Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Okay, my machine is skipping stitches...leaving long places unstitched, the it picks up and continues on stitching. I decided to take a look at the hook rotation and the needle to make sure it is right. When I look at the needle in the down position I see the eye and about the lenght of the eye above the eye on the needle...does that make sense? I have not done anything to knock it out of time and I know that is the last thing to do. I'm going to clean the bobbin area, hopefully one of you will have a solution. Help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Bummer MB; so sorry do not know enough about that stuff to help ya,,, Do you have your owners manual handy? I think it has some good photos on exactly where the needle should hit the hook. Good luck, girl. I'm sitting home having SO MUCH FUN getting my tax stuff ready ------ so I'd be happy to trade spots with you if you wanna... think about it and let me know, K? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 You poor girl. I thought I had problems Jen and Charles are doing their taxes today too....they are not having much fun. I was going to get Haylee today so they could get through it but they don't have everything....so I get to work on this lovely quilting machine. Want to buy it?? I do have my manual and I am looking at the picture of the needle. I have a feeling I will be taking the hood off to get to the needle bar....I hate doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rita Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 are you using your stitch regulator? it may need tightened up...just a thought! Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 On my millie I can only see a teeny tiny bit above the eye. This is when I use the hand wheel to run the needle all the way down. It is the same way Amy described in the maintenance class at MQS. It sounds like your needle is not up high enough?? Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Also, the first thing my maintenance manual is "change the needle". sometimes they are bad right out of the package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Mary Beth, Before you check under the hood, pull the thread away from where the machine skipped stitches. If you see the needle holes where it tried to make a stitch, then it could be a needle flex/timing issue. But if you do NOT see the needle holes, then it can be an encoder issue. If you see no holes, check that the encoder wheels on both black boxes are tight into the larger wheels. I can send you a file about adjusting them if you haven't done it before. If you end up checking under the hood, it's not really that hard; you can do it! Get a Phillips screwdriver, a magnifying glass, two flat blade screwdrivers, and a new needle and proceed step by step through the timing section of the manual. If you have trouble, call me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Thanks Linnea Marie, Yes, I will change the needle, but I am pretty sure I need to raise that needle bar. I've done it before so I know what I have to do....and I just don't want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Dawn, should I be able to see as much needle at the top of the eye as I described? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Good advice Dawn. I would not have thought of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 No holes...so I will check the encoder wheel. But I am still not liking the needle showing so much when I turn the hand wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Mary Beth, At the factory we set the needle bar so that you only see the entire eye as it enters the bobbin basket, but no more. Occasionally we'll put it a bit lower, especially if someone is trying to use the GB San 11 needles as they are just a smidgeon longer. Did you check that the needle is all the way up into the needle bar before you try to adjust? Sometimes it doesn't quite get all the way in when one changes the needle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I did check that the needle is all the way in. In fact...I lost that blasted screw when I did it. Do I sound like I'm having fun? But I didn't chang the needle, so I will do that and pray that I don't lose this screw....because I will be scr....done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 ;0 Do you need to know how to adjust the encoder wheels, or are you good to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 MB, I need to leave the computer shortly, but if you need help, please call:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 MB I always change my needle over a quilt top; that way if the #$%@ screw falls out it doesn't go ping pong ping on my tile floor. Oh, and git yerself some spare screws; just in case you drop one, or you strip out the threads ..... Me being so far from y'all, I have a nice collection of spare parts (screws, pig tails, gear grease, etc) just in case I need to change something out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I have my only spare screw in there now I will be buying more at MQS! Dawn I think I have been through this encoder thing before, I will give it a try and post if I need help. I don't want to bother you....just check back on me here Thank you Rita, Shana, Linnea Marie, Dawn and Myrna....and anyone I may have missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Mary Beth, with all the fun and help you give us? It was my pleasure! You are most welcome and I hope you are fixed! No.....I didn't mean it like that!!!:o:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Dawn, Please email the directions for the encoder wheels. I can't seem to loosen what I thought I was suppose to loosen. I think if I hold the encoder wheel the other wheel is not suppose to turn...is that right? Because they both move pretty freely. My emial is maryquilts@kc.rr.com Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 I think I have fixed it!!! My DD and DSIL came over and I took my DSIL to the studio to help me get the screws out of the side of the of my machine....I totally hate those screws by the way....I have at least 2 that are stripped. Anyway, he help me adjust the needle bar and we put it back together and TA-DA....it stitches perfeclty....the machine is no longer for sale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Hooray! do you still want the encoder instructions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 I'm going to give it a try for now. I quilted a few feathers and everything seemed fine. So I think I'm good. Thank you so much for your help. If I decide I need the encoder instructions I will post a message. If you don't answer for a while that is okay. I need to clean my studio....again...and if you don't answer for a week I could still be cleaning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Dawn...can you email the encoder instructions to me?? Please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Mary Beth and Kristina, send me your email addresses and I'll get the instructions to you! (mine is dawn@apqs.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquiltit Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 You can get those little screws at a local hardware store. I live in WV and we still have hardware stores that sell individual small parts. Just take the old one with and they will match the threads on the screw and the size. Much cheaper. I also use the M type bobbins and I get them off e-bay I can't justify paying 3.00 each,from a dealer, when i can get them for .30 cents. Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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