shelley Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 I was wondering how all of you clean and maintain your APQS machines? I have a Millennium and it seems not to glide as smooth as it used to. I have used Maguires cleaning wax on the rails but it didn't appear to help much. The wheels are free from threads but I have not tried to clean them. Any suggestions would be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NDdarcie Posted October 21, 2002 Report Share Posted October 21, 2002 Greetings Shelley and all, I spend a good amount of time - daily - to keep my machine clean. And even then, I still have the dreadful "black stuff" appearing on my canvases when I'm not watching what I'm doing! Refer to "cleaning canvas" question from past post. I've never "cleared" this with our APQS techs, but I hope they kindly intervene this, if needed. ALWAYS wipe down your tracks before taking off a quilt! Please don't ask how I know! (I use scraps of batting; practice chunks; old clean sox; etc.) Before waxing, I spray some WD40 on a piece of batting or whatever, and wipe down my tracks...and keep wiping until my batting is no longer black. I suggest this when there is no quilt on, of course! (You never know!) I also do this with my carriage rails. Then, I spray WD40 onto cotton swabs (Q-tips). I do this into my garbage...just spritzing until the swab has a good amount of WD40, but not dripping. I then clean my wheels' grooves...again, changing swabs (now using dry swabs; only WD40-ed once) until no black appears. You may have to swipe down rails of carriage and tracks again with batting. Then wax-job! I don't go through this whole routine daily, but I do wipe down tracks, wheels often. Labor intense? - YES! Worth it for my shoulders, arms, back for a smooth gliding machine? - BIGGER YES! Hope others out there have some suggestions also! (hint!) Have a great week! In Quilts, darcie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattison Posted October 26, 2002 Report Share Posted October 26, 2002 Yes, unfortunately, I have "black tracks" on my canvas... Didn't realize exactly what was going on at first. Cleaning the tracks is important but also taking a "Q-tip" and cleaning the rack wheels is also important. Alot of stuff seems to accumulate inside the wheels that gets trasferred to the tracks themselves. This might help a bit in the overall machine hygiene! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 I use Renaissance Wax and I wax my rails at least once a week. I bought the maguires because APQS recommended it but I find the Renaissance is SO much better. It is expensive but it lasts forever. I've been using the same can for almost five years (used it on my previous machine too). After over a year of using my Ult. I, I took a Q-tip and soaked it in WD-40 and wiped inside the wheels (where they roll on the rails) and that seemed to really help. Lots of black gunk in there too. Judy L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connie hurst Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 Hi all, Instead of using wd-40 use rubbing alcohol with your q-tip. It will be better for your wheels. Sometimes you have to re- adjust your wheels, on the machine. The bolts with the hole drilled in the top. You want the narrow part of the off set hole to be between 4-5pm If staight up was noon. Keep in mind you need to stand at the back of the machine and look straight ahead. Connie APQS Service:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connie hurst Posted October 29, 2002 Report Share Posted October 29, 2002 Hi all, Instead of using wd-40 use rubbing alcohol with your q-tip. It will be better for your wheels. Sometimes you have to re- adjust your wheels, on the machine. The bolts with the hole drilled in the top. You want the narrow part of the off set hole to be between 4-5pm If staight up was noon. Keep in mind you need to stand at the back of the machine and look straight ahead. Connie APQS Service:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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