will check the videos susieknitter and KateWood linked. 

I quess i will dismantle the ribber and start all over. 
Thank`s guys so much for your time and effort.  
I´ll let you know if i managed to sort the problem....


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Seeing that the ribber carriage doesn't slide into position to connect to the main carriage I think that it possibly need a good clean and a good dose of oil. 
My ribber runs that freely across it's bed that when I once disconnected it from the main carriage and then pushed it away it flew down the ribber bed at about 50 miles an hour and shot off onto the floor!
Actually scrap the 50 miles an hour it was more like 100 because no way could I catch it. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## dialknit (Oct 17, 2012)

Another thought, have you got Both sets of clamps in use : the S shaped ones attaché to the holes under the main bed and the other clamps hold the ends in place 4 in total. Only I can not see clamp this end in your 2nd pic. Hope you sort it soon.


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## shirleycurly60 (Mar 18, 2011)

Check all your latches that they are opening freely. Check both carriages for fluff, this can cause latches to jam in knit carriage.


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## Jacaranda (Feb 20, 2013)

Dialknit is correct you should have both sets of clamps in place. The instruction manual does not tell you about the second set of clamps that should be placed at both right and left side of the brackets that hold the ribber on the table. These clamps stop the ribber from moving off the table. If you want me to take a picture of what I mean just ask.


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## susieknitter (Jul 14, 2011)

Jacaranda said:


> Dialknit is correct you should have both sets of clamps in place. The instruction manual does not tell you about the second set of clamps that should be placed at both right and left side of the brackets that hold the ribber on the table. These clamps stop the ribber from moving off the table. If you want me to take a picture of what I mean just ask.


The youtube video that I put on shows how to set the ribber up from start to finish. This includes showing all brackets that are needed so if Berlin watches that she shouldn't need you to go to the trouble of taking a picture.
I hope that she lets us know how she gets on and whether she sorts the problem out.


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## 30Knitter (Apr 9, 2012)

Based on your pictures, your ribber is set to P which means full pitch. If you run your carriage with the pitch in this setting you are crashing the needles. When using all needles like your picture you should be using the H or half pitch. When in half pitch, you can use all the needles on both beds. When in pitch - needles can only be in work on the main bed with others out of work. Then on the ribber where the needles are out of work on the main bed, needles on the ribber will be in work. 

From the picture, the setting above is what I use to make sure the machines are in sync. This way when in half pitch, they will be correct.


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## ValT (Aug 15, 2012)

If you use every other needle on both the main bed and the ribber, then you need to set the ribber to P4.


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## Berlin (Jul 3, 2013)

You guys rule. I can not thank you all enough for your help.
Could you please post a picture of the clamps?
Edit: i'll look at the youtube video, you don't need to post a pic.
I'll have the time to set the ribber propably tomorrow. I'll let you know how thinks work out.


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## Berlin (Jul 3, 2013)

30Knitter: the pic with all the needles in working position was just to show how the needles meet.


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## ValT (Aug 15, 2012)

Berlin said:


> 30Knitter: the pic with all the needles in working position was just to show how the needles meet.


Hi Berlin

You cannot knit with the needles in the position shown in the pic. They need to be offset (the ribber needles need to go in between the main bed needles). Use your racking handle to shift the ribber needles left or right.

Val


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## Berlin (Jul 3, 2013)

Hi Val,
Yes, i understand. 
I now set the ribber again, and got now 4 clamps on the machine, and i managed to knit k1 p1 rib. Happy me!  
So thanks again, i´ll get back if i have problems again...Hope not. 
Berlin


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## mtnmama67 (Dec 16, 2011)

This MKing ggroup is so helpful..all these tips/hints!!


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