RunningThreads

Maybe let people know where you are.

Matt Sparrow posted an inexpensive light system many years ago. I would use led shop light instead of the fluorescent lamps as they are only slightly more money. On the set I made for the Millie I also used a wireless outlet switch and velcroed the remote to the power advance switch box. When I got it to my liking I took the pipe outside and sprayed it flat black to match the table. https://manquilter.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/new-lighting-for-2009-apqs-millennium/ Nigel

Magna Glide? You mean the ones with the magnet? You have the backlash spring removed and the magnet side against the bobbin case right? Nigel

Well if you can get grease in without turning the head upside down you will be my new hero. Try it first and if it works let us know. Just cut the corner on the bag the grease comes in and use it as the piping bag, you won’t need much. Getting the IQ out of the way shouldn’t be too hard. I would remove the motor from the head by removing the two Allen screws shown where I put the q-tips and unplug the grey wire from the motor (it pulls straight up) and unclip the wire from the side of the head. Removing the motor this way means you can put it back on in exactly the same position without having to make adjustments. There is another cable that you should unclip going to the mount for the tablet. On mine it splits into one jack to recharge the tablet and a real small connector to the circuit board. On my picture the green connector is actually two connections and you would only need to remove the one. You IQ is new so it may be way different. Nigel

If you are looking for something to make the rulers grippy you can get adhesive backed sandpaper. Cut a couple of small pieces and stick it to the bottom of the ruler then you don’t have to press down as hard. Nigel

Email her and ask but I thought it might just be cable ties. I think it should be part of the install kit. I have no idea though I don’t have the hydraulic lift. Nigel

Did you see Angela’s set up? The video says to contact her for a vitural demo. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw5V9X3ZTRY Looks like relocating your hydraulic lift is pretty straightforward. Nigel

I did my own install on my Ultimate 1 and I understand the Millie install would be even easier. You can do it if they still let you. Nigel

Mercedes Basically the Stiq if I remember correctly is an option to use your IQ software on your laptop to layout or edit the quilt pattern. It is not needed and I suspect few IQ owners even have it. You can do the same thing on the IQ tablet itself but could be advantageous if you wanted to show a customer your design idea while the IQ is busy working. The IQ tablet is Linux based and does not connect to the internet so no virus worries. Any updates or new patterns you would download them on your PC or Apple machine and put them on a thumb drive and load them to the IQ tablet. You can join the IQ forum for free and make a post telling us where you are and ask if there is someone close willing to demo their system, I know I would. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/IntelliQuilter/conversations/topics There is also a demo site showing how to use the IQ called http://www.iqdemos.com/ and the most recent stuff will be seen first. All the older stuff can still be done but some of it will have new simpler methods as the software has been updated. Lots of IQ members here also so tell us where you are and maybe someone is close. Nigel

Maybe you can loosen the two screws and take off the rest of the mount and take the two pieces to a local welder tomorrow have have them welded together. The paint on the handle will get messed up but you will be back in business until APQS gets you a replacement. Have you tried quilting with your left hand on the left handle and your right on the back of the machine. That’s how I used to do the Circle Lord templates on the Millie. I found it quite uncomfortable trying to hold both handles on the rear. You could probably use masking tape to hold the broken handle to the side of the machine so you can access the start/stop switch. How far are you from Matt Sparrow maybe he would take a handle of one of his machines to get you going. Nigel

You might want to ad a price and contact info. Nigel

I can’t see any holes where the stitches should have been so I agree long stitches. Unplug an reconnect your horizontal encoder assuming the straight line in your second picture is vertical. Is the rubber wheel on the encoder making good contact with whatever it drives off, on our machine it drives off one of the carriage wheels? Is that carriage wheel tight or sloppy loose causing the encoder to lose contact. If that doesn’t locate your problem I think you are calling the factory on Monday for further help. Nigel

Are there needle holes where the stitch is supposed to be if so it is not a Quilt Path problem but if fact skipped stitches. Usually a timing issue and happens when the head moves toward the left and up. First thing would be a new needle as yours may be slightly bent, also set the eye of the new needle at the 6:35 position rather than straight ahead and this sometimes will compensate enough that you don’t have to retime. Stretchy fabrics can also cause this issue and that is why there a special needles with a ball point. If there are no holes where the missing stitches are and you are in stitch regulated mode that tends to be an encoder needing adjustment or malfunctioning. Nigel

Most of my issue the first time I did timing was I had previously taken a sewing machine repair class from Ray White (http://www.whitesewingcenter.com/repairclass.php) and we were taught to get the hook as close to the needle as possible without touching which I did but I got skipped stitches going left and up. On the domestic machine the fabric feed will always push the needle towards the hook whereas the longarm being multidirectional sometimes you are pulling the needle away and the hook misses picking up the bobbin thread. APQS says the hook should kiss the needle and this does stop the skipped stitches but who are you kissing your aunt or your lover. Also on a domestic machine we were taught to use a timing tool or the marks if the machine has them to set the timing first and the needlebar height after. Since APQS uses neither they eyeball the height first and set the timing off that, your sweet spot could be a little different if the machine was set up by someone else. As I said I think you are probably very close to having it right. Timing is the hardest thing you will do maintaining your machine. Nigel

You said it stitched well for a while before the needle hit the hook so my thought was maybe you had some in and out play. So maybe it was needle flex when the collision happened which means the timing is real close. I am thinking the hook probably has to come a hair clockwise to get a little more gap around the thumb. Watch the video again and have another go at the timing. Before you make the screws tight rotate the flywheel by hand and look at the clearance at the thumb and then try setting the timing with the hook at the centre of the scarf instead of the lower quarter and check the clearance again. I think you will see quite a difference with such a slight adjustment. Only file if you need to, the gouges don’t matter it is the high spot around the gouge that may make it tough to position the hook. Personally I usually use a piece of 400 wet/dry sandpaper it works slower than a file. The first time I had to time took about four tries till I got it right. Should be part of your free lesson as just about everyone goes through this at least once. Let us know how you make out. Nigel