Quilting Heidi Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Sally, I don't know how quickly I'd be able to get another video done and uploaded! LOL didn't take me long to tape but boy did it take a long time to get posted. I had a horrible time and had about given up. Right now I'm really behind and won't have spare time for at least 3 or 4 weeks, if then. If I get time I'll load something with the shorter arm and show you but basically it would be the same as it is when I advance with the longer arm, only you would have to move the topper more often! I think if I remember correctly I could only get 2 of the BF's done before I had to move it forward. Everything else should be exactly the same. Heidi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Ok Heidi, I just ordered my Topper. Inquiring minds want to know - how did your hubby or friend make the extended arm? I have a Civil Engineer for a hubby but heck, I'm the one who has to do the t.v. controllers - he won't have a clue how to make a longer arm. I enjoyed your utube videos!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nineva Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Well now Heidi. Great video. I watched both. Actually, when the first one ends, the second one pops up and you just click on it. I am going to have to get that baptist fan board out and try it. Thank you for making it look so easy. I join the rest though, I want the longer arm. Kind of like trying to get three rows in on the CQ without having to roll the quilt. Hahaha:D:D:D:D:D Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Laura - congrats on your purchase! My engineer took a piece of square tubing as his base. The choice was it was free (scraps) and it was sturdy. He first cut it at an angle to leave the bottom and parts of the sides. He welded that onto a bracket he cut to attach to the head. He used the arm that come with the topper as his model. Then he added the stylus holder to the end. He drilled the holes into what was left of the square tubing to make it lighter. I really like it though because I can see through it! That is about all I can tell you about how it was constructed. Nancy - good to see you on. I'm so glad you like the videos. I think you should all convince Denny to make a longer arm! I'd even send him mine if he wanted to get exact measurements! It is a great tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Heidi, My Huge Apologies... I hadn't seen this before, or, if I had, I sure don't remembrer. You two did a wonderful job, and you explaiin it so clearly... makes it a lot easier than the way we tried to do it. Roland made a longer arm for my Topper and it's just as solid and accurate as I need it to be. Thanks again Heidi and Mark, so VERY sorry I didn't see or comment on this. I think I'm starting to wake up a bit. Have been awake for 3 hours now. somewhat of a record for the last month or so. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Rita dear you have nothing to apologize for! You have a had way more important things to deal with!!!! I'm glad I was finally able to get it uploaded for you. When we started the 1st one we were just doing a test but then we watched it and I called it good enough! I'm keeping it in my video library too so that when I forget how to do it I have a great reference! I'm still amazed that Mark could hold that camera so still for 10 minutes! Good thing I was the machine operator and not the camera operator because I probably would have given you whip lash! I love that it helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Thanks Heidi, Is there a way you can take a pix of the whole arm as it's attached to the head so my hubby can get a good idea as to how your wonderful hubby did it? I might even ask the metal shop teacher where I work to make me one if I can get a good bead on how it looks. Thanks for the utubes - it was another reason I purchased my Topper. You sold me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Heidi - your videos are great. A couple of questions. 1. Your extended arm is different than mine and looks much more stable as well as longer. Reading all the posts, I see that you had it made. Is your friend willing to make more - for a charge of course? 2. You have attached the template board on top of another board. How did you attach the lower board to the topper. Whatever you have done - it all looks very stable. thanks, Meg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Meg, The engineer that made my arm isn't able to make more. I asked him but he has a lot on his plate and actually just took a new job so he will be leaving here :mad:! LOL I think of him as an adopted son. He is about 5 years older than my son and they share a birthday! The arm is in fact very stable and I'm so thankful to have the For the board I just used a thin piece of plywood. I want a jig made for it but it is on the list of things I gave my engineer and he hasn't gotten done. I just clamped it to the topper with wood clamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Laura, I'll try to get some good pictures and dimentions for you. I'll shoot for tonight but no promises! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Heidi, anything you can do to make it clearer for the metal shop teacher (I'm going that route) will help super, super much. If anyone else is interested in getting one, if the one I get works - email me and I'll see if the teacher wants to make a few up. Only for APQS machines though. No clue how much $ it will cost. laura@beadecked.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Ok girls here you go. I've loaded lots of detailed pictures of my longer arm. You should be able to get measurements and all. I love my cutting mat! Hope you get a great arm. http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/570592358jfeQdF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 BK BK BK BK! (Blowing Kisses) I'm going show this to the metal shop teacher and see if he can make me one. Is yours steel or aluminum? Thank you for doing this Heidi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Laura, I'm so glad you told me what BK is, LOL you don't even want to know what was going through my mind! LOL Mine is made out of aluminum. It is cheap and light. I'm sure he'll so something great for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Thanks, also Heidi. This is great info and your pictures are perfect!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Meg, Now that really made me laugh! I never take perfect pictures! I'm glad they were helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Now Heidi, - I didn't say there were artistic ........ just perfect. I take horrible pictures!!!! When I starting this quilting, I didn't know I would also have to figure out how to take pictures that show the quilting - all this side light & stuff .... LOL cuz I am a slow learner!! Yours were just perfect because they gave all the info and are easy to see!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nineva Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Ok Laura, if the shop teacher decides to do this and really wants to make more than one, please send me an email or U2U so i can order if the price is right. I would LOVE not having to move the board so much and I don't have a handy kind of guy to make me one!!! Nancy:):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 i have the topper for my machine as well and would love to be able to extend the arm to do the long boards from the front of the machine. I am going to show the pictures to my son and see if he knows anyone at his shop who could do something like this. problem being he will be out of his shop for at least 3 months, as they are sending him to LA to do a job. Would probably have to wait till he got back, so if anyone figures it out before then I too would be interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I talked to the metal shop teacher today. As soon as I get my Topper and the Stylus part - I'm going to show him what I need. I was in the classroom today because he was nominated by a class of his kids as teacher of the month at our local Radio station and he won! I was looking at some of his lightweight/sturdy metals and I'm hoping he can work something up. I've saved this in my favorites and if/when he can work something up and I try it and it works - I'll be letting ya'll know. Heidi, see what you've started with your You Tubes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Laura, I think Linda and Denny deserve the credit! The Topper is a great product that isn't over-priced and gives us options from the front! I need to invest in some more boards now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I agree Heidi. I love working from the front so I look forward to getting the Topper and doing some things that I can't do so well - like really nice circles and spirals and more. I was thinking about looking into a computer system but alas, no $$ for something like that. So.......the Topper, rulers, stencils and please quilting fairies - a bit of ability down the road to do nice free motion and pretty feathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Laura - keep me in mind also - I really like the arm Heidi has had made - it is great that it is longer, but also looks more stable than the one that comes with the Topper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Meg, The Topper Arm is made from Stainless Steel and mine is aluminum. My Topper arm is just as stable as the one I had made, however you do have more visibility with my arm because of the design which was cut that way just to lighten it up! It was a nice perk though. As far as how it holds the stylus I think it is just as stable. I really didn't have any problem with my stylus wiggling with the original topper arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb2bie Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Those board should be flying off the shelves now. Everyone will want it!!!Those instructions are awesome!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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