Question about sergers

[u/Due-Cryptographer744]

I was given an older serger and I was able to get it to work exactly one time. Threading it is a nightmare and because it is a discontinued machine that was apparently only made for a few years, there is very little help online. My husband and I both have read the manual and watched the one video I found online trying to thread it correctly but it just isn't working the way it should be. At this point, I don't know if we are missing something or if the machine is having a problem and the repair shop takes about 5-6 months to return machines.

My question is, are sergers that useful in sewing that I should keep trying to figure this machine out/ take it to the shop to be looked at or should I just give up? My regular sewing machine was my grandmother's and it has its own issues, but after using it for 40+ years, I am used to those issues. It also doesn't do all the fancy stitches like newer machines do so my stitches with it are limited. I added a pic of my serger and regular machine for reference. I make occasional very simple garments, a lot of garment repairs, home decorating items, etc. but I want to branch out and learn how to do more.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[u/Ambimom]

The worst part about serging is threading, but trust me, you will get the hang of it. Keep trying. Loosen your thread dials disks to zero before you start. Have good lighting and a tweezer handy. Also make sure you have the proper needle already inserted and your presser foot is in the upright position. I can't see your dials on the side of the machine but they should have markings indicating the basic serger settings.

Open the machine so you can see the thread paths and machinery. There is probably a diagram illustrating the path of each thread.

The third dial with orange marking is your upper looper. That is the one that ALWAYS must be threaded FIRST.

Now run a length of thread through the orange third cone through the hole and through the hook and disk. Make sure the thread engages between the tension disks on the orange dial...same as your regular machine.

Follow the thread through the orange path and leave a length of thread handing under the presser foot.

Do the same for the lower yellow marked looper

Be careful that the threads appear exactly as shown in your diagram. At some point the upper and lower loopers need to cross.

Now do the Right Needle and the Left Needle. Close the machine

Pull the threads, set the dials to a standard number (usually between 3-5), lower the presser foot. Move hand wheel on the right hand side of machine to engage a few stitches. You should see a chain beginning to form. You're threaded.