lnieland Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 I was stitching along (putting zippers on my leaders) in SR mode when suddenly the needle stuck in the down position. It was almost as if it hit something, but there was nothing for it to hit (it wasn't near the teeth of the zipper). Neither the yellow or blue button on the right handle would work, but I finally was able to bring it back up by turning the flywheel. After that, when I was in SR mode and pressed the blue button on the right handle, basically nothing happened. I can hear the chirp of the SR, but if the machine stitches at all, the stitches are very erratic. If I try to use it in manual mode, the speed is erratic, and I can hear a sound of metal grating on metal, particularly when I first press the blue button. It doesn't sound as if it's coming from the bobbin area; rather, it's coming from the front of the machine. The top wicks were a little dry (but not completely), so I did add oil, but that hasn't made any difference. The same thing happens whether I use the front or back handles. It appears the timing is okay. I even checked the fuse and motor brushes just in case something had gone haywire there, but they were fine. Any suggestions? I'll call Amy on Monday, but if anyone has any thoughts about what I might have done, I'd appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne from Guam Posted September 8, 2012 Report Share Posted September 8, 2012 Sorry to hear about your sick Millie! Maybe Dawn will check the forum before Monday. A couple of times my needle was stuck in the down position. I quickly turned off the machine and raised the needle by turning the flywheel. Then I found a stray thread in the bobbin area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 This may sound silly, but did you change the needle, it may be bent just enough to rub where it shouldn't while stitching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Another thought. If you did change needle, did you insert it backwards? Ask me how I know it can act just like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingjoyful51 Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Try making sure all your wire connection are tight. Just push the connections together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnieland Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Thanks for the thoughts. The needle is a new one and it's positioned correctly. I can't find any loose connections, so I don't think that's it. I did find that when I raise and lower the needle by using the flywheel, that seems to work fine - no grating sound. It's only when I turn the machine on. First, I get just a humming sound, like it wants to do something, but can't. The needle was slowly going up and down (very slowly) by itself, and pushing the needle up/down button had no effect at all. Pushing the blue button on the right handle made the humming stop, but it wouldn't stitch in manual mode. I turned on the SR, pressed the blue button on the right, and it ran, but every time I started to move the machine one direction or the other, I heard that grating sound again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Does the gear box need to be repacked? The grating may be from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Does it run in manual mode if it does check your encoders. Put another new needle in just to be sure its not tweeked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnieland Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Originally posted by shirleyl Does it run in manual mode if it does check your encoders. Put another new needle in just to be sure its not tweeked. Most of the time, it doesn't run in manual mode. Once in a great while, it will, but it isn't a steady speed - there's not a significant difference, but sometimes it's slower and then it'll speed up a little. I checked the encoders - the wheels are where they should be and the connection is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 OK I am going to ask the question I always ask.... is your bobbin assembly area clean? When was the last time you cleaned this area with WD40 and oiled it? How often do you take the needle bar cover off and give the entire area down below a good cleaning? Sometimes issues occur when the bobbin assembly is full of fuzz, lots of oil buildup on the moving parts, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnieland Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Originally posted by quiltmonkey OK I am going to ask the question I always ask.... is your bobbin assembly area clean? When was the last time you cleaned this area with WD40 and oiled it? How often do you take the needle bar cover off and give the entire area down below a good cleaning? Sometimes issues occur when the bobbin assembly is full of fuzz, lots of oil buildup on the moving parts, etc. Good question, Shana. I do clean and oil the bobbin assembly area regularly, but maybe something lodged down there when the machine stopped yesterday. I'll check it again this afternoon (unfortunately, I have to clean house before I can spend any time with Milli!). I keep thinking it couldn't/shouldn't be a bobbin assembly problem, as the sound comes from the front of the head of the machine, and I don't hear it when I manually raise and lower the needle with the flywheel, but who knows? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Have you opened the flywheel cover to see if any stray thread has wrapped around moving parts? How old is your Milli ? There is one part inside that area that needs to be manually lubed every once in a while where the "bow tie" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnieland Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 She's a 2006. No thread is caught, but I didn't know about the part that has to be manually lubed. I'll have to check that out - if I can figure out where the "bow tie" is! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnieland Posted September 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 No luck - I tried a new needle, took off the left side cover and inspected everything in there, turned it on. When I pressed the blue button on the right side - there was a brief hum and then nothing. Pressed it again. Same thing. After about five times, the needle started to slowly move up and down. The yellow needle up/down button would do nothing. Turned on the SR. Pressed the right-hand blue button and the grinding/grating sound was still there any time I moved the machine whether it was side to side or front to back. Suddenly it stopped - but now I have a totally different sound when I move it. It's a good sound - it sounds like the machine does when it's happily stitching away. BUT, it isn't stitching - there's no movement from the needle bar or anything inside the front of the machine. It's getting mysteriouser and mysteriouser! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srichardson Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Not that I know anything, but is it possible that the needle positioning screw (#8) needs some adjustment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 I think I would call Amy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janice Posted September 9, 2012 Report Share Posted September 9, 2012 Let us know what you find out. Very interesting.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnieland Posted September 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2012 I just got off the phone with Amy - she has come through again! She had me get open the back cover. There's a belt with two pulleys - the lower one has set screws, and they had become loose. "We" tightened then, plugged everything back in, turned on the machine, and I'm back in business! I know I said thank you to Amy when I was on the phone with her, but that seems insufficient. This is only the second time I've needed assistance from APQS, and both times I was amazed at how easily the problem was actually solved. Kudos and a million thanks to Amy and Dawn for all they do for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 So glad you're up and running again. Dawn and Amy are awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o2b Quilting Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachside Quilter Posted September 11, 2012 Report Share Posted September 11, 2012 Awesome!!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziesgirl Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Thanks for posting the cure too, it's nice to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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