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Which Size Bobbin to Get


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Hi Everyone,

I am looking at the Millenium and would like to know what else to order for her. I do want to get the Bliss, but which size bobbins are you liking now? I see that you have a choice. Anything else I should think about before the order?

Thanks,

Sandy

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Hi Sandy and welcome!

The M bobbins are a new offering and most of us here on the forum have the original L size.

While the M bobbins hold a lot more thread, they are the reason that the number one problem with Gammill users is the bobbin tension needing to be adjusted as the bobbin empties.

It's your call.

I imagine since you're new you haven't had time or practice to decide which type of quilting will make your heart sing. If you will be doing pantos, overalls, or pattern boards, the larger bobbin will make sense. If you want to do custom where thread color changes are prevalent, the L bobbins will give you more consistent tension. That helps both when you change bobbin color to match the top thread and also when you use the same bobbin throughout and need consistent tension so the back looks as good as the front.

I know--I'm no help! <_<

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personally, i don't see any reason for a larger bobbin.

even if i am doing an allover, which is mostly what i do, i am ready for a little break by the time my "L" bobbin runs out, anyway.

it makes me change position, relax my neck, shake my arms and stretch out a bit.

i think if i was going longer, i would tense up more and ultimately have to take longer breaks to reset myself.

some say that they experience tension issues when they change bobbins.

if i have my tension set well at the start, i rarely have a problem when changing bobbins or when stitching.

and if i do, it is usually lint related.

i think i might have more lint related problems if i wasn't blowing out the bobbin so often???

JMHO. i am, by no means, an expert. :huh:

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Hey Sandy, WElcome to the forum.

APQS offers both the 'L' (smart bobbin) and 'M' (big bobbin). I have spent a considerable amount of time testing both bobbins with various threads, stitching both large all over designs and small intricate quilting. APQS stands by the physics of inertia which clearly states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. The larger/heavier the bobbin, the longer it takes to stop and start. For nearly 30yrs, the 'L' (smart bobbin) has had by far the best stitch quality of any machine on the market. Still, our 'M' (big bobbin) has the best stitch quality of any M bobbin on the market because of how our machines are engineered around the smart bobbin. With our M bobbin being so much closer to the needle plate than all of our competition, the thread has less distance to travel when forming a stitch. That being said, I did not notice any difference in any of my testing between the L or the M bobbins other than a louder bobbin sound as the machine is running. I would be happy with either option.

If I was making this decision, I would ask myself two questions.

1. Am I going to be using cotton thread for the majority of my quilting?

2. Am I going to use specialty threads?

If the answer to these questions is yes, then I would choose the 'L' (smart) bobbin. Lint is your worst enemy and cotton thread falls apart as you use it. The smaller bobbin gives you the opportunity to change your bobbin more often at which time you can clear out any lint build-up.

I personally use nothing but Glide polyester thread and pre-wound magnetic bobbins so I would be very confident ordering the 'M' (big bobbin).

Let me reassure you that even if you change your mind months or years down the road, switching out your M bobbin to an L or vice versa is reasonably easy to do and only costs $250 for the new hook assembly.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have.

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Thank you all for the very good explanations. Ok, I followed advice and went with the small one. Put my deposit down today at the Road Show in VA on a Millenium!! I feel I am so lucky to have Myrna only 45 mins away and she will be my dealer/trainer. Now her work will begin ;-) mine too.

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I just set up my new Freedom this weekend with the M bobbin. I hope I won't be sorry! I did get a bunch of samples of the pre- wound magnetic bobbins and some Glide thread so I will try those. I have been practicing with some bobbins I wound and my stitch quality does look great. I am used to checking for lint after every row anyway so I will continue that practice.

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  • 4 months later...

Hi Everyone,

I am looking at the Millenium and would like to know what else to order for her. I do want to get the Bliss, but which size bobbins are you liking now? I see that you have a choice. Anything else I should think about before the order?

Thanks,

Sandy

Sandy,

 

Can we get some feedback from you on your M size bobbin?

 

Thanks

 

BobbieSue

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I just set up my new Freedom this weekend with the M bobbin. I hope I won't be sorry! I did get a bunch of samples of the pre- wound magnetic bobbins and some Glide thread so I will try those. I have been practicing with some bobbins I wound and my stitch quality does look great. I am used to checking for lint after every row anyway so I will continue that practice.

Did you previously have a machine with an L size bobbin?

 

Are you still happy with the tension and stitch quality with the M size bobbin?

 

Thanks,

 

Bobbiesue

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The only thing I struggled with when ordering my new machine was the bobbin size.  I placed the order with the larger M size and almost immediately changed my mind and went back to the smaller Smart bobbin.  I've been using the L size on the APQS machines since 2001 on three different machines and have never ever had one moment's problem with tension (or anything for that matter) and I also don't mind changing bobbins so I stuck with what I had used and had such good luck with.

 

Who would think that the bobbin size would have caused me so much back and forth and emailing and calling to get that order changed!

 

Now I sit back and wait for the new Milie to arrive!

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I don't have an APQS but do have an M bobbin. I love the extra thread on the M bobbin. I wind all of my own and use a TOWA with every bobbin. A few big name machines have an M bobbin: A-1 and Innova's do, along with the already mentioned Gammill. I'm glad to see APQS has one now, too. If it only costs $250 to change it an L if you are unhappy with the M, why not go with the M to start if you are comfortable possibly spending $250 more down the road?

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  • 7 months later...

I see most of this topic dates back to 2012. I just ordered my Millie and need to make a firm decision on which bobbin to order.

Has anyone changed their opinion or have an opinion on the Bobbin choices?

I have used a Gammill with the M bobbin, it was an older machine with tension issues. Now I wonder if the tension was due to the machine or the bobbin.

I would appreciate any advice.

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I have the L bobbin, but one of my customers purchased a new machine with the M bobbin.  I spent a lot of time on her machine, and to tell you the truth, I didn't find any difference other than the machine seems a little louder than mine.  We didn't have any tension problems at all.  Love the new digital face!

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I got an L but I really don't have enough experience to judge. I only do this for myself and felt that my need for bigger capacity was nonexistent and the time tested performance of the L was where I was going to rest my decision. Matt's discussion regarding the physics of bobbins and lint control also carried some weight as it made intrinsic sense. However I will say that those who have purchased the M seem to have no real complaints regarding function so...if capacity is important to you (about twice as much for an M from what I have read) and $250 down the line should you be dissatisfied not a huge problem...consider the M!

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jlrhash:  If you're replacing a Gammill, go with the M bobbin.  You wouldn't believe how little thread the L's hold.  I have an M, and when I switch form my choice bobbin thread, Bottom Line to a Tex 40 thread, it irritates me how quickly the bobbin thread is used up.  I can't immagine using the L bobbin with Tex 40 thread.  I'd feel like I'd be spending all my time changing the bobbin.  Jim

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