meg_marsh 45 Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Update: Need to share my story........... once I received the retaining hook (thank you John!!! & Shana for suggesting to get in touch with John), went to take the broken one out - no way - the screw would not budge!!! grrrrrr!!! To make a long and very frustrating story short...... many phone calls here and there (Barb M & DH, Mike, were so wonderful with my frustration - she is the best!!) ........... Anyway, finally had to resort to drilling a hole in the screw and use a screw extractor (thanks Mike and John). Had never heard of a screw extractor before. I continue to be educated. Took forever to do but finally did get it out - whew!!!!!! Then after all is said and done, did have to re-time - couldn't get the hook assembly to rotate properly - called John and he reminded me about the 2 screw driver method. Worked - and finally could get on with the job of a full re-timing. I am proud to say that I finally ran my Millie for a short bit tonight and it worked............ But I am dead tired after 3 hardware stores & 2 trips to one of them...... frustration, and finally success........ and lots of craziness in between. This all took from noon until 9 tonight......... The timing was easy, the removal of the screw - NOT!!!!! and getting the hook assembly was a bit difficult until I talked to John, but .....I will never be nervous about re-timing again! So, all of you who have not done this before, it was not the difficult part of the process........... Oh - I finally did have a couple of drinks towards the end and now I feel sooooooo much better. Relaxed and Millie is happy again. As an added note - at one point I was going to have my golf cart mechanic come over to take the screw out - but luckily for him I got the screw out before he showed up - you might guess that I was getting very frustrated with the the whole thing. That would have been a good story - having a golf cart mechanic work on my Millie:P:P And of great importance - tomorrow - Wednesday - is Barb and Mike Mayfield's anniversary - send them some good wishes!!! Thanks for listening (reading) my overly wordy story but I am so much happier tonight. Tomorrow PPPP and then soon and finally to quilting after a long break......... I got to the desert about 12:30 last night - very long but good trip. Anxious to get back to quilting. Set everything up today ..... first stitch, needle broke. Went through everything and finally called Barb M. We determined that my hook retaining finger is broken. Picture says a thousand words - if anyone has one and could overnight it to me, I would be eternally grateful. Will send a ck to you ASAP to cover part and shipping. If I do not get a response to this by Monday morning, I will be calling APQS. thanks, Meg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ClaudiaPfeil 31 Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 I could send you one....... but I ´m afraid it wouldn´t really help as the distance is a little far .....you know;) Hope that anyone else will be able to help you faster! Good luck! Claudia Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quiltmonkey 447 Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 OMG that is so bizarre! Call John Mitchell. He probably has one he can send you in a jiffy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IBQLTN2 291 Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Oh Meg what a bummer, you were so anxious to get busy quilting too. :mad::mad: I am too sad for you. HOpe you can get one sent very quickly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hollyrw 0 Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Ouch. I don't have an extra but I think maybe I should order one to have on hand just in case. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BethDurand 350 Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Boy, wish I could help out, but I think that having one or two extra on hand for just such as occasion is a good lesson to learn here. So sorry! Beth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
meg_marsh 45 Posted August 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Shana - great idea - have let a message with his wife (?) and she will have him give me a call - I think I better order at least one or two extras. Barb said she was now going to order a couple to keep on hand. Have no idea how this happened............. Then I guess I will learn to retime - never done it before and it makes me a little nervous!! Yikes ......... plus DH just broke one of my curtain rods and have sent him out for parts ............ grrrrrr!!!! I'm waiting for the 3rd ........ they say things come in 3's. I sure hope not!! All I want to do is quilt!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quilting Heidi 1,398 Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Meg I'm so sorry...can't offer any parts but I know how much you wanted to stitch! I'm sure you are very frustrated. I hope you get the part quickly and retiming shouldn't be bad, you are a very sharp girl! Oh and this is your 3rd by the way. Didn't you just have to replace a big ticket item at the house? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrsbishwit 2 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Meg, perhaps the machine found out you wanted to sell it and is not happy about leaving you so it is speaking it's mind in a way by keeping you from using it. Hang in there, things will get better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Katydids 50 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Meg, the hook retaining finger just keeps the bobbin basket (the black part) from spinning around, not the whole hook assembly. So, if the hook itself did not change position, you shouldn't have to retime. Do you have any idea what caused the needle to break and hit the finger, or however it happened? Was the bobbin case in all the way? Just thinking out loud... I didn't realize that the retaining finger can break like that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Katydids 50 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I just reread your post... So the finger was somehow broken before hand and when you took the stitch the needle hit the area that should not have been there had the finger been in place. Did that make sense? You probably won't need to retime the hook, if anything maybe an adjustment to the needlebar if it got out of whack, but of course, tech support will be able to answer best. Still learning all the technical stuff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
meg_marsh 45 Posted August 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 FYI - really have no idea what happened. I was stitching - working on feathers clear up to the last minute before leaving for WA. All seemed fine, left my baby very clean, oiled, covered, kept the temp down in the house, whatever I could think of. Today, loaded the fabric, plugged everything back in, oiled the bobbin area, took an up/down and whammy - broken needle. Redid everything very slowly, and no broken needle, but it did get hung up so stopped everything and backed off, took the needle out and started to investigate. Couldn't figure it out so that is when I called Barb. Didn't take long to figure things out......... So, who knows........... It happened and I really can't remember breaking a needle prior to leaving - even took the needle and bobbin case out so I would make sure that everything was fresh when I got back. It must be one of those sun spots......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bonnie 14 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I can't offer any parts either, but I have to say I have never seen or heard of a finger breaking.... good luck in finding a new one...and maybe I too will have one on hand just in case. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Mitchell 1 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I have the parts in stock will call you Meg. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barbm 330 Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Meg, Did you ever get your part ordered? Will you need phone help in getting your machine back up and running? Just give me a call - you have the numbers..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
meg_marsh 45 Posted September 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Thanks Barb - John said they should be here today by noon and then.................. I am a bit nervous about all of this - My phone is charging just in case I have to call you........ I ordered 2 (John had 4) - for the just in case & when I sell my Millie, a great maintenance pkg will be included......... rainy days do occur - just ask us - like to be prepared but never figured on this one Oh - the doorbell just rang - parts are here!!! Bye for now.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merryjo2003 173 Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 Wow! Never have seen this happen. That's one part I never thought to get, but will order a few to have on hand. Sorry I didn't have one for you Meg. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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