miss jacque Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Hi purchased my machine (discovery) and it came with the lenni table. it is the two piece table. Could this cause the machine to feel as though it wants to take off in a different direction than what i am going? I have used a Ken Quilt mid arm for 5 years and had no problems but this is like starting over. It is me or anyone have any advice? Thanks Jacque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judysmith Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Hi Jacque I have a Lenni with the two piece table. I love the machine, it stitches beautifully and the stitch regulator is absolutely fabulous. I've now done 8 quilts on it and it is still purring away beautifully. My biggest frustration is that the machine does not move like I think it should. To me the weak point is the table and the wheels. I have edgerider wheels on order, which I'm hoping will eliminate a lot of the play that exists now. Like you the machine wants to go in another direction too often for my liking. It's like the wheels get stuck in a groove and you just can't change direction smoothly. On the positive side, I do not regret buying this machine. The problems with the table and wheels have actually had a positive effect in that I've had to get to know my machine. I'd contact Amy at headquarters. I found her helpful and I know she will try to sort out your problems. Happy quilting, Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Let us know how the edgerider wheels work out for you. I will be interested to know. I also have a Lenni and am not sure if it is the wheels or me in that it doesn't necessarily go where I want it to go all the time. Alot of it I think is just practice. I did not know that the edgerider wheels were adaptable to the Lenni tables. It may be something I will look into if my learning curve and a whole lot of practice does not change my accuracy. thanks for the info. Jeanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltermidwife Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 I have had the edgerider wheels on my lenni (two piece table) for about 6mths, mine was the first Lenni to have them. The difference it made was amazing. I would certainly recommend them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 My Lenni has the one piece table not the two piece, does this make a difference in the edgerider wheels working on this table? I did not see the Lenni listed on the edgerider website as one of the APQS machines that they were available for. Unless they just didnt update the page that I was looking for. any more info anyone may have would be greatly appreciated. Jeanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judysmith Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 The Lenni wheels have not yet made it to their machine list. Barma emailed me a little while back to say that it would be around Christmas. The good news for quilters in Australia, is that Creative Quilting in WA have become Edgerider reps and are getting a stock of wheels in shortly. I don't have any affiliations with them - just found their new site this week. Happy quilting, Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss jacque Posted November 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Wow Sorry you all have what seems to be the same issue, I do at least know it is not me. I practice everyday as I already have an established business and need to get back on track with my customers. I am afraid to do a customer quilt because I hate to mess up. I will definiatly call amy tomorrow and see what she has to say. Thanks to all jacque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judysmith Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Jacque One thing you might like to check is the aluminium carriage. I've noticed that the weight of the machine causes the aluminium to flex. When you pull the machine towards you as far as it will go, just let the machine go and see if it will roll back into the centre of the table. Try the same thing at the back. If it does roll into the centre, get down on your knees and have a look at the carriage to see if it is bowing in the middle. Don't stress out too much - I'm sure you'll be up and running soon. Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 I am confused.. Doesn't the Discovery have horizontal wheels? And doesn't the Lenni table accomodate vertical wheels only? Did I miss a memo? 'Splain, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 that is what I thought too Linda. I don't see how that would work, but who knows. What about this new Glide thing for the Milleniums for intricate quilting. Is there a plan to implement the technologies for the rest of the machines? I don't have any trouble with control on larger things but when it gets down to the very fine stuff the jerkyness of the SR makes it hard to be very precise. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss jacque Posted November 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 When I bought the discovery I too thought it had horizontal wheels but mine came with vertical wheels that ride on the rim of the carriage. The carriage rides on the white plastic guide that in on the two piece table. It was weird because I got instruction for the one piece table and had to have them send me instructions for the lenni table. I had DH re-check EVERTHING. everything is as close to being perfectly level as possible. While doing a panto I will be following the line perfectly thin the machine will just jerk and go off the lines I correct and quilt a bit and it does the same thing. Thanks Jacque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 If you bought this new from APQS, I would yell bloody murder. and ask for the right table for your machine.. No wonder you are having handling issues.. you should have horizontal wheels on the Discovery,( I AM WRONG, the Discovery DID HAVE VERTICAL WHEELS) but NOT the two piece table.. Call Heidi or Amy, or Christy and find out what''s going on and what can be done.. it would be well worth it. If all else fails ask for Mark or Bob and don''t be put off about it. Good luck, please let us know what happens or what you find out. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Originally posted by miss jacque While doing a panto I will be following the line perfectly thin the machine will just jerk and go off the lines I correct and quilt a bit and it does the same thing. Thanks Jacque One thing to consider on this "jerking" motion is the peicing and the hopping foot. The hopping foot an the APQS machines is set fairly low and if the seams have bulk and depending too on the batting, this can cause the machine to get "thrown" off line or feel like it is jerking. You may need to raise the hopping foot if this is causing the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Jacque, I'm curious about where you bought your machine. Was it from APQS or maybe on E-Bay? Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss jacque Posted November 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 I bought the machine used from APQS. I was told It is a few years old, and was traded back for stitch regulated Lenni. It was re- certified. When I talked to the person who sold it to me I was told It looked exactly like the one on the web page. I was concerned about down grading from a 12 ft. table but went with the 10 ft. because that was what I was offered. I was expecting a one piece table as I have a dedicated place and do not plan on moving my machine. I am not sure if the machine sounds like it is suppose to, drives like it is supposed to or anything. I am just going on blind faith. Today I noticed that when the machine is pulled all the way back just the weight of my hands causes it to tip, it actually tips and the front raises off the track a tiny tiny bit, but it does come off the track, or when it it pulled all the back, if I barely push down on the back of the machine it will tip a lot. Is this normal? The machine actually quilts beautifully, it is a little loud and tends to sound rattlely, Normal? Does anyone know where there is dealer in Colo. close to Pueblo? I would like to go look at one one and compare. All I have to compare it to is the Ken Quilt that I used for 5 years. The KQ was actually much quieter and much easier to guide. Of course it did not have the needle positioner, the laser or the HUGE throat. Any way all of you have been so great I really appreciat it. I am sure hoping this was not an expensive mistake. I still need to call APQS but have been busy the last few days. thanks again jacque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenni Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 By any remote chance does the jerky problem occur when you are at the bottom of a panto? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeoldeforest Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Hi Miss Jacque, Yes, our Lenni (which has the vertical wheels) is very sensitive to "tipping" off the track if I push on the front or back of the machine. I have assumed this is normal because the machine/head is so light. I love the fact that the head is light - I just have to remember not to pull down on the handles. I guess being loud and/or rattlely may be relative. Our Lenni does make noise when it's stitching - of course it's an industrial machine so this makes sense. You may want to see if someone has a discovery that's the same age as yours - give them a call, ask them to turn on the machine and stitch a few rows - to see if it sounds like yours. I'm not sure how similar the current Lenni's are to the older Discovery's but you are welcome to call Kelley. He can put his phone up to our machine and you can hear if it sounds similar. Send me an email at joanne@yeoldeforest.com and I can mail his cell phone number to you. He will be at the shoppe around 1:00 pm EST today. To find a dealer close by you, go to http://www.apqs.com/dealers.php?country=us - looks like there are 4 dealers in Colorado. Not sure what to tell you about the table - that would be between you and the person who sold it to you. I completely understand wanting to know if your machine is "behaving the way it should". When we first received our machine, we did buy sight unseen and it was very difficult for us to tell if it was "user error" or the system. Most of the time we found it to be a "newby" issue on our part and would come to this site for education! However, if you have a limited warranty - do take the time to figure out if it's the system or a "newby" issue so you can take full advantage of the warranty - that's why we have a warranty on certified used machines! Sounds like you are identifying issues and resolving them one by one so that's a good thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Hi Jacque, I know it is frustrating when you've got quilts to get done, and things aren't going the way you expect them to! As I read this thread, it sounds like you have a couple of concerns about your new quilting system. Here are a couple more thoughts as we diagnose what's going on with your new machine: [*] While we could blame the quilting machine having "a mind of its own" on Halloween, I'd lay money on the full moon happening today! Seriously, though, the machine won't just wander off on its own accord. If the machine tends to wander, the mechanisms it operates on may not be aligned properly, including the frame, wheels, and carriage. The foot height as Katydids suggests, can also cause the "jerk". [*] Start fresh, and begin with the table itself. The two-piece table is joined in the center with aligning bolts to make sure the two halves seat together properly. Make sure those bolts are tight. [*] Check level again, measuring in several places along the table's length and width. [*] Stand on one end of the table frame and crouch down so that you can look all the way to the other end along one of the long sides. You should not see any "hill" or "valley" in the center of the table. The long edges should look perfectly straight. [*] Check the white plastic strip to make sure it is firmly seated in the tray lips. Use a rolling pin along the surface to help press the strip all the way down into the lips, or tap them down with a rubber mallet or a wood block. Next, run your hand along the strips and check for any rough or thick spots. If necessary, use a fine grit sandpaper and knock off the rough edge. Finally, measure from "lip to lip" to make sure they are parallel in the table tops and not distorted from insertion. [*]If the table seems right, move on to the carriage and make sure it is square as well. Check the grooves on the carriage for debris or nicks that could affect the machine's movement. Jacque, this is all a process of elimination. Next I'd remove the sewing head from the table, and move the carriage across the frame from one end to the other. Check for resistance or rubbing, then pay attention to the white strip in that area and check it as described above. Then stand on one end of the table and shove the carriage to the other end (let go of it) to see if it glides easily. If it binds and stops anywhere along the track, again make adjustments to the white strip. (Be sure you have also checked the carriage wheels for debris, that the bolts are tight, the axles parallel, etc.) [*] If the carriage floats across the table, then it's on to the sewing head. Start with the wheel axles. Do they feel firmly inserted in the head? Look at the wheels. Do they each rotate freely if you spin them? If spacers were added between the axle and the wheels, are the same number/thicknesses placed between the wheels on each side? (Theoretically you can have two washers on each of the left side wheels, and one washer on the right side wheels. All four don't need the same number of washers, but the wheels on the same side of the head should have the same number of spacers.) Place the head back on the carriage, insert the leveler and pick up rollers, and then move the machine forward and back to check for smoothness. [*] Now check the hopping foot height. When the needle is as far down as it can go, you should be able to slide a folded business card under the foot. If it is touching the plate, it will create drag and bind as you go over seams. [*] Jacque, now try quilting your pantograph pattern again. DON'T put fabric or thread in the machine yet. Try following the panto with an "empty" machine, but run the motor as if you are really quilting. Does the machine still tend to wander? Slap a piece of painter's tape to the panto where you notice any change, and re-check the table in that spot. [*] Finally, put fabric and thread back in and do another test. If you still have wandering trouble but didn't when you had no fabric in the machine, check that you aren't pulling the fabric too taut. This causes the quilt to cup under the foot and create drag. Re-check the foot height as well. Whew! That's a lot to think about. I will end by echoing Joanne's comments regarding tipping and machine noise. The Discovery is much lighter than even most mid-arm machines on the market. After five years of pushing around a heavier machine, it will take some getting used to. It's like moving from a push mower to a self-propelled--for a while you feel like the machine is running you all over the place:)! In the interim, try an age-old trick of laying a bag of rice on top of the machine to add a little weight to the head. This extra resistance (weight) will make the machine feel a little more like your heavier mid-arm until you grow accustomed to the new lighter weight. It's also normal (especially with heavier machines) to lean on the handles as muscles get fatigued, simply to quilt longer. With lighter weight machines, one doesn't need to "rest" muscles as much, but it's hard to break the habit of leaning right away. Make sure the table is at the right height for you (we recommend that you start with the quilt backing roller about at your belly button for Millenniums and Freedoms, and about 3 inches higher than that for Discoveries, Lennis, and Liberties.) If after all this things still don't seem like they should, please call us and we'll figure it out together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 WOW, Dawn that is alot of good information. I did not know that the height of a Lenni should be 3 inches higher than the height of the Millenium. Could you explain why that would be so. I may have mine way too low as I have the Lenni and adjusted the backing roller to my belly button. Jeanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Hi Jeanne, The Lenni, Liberty, and Discovery have a shorter distance between the needle plate and the underside of the machine (3-1/2" on Lenni vs. 5-1/2 or Lucey, for example). For many quilters, this shorter opening causes them to scrunch down to see where they're going, especially when moving the machine away from them toward the back of the table. The machine should be tall enough so that you can stand erect and still see clearly as you move the machine away, without crouching. If that height makes the vertical handles seem too high, simply slide your hands down on the handles after engaging the motor. Hope that makes things "clearer" to see ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 thanks Dawn That makes sense and I may re measure and add a little more hieght. I already moved it up once because I couldn't see well enough, but maybe it still needs to come up more. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ketcham Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Hopefully I can help clarify some of the questions about the Discovery. When purchasing a new Discovery, APQS customers were given the choice of vertical or horizontal wheels. The Discovery was very popular for several years and many machines are still running today on both wheel systems. If someone is having problems with the way their machine is moving please give Amy in our service department a call and she will be happy to work with you to resolve the problem. At APQS we pride ourselves in excellent customer service, please give us a call at 800-426-7233 so that we can help. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss jacque Posted November 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Boy I just can't say enought about all this help. I was truely worried that I may have made a big mistake, but now I feel confident that I will get this resolved. I actually got a phone call from APQS this morning and am So DARN impressed. I am going back to square one and going to check every single thing. I have also been on the phone to Amy and she is scanning her brain as I write this. Thank you all again so very much for all the help. What a way to get to know all of you great people. I hope I can soon be using this energy to QUILT QUILT QUILT!And next time I write I hope it is to say I DID IT! thanks again jacque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted November 13, 2008 Report Share Posted November 13, 2008 Dawn Thank you. What great information for us all. I hadn't thought to use a rolling pin to make sure the guide rail was flat - what a great idea and its a "tool" we all have at home. I haven't been having any problems with the movement of my Lenni but am going to go over the table with the rolling pin anyway. Jacque Glad to hear you are happy with the service at APQS - have fun with your Discovery, its a great machine. Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted November 14, 2008 Report Share Posted November 14, 2008 Dawn and Bob, thanks for all the info.. glad to know for sure about the Discovery wheels.. and have printed off Dawns instructions to go in our manual.. Himself and I are in the process of making an index and putting in tabbed pages so we can find things without having to read the whole manual.. I know that will help us.. I will try to remember to suggest calling APQS first, when these technical situations come up, especially when it's during business hours in Iowa. Thanks again.. sorry for the confusion. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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