jimerickson

Just straighten the eye holding the bearing so it's at a right angle to the shaft, put a drop of oil on it, and you should be ready to go.  Jim

Just straighten the eye holding the bearing so it's at a right angle to the shaft, put a drop of oil on it, and you should be ready to go.  Jim

As I think more about it, I have a question.  Is the quilt top or back a batik fabric?  Due to the usual tight weave, and some of the coloring agents used on this type fabric, stitching can sometimes be a problem.  If you are using batik fabric, got to a larger needle, and use sewer's aid, or some other silicon lube for your needle and thread.  Good luck.  That just might solve your problems.  Jim

Turning you needle will help with skipped stitches, but not with tension issues.  If you're using equal ruler tension in all directions, then I think it's a matter of tension adjustment.  The direction you are sewing affects stitch tension by drag on the  top thread. e.g. more tension in some directions, less tension in others.  With very light tension the direction tension variables become magnified.  My suggestion:  Tighten your bobbin tension to 200 on you TOWA, then tighten your top tension enough to balance your stitches.  With this tighter stitch, the direction tension differences will be a much smaller percent of total tension, and stitch balance will be easier to achieve.  Jim   

No.  What you're experiencing is normal.  As you roll up the quilt on the take-up roller it takes up space in the "harp".  Each pass you make will  shorten your  "stitching field".  Just plan accordingly.  If you're stitching a panto, make sure that it is no deeper than the smallest stitching field will be.  Probably 2 or 2 1/2 inches less.  Good luck.  Jim

Turning you needle will help with skipped stitches, but not with tension issues.  If you're using equal ruler tension in all directions, then I think it's a matter of tension adjustment.  The direction you are sewing affects stitch tension by drag on the  top thread. e.g. more tension in some directions, less tension in others.  With very light tension the direction tension variables become magnified.  My suggestion:  Tighten your bobbin tension to 200 on you TOWA, then tighten your top tension enough to balance your stitches.  With this tighter stitch, the direction tension differences will be a much smaller percent of total tension, and stitch balance will be easier to achieve.  Jim   

LinneaMarie:  Shana's right about the fabric, but I'd like to add that the 80/20 batting you're using isn't the best when it comes to bearding as well.  I prefer to use a poly or more preferably, wool because they don't beard.  I don't use 80/20 much anymore unless the customer wants cotton batting.  Jim

I've never seen one of these before. 
I think you've probably pretty well figured out how to use it.  I might consider using a rod to roll the quilt up on as it's completed and stored in the "tray.  I think the grey tubing that's laying in the front black channel, is probably intended to hold the quilt "sandwich" in place as you quilt.  Get yourself some inexpensive materials, and try it out.  As you work, the function of the various pieces will probably become apparent.  Good luck.  Jim 

The M bobbin holds almost twice the thread that the L bobbin holds.  Jim

When I get loops, it is usually because there is something wrong with the upper tension.  Try tightening and see if the problem goes away.  Jim  PS:  because Tut is cotton, check your bobbin case for hidden lint.

I dislike Moda fabrics for exactly that reason. Rather than being dyed, it appears that the fabric is "painted" and the back side is very light colored.  When you sew on it, some of the threads roll over showing the light color of the "wrong" side.  The "pokies" aren't really the batting showing through but a problem with the under lying fabric.  Jim 

I dislike Moda fabrics for exactly that reason. Rather than being dyed, it appears that the fabric is "painted" and the back side is very light colored.  When you sew on it, some of the threads roll over showing the light color of the "wrong" side.  The "pokies" aren't really the batting showing through but a problem with the under lying fabric.  Jim 

Just a suggestion:  Take all 3 rollers to the welder/fabricator at the same time.  Have him cut off the end without the gear, and then re-weld the shaft caps after the rollers have been shortened.  Tell him you want them to all be shortened exactly the same amount.  After the rollers have been shortened then take to shortening the actual table top.  With the rollers in hand it will be easier to get the top cut to the right length.  No chance of measuring errors, or communications mistakes.  Good luck.  Jim

Sorry, you're right Cagey.  I use Heirloom, buy it by the roll.  The 96" comes in a 30 yd roll, and the 110" comes in a 25 yd roll.  I don't buy the single batts or the small yardage offerings.  Jim 

Deb:  Not really a long arm.  I had a stretched 622.  It was based on Singer 96 industrial machine.  It had a 15 inch throat.  I noticed a while back that the then current 622's were no longer stretched, just 9".  I don't remember what the 633 was.  It wasn't one of KenQuilts real long arms.  KenQuilt went out of business 5 or 6 years ago.  Their "real" longarms were pretty good machines.  I don't understand your question about the location of the needle and foot.  I think they are in the same place you'd expect to find them on almost any other machine.  Jim

Safety pins work fine.  The one benefit they offer is that they don'e accidentally come out.  Use whatever you like.  The point being that you must stabilize the quilt before you roll.  Jim

Bing:  If you think you will quilt professionally, do yourself a favor, and only consider the following manufactures:  A-1 Elite, APQS, Gammill, Innova, Nolting, or Prodigy.  They are industrial quality, and all offer good product support.  As far as repairs go, you probably won't need any.  I don't know too much about the Innova or the Prodigy, but the others are pretty simple and straight forward so most of the service needed you can do yourself.  Jim 

Bing:  If you think you will quilt professionally, do yourself a favor, and only consider the following manufactures:  A-1 Elite, APQS, Gammill, Innova, Nolting, or Prodigy.  They are industrial quality, and all offer good product support.  As far as repairs go, you probably won't need any.  I don't know too much about the Innova or the Prodigy, but the others are pretty simple and straight forward so most of the service needed you can do yourself.  Jim 

Ann:  My Zelda, didn't come with roller breaks originally, but since I built my custom table, I built a set.  They aren't like APQS's, but they work the same way-put pressure on the roller and keep it from turning.  I originally used the non-skid strips you put on your bathtub to keep from slipping, but recently had to replace some, and decided to try Velcro hook.  It failed quickly.  I've gone back to bathtub strips.  They hold better and last longer.  Next time one of your's fails give the tub strip a try.  The adhesive seems to be much stronger.  Jim

Ann:  My Zelda, didn't come with roller breaks originally, but since I built my custom table, I built a set.  They aren't like APQS's, but they work the same way-put pressure on the roller and keep it from turning.  I originally used the non-skid strips you put on your bathtub to keep from slipping, but recently had to replace some, and decided to try Velcro hook.  It failed quickly.  I've gone back to bathtub strips.  They hold better and last longer.  Next time one of your's fails give the tub strip a try.  The adhesive seems to be much stronger.  Jim

For years I've puzzled over sewing machine needles and the vast range of nomenclature to identify them.  It started more than ten years ago, with my wife's Babylock serger, and has been a puzzle for me ever since.  Little by little I'm beginning to unravel this mystery.  Heidi's post of a week or so about Schmetz needles got me going again.
 
I have used Groz-Beckert 134 MR GEBEDUR FFG/SES needles almost exclusively, with an occasional Singer 1955 MR needle thrown in.  They've served me well, but I'm always interested in trying new things with the hope I might find something that I like better.  With that in mind, I just ordered some needles made by Schmetz, and Organ that I think will work in my machine (this is where the mystery comes in)  It is difficult to know exactly what needle works in my machine from the package nomenclature.
 
Here are the package ID's of the needles I use, and the ones I ordered:
 
Singer                  Groz-Beckert  Schmetz*           Schmetz              Organ
1955-01-MR4.0   134 MR           CANU:20:05 1   CANU:20:05 17    135x5
Set/R                   1955MR          134R                 134R SERV 7      DPx5
134    135x5        134 SAN 11     135x5                135x5 SERV7     135x7
797     DPx5        DPx 5 MR        SY 1955             DPx5  SERV 7    134R - 1955
                                                   DPx5
 
The Schmetz needle with the * is the one Heidi is using.  The other is the one listed as the long arm needle on the web site link that was referenced by someone else in that thread.
 
Now I do know what some of the designations mean.  For instance the MR stands for a needle configuration intended for multi-directional sewing.  The 1955 represents a style of needle I think, and is probably duplicated by the R, and Set/R designation.  The DPx5 I think means the same as the 135x5 and the 134 which I believe is the length of the needle, and the position of the eye.  The CANU 20 I think represents the thickness of the needle shank.  I know that the SAN 11 is important, but I don't know exactly what it means.  Perhaps, how large the scarf is.
 
The MR (multi range) needle provides a particular blade configuration and shank that is stiffer than others to proved needle deflection resistance.  The SERV 7 design provides the same sort of benefit as the MR, but in a bit different way.  Both have a larger and deeper thread groove in the front of the needle.
 
Interestingly, the size needle recommended by Superior Threads, deals not with what you're sewing, but rather what thread (mostly size) that you're using.  I notice that they recommended using an 18 or 19 size needle for King Tut, and a 19 or 21 size for Lava.  Perhaps folks who use these threads (I don't), and have problems, have so, because they are trying to use too small a needle.  The size of the groove in the front of the needle being the issue, not the needle eye size, needle diameter, or the fabric being sewed. 
 
I plan to experiment with the three new to me needles on the list, and find out if, and how well, they work.  I'll up date this thread with my impressions and thoughts on each.  Jim
 
BTW, I'm not quite sure about the nomenclature on the second Schmetz, and I'll check it, and make any appropriate corrections when the packs of needles arrive.  Also, anyone who know exactly what any of the designation codes mean, feel free to share your knowledge.

I thought I'd update you all on my experience with my long arm needles.  Since I last reported, I've re-timed my Gammill to run the Schmetz SERV 7 needles.  I can recall breaking only one needle, and it was with the Gammill, and was on a very heavy seam.  Not the kind of deflection break one gets by moving the machine, but simply breaking because it couldn't penetrate the layers of fabric.  I never damage the needle point anymore, and seem to be able to use a needle endlessly without changing it.
The stitch quality has improved on both my machines.  I now have much less directional tension change than I did before.  The stitches when I sew a circle, are almost the same all around the circle.  I almost never encounter missed stitches anymore.
The Schmetz SERV 7 needles have performed so well that they are what I now use.  In fact I've given the sizable stock of Singer and Groz-Beckert MR needles I had to a friend, and don't intend on using them again.   Jim

I thought I'd update you all on my experience with my long arm needles.  Since I last reported, I've re-timed my Gammill to run the Schmetz SERV 7 needles.  I can recall breaking only one needle, and it was with the Gammill, and was on a very heavy seam.  Not the kind of deflection break one gets by moving the machine, but simply breaking because it couldn't penetrate the layers of fabric.  I never damage the needle point anymore, and seem to be able to use a needle endlessly without changing it.
The stitch quality has improved on both my machines.  I now have much less directional tension change than I did before.  The stitches when I sew a circle, are almost the same all around the circle.  I almost never encounter missed stitches anymore.
The Schmetz SERV 7 needles have performed so well that they are what I now use.  In fact I've given the sizable stock of Singer and Groz-Beckert MR needles I had to a friend, and don't intend on using them again.   Jim

C:  If I were buying a new machine it would be an Innova.  That being said, I'd be pretty happy with an APQS, A-1, Gammill, Nolting, or Prodigy.  There are things I like about each, and things I don't like.  I have an APQS Ult 2 ca. 1997, and a 2000 Gammill Classic.  Both were unregulated machines when I got them.  Helen and her husband Tony came to my house and studio in early 2011 and installed Intellistitch regulators on both.  The Intellistich regulator is great, and I'm happy with both.  The only thing I've had to do with them is replace a couple handle switches.
 
You might ask why I say Innova, and there are a few things unique about them that I like.  First the head turns on the Innova, so it can be removed from the table without removing the take-up roller.  I think maybe the Prodigy's head might also turn.  I also like the Lightning digital stitch regulator.  I like the table configuration as well, but I'm not quite so sure about the wheels.  I don't much like the "erector set" look of the table frame but that just cosmetic.  Now I must confess I've only removed the head of my Ult 2 from the table a couple of times, and never on my Gammill, so maybe the turning head feature really isn't a real winner.  I don't know about their service, but I've been told the machines are quite problem free.
 
APQS.  I don't like their horizontal wheel system.  It seems unnecessarily  complicated.  They've improved it somewhat by using linear bearings on the rails in their Bliss system.  But it is expensive.  I like their 4 roller system table.  I don't really like the batting access system (or more precisely lack of).  Their roller configuration accommodates it to some degree.  Also on models other than the Millie, there seems to be little adjustment capabilities on the rollers and rails.  What I DO like is their customer support and service.  It's absolutely great.
 
Gammill:  While their tables are well engineered and robust, the batting access system is a joke.  I don' think it was designed with how we quilt today in mind.  It could be improved, and made simpler by going to a 4 roller system like APQS.  The Gammill is strong and dependable.  I've heard people refer to them as the Mercedes of quilt machines. But I'd classify them more as the Peterbuilts of quilt machines.  
 
The A-1 is a nice machine, maybe the perfect size.  The table is very well built, but like the Gammill it's a 3 roller system which requires more adjustment, and adjustment mechanisms that wouldn't be necessary with a 4 roller system like the APQS, Innova or Prodigy.  Maybe it's the most user considerate table of all the makes.  I don't know much about their service though.  It's probably good, but pretty dependent on their MO headquarter.
 
The Nolting Pros are good machines.  They use Intellistitch regulators on this line, and the I/S is great.  Their tables are well made, but not nearly as refined as the A-1.  I think their service is probably quite good.  They've made pretty much the same machine/table system for quite some time, so they've had a long time to work out any issues, and I think it's pretty sound.
 
The Prodigy is a nice looking machine.  They have a very nice user friendly table.  Nice manual lift system (it can be power if you'd like).  The one thing holding the Prodigy back as far as I'm concerned, is their rigidly sticking to the L bobbin system.
 
I personally wouldn't consider any other manufacturer.  All the machines I've referenced are industrial quality machines built to last decades.  While I don't know first hand about support, I think all is pretty good.  I can't say that for some of the other machines out there.
 
Size is an interesting issue.  It probably has more to do with how and what you quilt than anything else.  I personally wouldn't want a machine that wouldn't sew at least 14 inches front to back.  Seventeen would probably be better.  You have to look at individual machine set ups to see what a machine can actually do.  Some smaller measured machines will actually sew a bigger field than other "larger" machines.  It has to do with the roller configuration and the "harp" shape of the machine.
 
You can feel pretty secure buying a used model of any of these machines.  If there's something wrong with the machine when you get it, it can be repaired and put back into excellent service, but probably there will be nothing wrong to begin with.  These machines don't break.  Pick a price point, and buy with confidence. 
 
This is my personal opinion.  I'm not promoting one machine over any other.  What I've said reflects the experience I've had, how I personally quilt, and my own personal likes and dislikes.  I'd probably be happy with any of them.  Jim

C:  Sharon's comments should be helpful.  I've not had personal experience with either the A-1, or the Nolting.  However, I was a member of Nolting's users group, and everyone there seemed quite happy with their service.  Similarly, one of our Guild members recently (a couple years ago) bought an A-1.  She had a problem with it which they finally solved by replacing the entire head.  She's not the easiest person to deal with, so solving her problem to her satisfaction probably speaks well of their service.  You haven't asked about Gammill, but I do have first hand experience with them.  I replaced the needle bar on my Classic, and one of their service folks walked me through the process over the phone.  I felt the experience was pretty positive.  I think all three (A-1, Nolting, and Gammill) are relatively easy to repair.  They all are industrial machines and require very little repair.  (Except for replacing the needle bar on the Gammill - and that was my choice, I wanted the lighter aluminum one, not an item that had worn out,- it's required no repairs)
 
APQS's service and support is outstanding.  If service ends up being the determining factor, APQS should be your choice.  Jim