Warming up the machine....hum.....

[Just Sew Simple]

I have been long-arming now since August. (such a long, long time, I know!) How did I miss that I am supposed to warm up the machine before I start to sew. How long. What exactly do I do? I have been just jumping in there and she had seemed to like it thus far.

[Katydids]

Hi Sylvia.

When I do my morning oiling of the hook, I unthread the needle and let the machine run in manual at med speed for just a few minutes. In our climate, this seems to be fine. I have never needed to warm her up more than that unless I am adjusting something under the hood, but that is a different ballgame.

[Belbelle]

In one of my classes at MQS last year I seem to recall that we were told to unthread the needle and run the machine for a few minutes (about 5?) at a medium speed to warm it up, with the bobbin in its place. That way the bobbin and hook areas are warm, and presumably expanded since they're mostly metal. Then if you need to make any tension adjustments they should stay put, rather than work themselves out of adjustment later when things get warmer.

[Just Sew Simple]

Well, expanding metal sounds right and the expansion making tension stable, I can see. I get it. Yall are just too smart. Now, working "under the hood" I do not look forward to! My friend, QuiltNana, aka, Gloria G, is looking to maybe get a Lenni in the spring or early summer (she wants to pay cash only) - cash, what's that? Anyway, see, I need to know these things so I can show her!!! Boy, I have a lot to learn.

[Sherri]

I also run my machine a couple of minutes (unthreaded and at slow/med speed) in the morning - in the winter. My studio/basement is a little chilly and I think it helps to get the joints warmed up before jumping in at 100 mph....it might be my imagination, but it makes me feel better, so I think it helps the machine, too.

I don't do it as routinely in the summer, tho....it takes a few spins when I do the cleaning/oiling thing, and I pretty much call it good and get started.

Right or wrong - I dunno, but that's how I do it.

[ffq-lar]

I also have the heat turned down in the studio--warm up a couple of minutes to disperse the oil and let the parts warm up too. I never thought to put in the bobbin case though--great idea!

I believe APQS says that warming up isn't necessary, but my needle up/down is happier if I do.

[Saundra]

My quilt studio is in the back yard. It does get cold out there during the winter. But summer or winter I clean, oil and warm my machine up everytime I use it. But I usually run it about 10 minutes on manual medium. When I start quilting the machine just seems to run much better. I do not put the bobbin in, but I sure will try that. It does make sense.