Catherine50 Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 I am having a serious problem with my millie not moving smothly, but only when stitching. When I do a dry run of the pattern I want to do, it moves beautifully, with no stiffness and no drag. When I do the exact same spot, but with the machine actually stitching, it drags and seems to go everywhere but where I want it to. It,s done this on the last couple of quilts, which have used different threads. Right now I'm using superior rainbows, top and bottom. Oh yes, the top thread has started to break as well. The tension on both the top and the back look good, no loopies or pokies. Does anyone have any suggestions of what the problem and the fix might be. Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APQS Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Hi I wonder if you have one of your channel locks on? Does it move stiffly on the vertical or horizontal? Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraC Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Or maybe a bunch of thread wound up inside the machine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine50 Posted March 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2006 The channel locks are off on both sides, and there isn't anything wound up in the machine. It moves beautifully when it's not stitching. Could there be a problem with the stitch regulator? And if so, how do I go about fixing it? Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Maybe your hopping foot needs to be readjusted. It might be catching the fabric when it goes in the down position. Go to your manual. There should be a space of a folded business card at the foots lowest level. It's an easy fix if you have the right screw driver to fit into the hole above your tension disk. Check thread wrapped around the wheels. Blow out your tension disks. Also check how level your machine still is. It will change. Your machine should glide a good distance if pushed. If it doesn't, they need to be adjusted a little. Wipe your rails every day. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 I would agree with JoAnn, if it moves good without sewing, but is stiff when sewing, then the hopping foot may be too close to the needle plate in the lowest position which is causing the "drag" while sewing. Let us know if you need help getting that adjusted if needed. Later, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine50 Posted March 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 I've checked both the leveling and the hopping foot. Both need adjustment. I've found the section on leveling and should be alright with that, but what kind of screwdriver do I need for adjusting the hopping foot? Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Cathy, You will need a long narrow straight tipped screwdriver. There is a hole up and to the left of your upper tension control. When the foot is at it's lowest position, you will be able to go in through the hole and crack the screw loose and manually adjust your foot to the propper height then retighten the screw. You might want to shine a flashlight in so you can see what your looking for. Or you can take the opposite side plate off so you can see in from the back side. This will also let in some light so you can see when putting the screwdriver in the hole. Let me know if you need further help. Take care, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LorrieMN Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 My mille was just raised for my Circle Lord and I now have the same problem with the drag and the machine kind of having a mind of it's own. The stitch regulator had been skipping a little so that was tightened up (stitches are now good) but it's not the way it was before being raised/tightened. It glides nicely when off. No threads anywhere caught. Hopping foot shouldn't have changed. Channel locks are off.... Any suggestions? Also how do I loosen the stitch regulator a little? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Hi Lorrie, If you raised the machine remember to check and see if any of the fabric rollers need raised. Check the idler roller to make sure it isn't too close to the throat. Also the quilt top roller may need to be raised a little if the fabric when coming off of the roller is rubbing too much across the needle plate. And make sure that when you raised it, that it is even on all of the wheels. Let me know how you come out or if you have any other questions. Take care, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmaus Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 Okay, I've been having this problem since a year ago when I got my machine. I've been trying all of these things everybody has said. And I'm at my wits end, very, very frustrated. My machine was vibrating like crazy so we lowered that front roller. That helped the vibration quite a bit. And then we tighted the wheels up because they were to loose. For just about 1 day everything was great. Moved smooth and no vibration. Come back to it and start up and it seems to jerk. What I'm so frusterated about is it seems like I get everything adjusted and it runs smooth and then 15 minutes later it's jerking as I sew. So my husband looked at it right now and this is what it seems to be doing. When it's off and you move it horizontal or vertical it is smooth. When you go to move it diagonal it doesn't want to be smooth. And then it is worse when the machine is running, it jerks on me. As I said before, we lowered the front top roller to get rid of the vibration. Now when I move the machine around it lifts the quilt where ever it goes or is. This is so hard to explain, I hope it makes sense. Could this be making the machine be jerky? If I raise up the top roller will the fibration come back?? I hope someone can help, I'm almost ready to give up. HELP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Farnham Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 I have a Green Millenium that I purchased in August of 06. It has the new wheels on it and has worked fine. Smooth as butter, but the last two quilts that I have worked on, it has been dragging and stiff. My husband has tried everything. We have checked to see if the table is level, adjusted the wheels, checked if any of the bolts had loosened (boy, we had to tighten quite a few) and it still was dragging. My husband finally pulled all the carriage wheels and one of them would spin freely, several rotations. The other three would barely make it one time around if even that. He sprayed WD-40 on one of the wheels and after about 20 minutes, it was spinning like the first one. Is This Normal? And should I be doing this on a regular basis for general maintenance? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank-You, Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnmach Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Be careful using WD-40 around sewing machines and items with "non-oiling" bearings. It is an excelent solvent (why the wheel freed up) but tends to form varnish when the solvents evaporate, which can seal the bearings - therefore you have to keep re-lubricating the items from now on. A better choice is Tri-Flow which will also free up the items but will not form varnish. Tri-Flow is one of the few lubricants recomended by the major sewing machine manufacturers for use on machine with non-oiling main bearings. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 The bearings on the wheels are packed with grease and then sealed. If you get WD-40 in the bearings it will wash the grease out. The only fix then is to repalace the wheels. Many times people loosen the wheels thinking that this will make the machine smoother. The proper adjustment is not too tight or loose. Follow the instructions to adjust the wheels. http://www.apqs.com/quiltingmachineadjustments.htm John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenslug Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Wonder if I am misunderstanding something. I spray area where bobbin case sits with WD-40, with machne running(bobbin case removed). Then I wipe around the area with a soft cloth. Next I lubricate with oil this area and wipe up drips. (Some of us are messy.) Friend gave me a bottle of Tri-Flow and suggested I use it on the rails. Should I be using Tri-Flow, instead of WD-40 in bobbbin case area? Like to keep Milli running like a fine tuned clock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 WD-40 is a solvent and is used to "clean" the hook assembly, the only oil you need to use is the sewing machine oil furnished with your machine. There is no need to oil or wax the rails. We have 5 Tables and only use batting, Q-tips and alcohol to clean the rails. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Perhaps the quilt is to taut on the bars? And maybe the tension also to tight? Sylvia Kaptein Sylka-Mode www.sylkamode.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Farnham Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Thanks for all your info and input! Talked to Tina C. in tech Support this morning and new wheels are on the way. Made my husband a big sign, "NO W-D40". Thanks Again for your quick replies! Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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