Sheagatzi Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 About once a session in the last while I have noticed a little chunk (when I say little - it is like a grain of sand or smaller, and has a few friends of dust particle size) of dust/carbon/charcoal stuff that lands on my quilt top right near where my needle is. If I touch it, it crushes, and it is like a charcoal colour - black but powdery when it gets crushed. It leaves a mark if I touch it, but it comes out of the fabric if I rub it with my white cloth. I blow it away. Any suspicions of where this is coming from? This has occurred several times now in the past few weeks. It may have occurred more often, but lately, I am doing lots of dense and closeup quilting on light fabrics so I am noticing it now. My sessions last about 4-6 hours, and it only appears once or so. But i am curious to where this comes from. Any takers? I want to be sure that there is nothing wrong about to happen to my machine and this may be the warning sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 It sounds similar to flecks of oxidation from the aluminum rails. My M&M wheels will make flakes of black yuck. When rubbed, they become powdery and easily wash or rub off my fingers. How the flecks get near your needle area is something I can't answer. Wipe down the rails with a piece of batting before you start every session and see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankiequilter Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Another thing you could do is hold a dry Q-tip in the groove of the wheels and roll side to side and front to back. This will remove some of the oxidation and black flakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheagatzi Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I am pretty diligent of rubbing my rails and wheels. I find great satisfaction doing it. Wish I had that when I was cleaning my house. LOL Even if it was that (which it likely could be) how does it come up to the top of the quilt? definitely the same kind of texture, but it's like a chunk, not powder. I'll have to take a photo if I catch it next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunningThreads Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Andrea Do you move your ergonomic handles up and down a lot? I wonder if the dust could be coming from them. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheagatzi Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 oh! yes! I do! hmmm.... will check this out. Thanks Nigel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Andrea: I've noticed that my Intellistitch foam grips are beginning to degrade a little, and little bits of the black foam material is flaking off. I think Nigel has hit upon the source of the foreign matter. Just brush it off. When it gets really bad, plan on replacing the grips. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunningThreads Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Jim I was think it might have been dust from the aluminum clamps holding the handle. Never thought about th foam possibly breaking down. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheagatzi Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 So, if this is the source of my bits - should I take my handles off and clean them out? Seems a little odd to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Andrea: Look carefully at a particle and decide if it's metal or foam. I would not take the handles off and try to clean them. I think there are lots of wires in there, and I wouldn't chance disturbing something. If it turns out to be the foam from the grips, just brush it off and don't worry about it. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 It's very easy to remove the handles. Unplug the two connectors (a small one and a larger one) that lie above the left handle--the white parts come apart in the middle. Unscrew the four black plastic-covered screws that face out and lift off the plate. The handles will come off easily. Wipe out any black oily stuff from the base plate, the handles, and the cover plate. Check the little black rubber gasket where the connectors enter the machine for deterioration. The aluminum parts oxidize like the rails, but the grains are suspended in the lubricant behind the plates. If you want, apply some Vaseline or liquid silicone where the parts rub--or there may be enough residual oily stuff that you won't need any. Put it back together and plug in the two connectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheagatzi Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Jim - I'm pretty sure it's not my handles - my machine is still pretty new. I'm still not convinced the bits are coming from my handles, but I have another white custom on the frame today, so I will keep an evil eye out for any suspicious matter. ;-) Linda - thanks for the details on cleaning the handles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitepinesquilter Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 Granted, my machine is very much older than yours, but I had this occurring and, in my case, it was from a little black rubber bushing or cover or something inside the left cover. I believe it was at the bottom of the hopping foot arm or rocker arm or something. Apqs sent me a replacement to install. Maybe its something like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing bear Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 andrea, I have sent you a PM. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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