9patch Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 I have been reading about this in numerous posts. What is the factory recommendation for waxing: product and frequency? Thanks. 9patch/Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Hi Linda, If you are going to wax your rails we recommend using Meguiras cleaning wax. This will clean as it seals. You should still wipe down your rails with a rag even after waxing them to keep dust and other dirt collecting on the rails. As far as how often, just follow the directions on the bottle. Take care, Mark APQS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 This isn't an "official" answer but I have found that spraying some pledge or similar furniture polish on a cotton cloth (batting works great) and rubbing it over the rails both on the table and the carriage and then drying it well helps keep the machine floating and the black gunk away. I do this daily before quilting and if the machine doesn't glide as well as I like while quilting. This is in addition to my regular monthly wax job. No more black lines on my jeans or on quilts as I load them!!! Jeri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Jones Posted June 18, 2004 Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Regardless of what type of wax you use, be sure to completely remove all of it, you may have to move your Plexiglas cover to do this correctly, just move it enough to give you access to the area you waxed, not doing so will enable dust and other things to cling to the wax and eventually get lodged on your wheels...then it hardens and you are cleaning those, remember wax is an abrasive as well as a solvent it will enter the pores of the rails and become dirt and dust magnets, constant cleaning is required if this is the route you go, presently we have four machines in our showroom which travel all over the country with the APQS road shows and get used constantly and they have never been waxed. In one case the table is 11 years old... they are however wiped down and dusted and even blown off daily. Take a look at the dust that accumulates on your table and you will See why this is important to do. Go to Wal-Mart and buy yourself a one gallon air compressor they are 79.00 they plug into any outlet and will save you a lot of money in the long run over canned air, also a good process we use is as follows 1. Blow off machine and rails every morning 2. When removing your quilt snip of the excess batting and muslin to wipe down your machine, (elbow grease is acceptable to use) 3. Blow off the machine and table again As for cleaning the wheels I suggest the following. Take a paper towel Fold it in half Apply some alcohol to the entire length of it Place it on the rail Roll the wheel over it the entire length of the towel Do this till there is no more black gunk transferring to the towel Proceed to the next wheel. Blow off with air to dry. Waxing is something many do but it is hard to stop once you start. Once you start you need to do it properly and ensure there is not any residue left on your rails or it will transfer to the wheels which can make for an ill handling machine and a bumpy ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 18, 2004 Report Share Posted June 18, 2004 Dave, My husband thinks that air compressors contain moisture that would be harmful to use on our machines. He said that you can rent a bottle of compressed air that has some kind of chemical in it to reduce the moisture, or a moisture trap of some kind, but then you have to get a regulator so that you wouldn't have a zillion pounds of pressure blowing out. My question for you is, is there so much moisture in the air compresser that it could harm our machines? Or is it so little moisture that it wouldn't make that much difference? I know that the canned air, is simular to the bottled air that he is talking about, in that it contains something to control the moisture. I am to a point that I would like to purchase the air compressor and I know that you have been involved in this for a number of years so your opinion is valued. Thank you, Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted June 19, 2004 Report Share Posted June 19, 2004 When I got my first APQS machine over 4 years ago, I was using the Meguiar's Cleaner Wax as recommended by APQS. Then one day my husband suggested I try his Renaissance Paste Wax. I could NOT believe the difference. My machine truly glides when I've just waxed it. I sent some of the wax to Jamie to try and I think he loved it too. Every morning before I start quilting, this is what I do: 1. Wipe down the rails with a piece of batting. I don't worry too much about what gets caught under the edges of the lexan and yes, I do see fuzz under there but my wheels roll right on the very edge of my rail and don't come anywhere near the lexan edges. They're at least 1/2 inch away from it so I just let the fuzz stay under there (Ok . . I'm a slob). 2. Using a piece of leftover batting, I wipe (barely wipe) the top of my Renaissance Wax and then run it up and down the edges of my rails. 3. Using a piece of paper towel, I wipe down any excess wax. 4. Usually twice a week, I'll use the Meguiar's Cleaner Wax to prevent wax build up although I do not believe there's any build up with the Renaissance wax. It is made for finishing fine wood and it is unbelievable the difference in using the machine with Meguiar's alone and using the Renaissance wax. Sometimes if I'm doing a lot of quilting (more than 10 hours in one day), I'll do the Renaissance rub down a second time during the day. Works like a charm for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonflyquilts Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 I am having a problem going diagonally on my machine. I though waxing the rails would help. I got skateboard wax. The guy at the surf store said it was similar to candlewax. Would this be OK to use? I have not put it on my machine yet. To stubborn and I have only had it since the end of may. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnQuilts Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 I don't know anything about skateboard wax, but I can't imagine that candlewax would be anything you would want to put on the rails, so if it is like candlewax, I would definitely avoid it. The Meguires wax that APQS recommends is something you put on, let dry, then wipe off. It is car wax and found in the car wash/wax areas of Wal-Mart, Target, etc. It will make your rails nice and slick and will definitely help your machine move; in fact, it will move so nice and easy, you may not be able to control it !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonflyquilts Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 I was thinking about this yesterday after reading the previous posts, I have to agree, I think the skateboard wax will be a bad idea. Thanks for the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Rooster Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 I'm torn between using wax and/or furniture polish or nothing at all. The post on 6/18 said once you start waxing you can't stop. I've only used compressed air and elbow grease to this point but I sure would like a smoother ride. Any consensus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted July 31, 2004 Report Share Posted July 31, 2004 Jean: I think even if you choose not to wax, one day you may have to do it. I'm no expert so if you've been using your machine for several years, you'll probably prove my theory wrong but I think the oxidation(??) builds up. Just blowing the rails off isn't going to solve this. I believe the APQS video recommends wiping the rails down with alcohol to clean them and then using the Meguiar's wax to seal them. Having said this . . another theory (may be wrong again) is that if you wax the rails, it will feel SO good, you can't wait to do it again. Guys, excuse my analogy here but ladies . . do you know how it feels when you use your once a week face scrub and your skin feels so good and the makeup just glides on and seems to really look a lot better . . then by the 6th day, the face is feeling kinda rough and the makeup seems to be sitting on top of the skin and looking like "makeup"? That's how I feel when I wax my rails. (OK . . so I'm a bit obsessed with my machine!) When I wax, I wipe the dust off with a soft cloth, then I use a clean cloth with the alcohol. About once a week or every 10 days, I use the Meguiar's Cleaner Wax. Even after I use the Meguiar's, I go back over the rails with Renaissance Wax but I use the Renaissance Wax every single morrning and if I'm quilting 10 or 12 hours, I sometimes give the rails a second wipe with it. This whole process takes less than 5 minutes and for me, it makes such a difference in the movement of the machine, I never think twice about not doing it. Don't forget to clean the wheels too. I use a Q-tip and alcohol and clean the groove in the wheels. A good bit of the black oxidation (?? or whatever it is) can find a hope in the wheels too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonflyquilts Posted August 2, 2004 Report Share Posted August 2, 2004 I had the same debate about waxing the rails.... but I said what the heck, It made a huge diffrence, like flat tire to inflated tire diffrence. You know, if you are afraid of using the air compressor, maybe try the air mattress pumps that plug into the wall or are battery operated. I am gonna dig mine out later today and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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