Lib Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 On the last quilt I did I felt that my machine was not quilting as smoothly as it should.....so I decided I would work on my practice quilt and just do some small stippling. I just couldn't get my machine to do a nice round stitch, it seems to stick. I have checked for thread in the wheels and just can't seem to put my finger on the problem. Can anyone give me any suggestions as to what my problem could be? Lib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Hi Lib to help you we need to know: which machine which direction horizontal or vertical have you checked that your channel locks are not engaged That there is nothing on the table that the carriage could be catching on is your levelling bar dragging on the base of the throat of the machine is it dragging when you pull the machine towards you when you stand at the front of the machine have you checked your wheels (not Lenni) to make sure the offset cams have the wheels all adjusted to the same position knowing the answer to the questions above will help us identify the cause of your problem. Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lib Posted January 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Ooops! Sorry Sue, I have an APQS Millennium. My channel locks were off and I don't have anything on my table that the carriage would catch on. My CL is way off to the side. I haven't checked my wheels and now have to ask a dumb question. What are my offset cams? Lib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Ok Lib Your offset cams are the things that look like the head of a bolt but have a hole - off centre as you look down at them. Go to the page in your manual that talks about wheel adjustment to see a picture. We don't want to dive straight in to adjusting the wheels though if we don't have to, Ok, take the machine to one end of the table and slowly move it to the other holding onto the handles loosely as you go, try to notice if there is a part of the table where the machines seems a little harder to move. If you notice this on the horizontal, it could mean that one or more of the big round cylinders that brace the table are a little looser than the others and the table edges are spreading out a little more there. Take a measurement from one side of the table edge to the other and you should get 23 3/4" even if its only a little over that it will affect the wheels. If the stiffness is more in the centre of the table, it could be that your tensioner bars, the long black ones that go from one end of the table tothe other are adjusted a little high. Check the front to back level of these as well. While you are there with your tools, check that the bolts that hold the table to the frame are still nice and firm. Check with a spirit level along the length and width of the table to make sure its level and square, if you've moved the table by pushing it, it might be skewed. After checking those things check the wheels with the instructions in the manual. Let us know if any of this fixes your problem or if you are still having trouble and we'll try some other things. Sue in Austalia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eswindy Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I had that problem . Then Just used q-tips and clean out the wheels- Made a big differents. I do this before every start of a quilt, but last time I had to clean the wheels 3 times through the last queens size I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lib Posted January 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Sue, I have cleaned my wheels extra throughly and actually adjusted one front cam just a tiny bit. The problem I now have is that my table is about 1/8 inch lower at the back on one side. If I can figure out how to raise the one back leg it will fix that problem and my table will be completely level. I'm off to the store to see if I can get something to put under it that won't move and slip out. I'll let you know how I make out. You are all such sweethearts on this site and always help me out. Lib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Hi Lib You don't need to go to the store. Do you have the set up manual and the large black wrench that came with your Milli? Go to the section of the manual right at the beginning and check out how to adjust the height of your table. If it is only a very tiny bit out, you'll just have to adjust the small nut right at the bottom of the table, its the levelling foot, if its a bit more than that you'll have to undo the larger nut and wind the threaded bolt a few turns. If the backside of the table is higher than the front, it could be that the tension bar on the backside needs to be loosened off a little. After you've got the table level, you'll have to go back and check all four offset cams. Remember, when you get the cams to where the wheels are sitting so that the curve of the table is sitting inside the top curve of the wheel, you need to hold the cams in place and properly tighten the gold bolt that goes through the wheels to hold that position. Good luck Sue in australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lib Posted January 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Oh Sue you are amazing. I never thought of the little bolt on the bottom of the wheel! I am going out to supper tonight so I think I will tackle this tomorrow after Jazzercise. I will let you know how I fair. Lib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lib Posted January 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Sue, I think I have solved the problem. I ended up lowering the front leg a tiny bit, increasing the back leg and then raising the middle back tension bar a tiny bit. Anyway the end result is a perfectly level table. YEH... Thanks Sue so much for all your help. My machine is now working much better. I have taken a copy of all your suggestions and put them in my APQS book. Lib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Good to hear you sorted it out. Best wishes sue in australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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