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prewound bobbin vs sidewinder


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Welcome!! And congrats on your new machine!!:P:P

I like King Tut (by Superior, cotton) the best. I also like the Lavas, Rainbows, So Fine. I usually wind my own bobbins; but I can tell you the prewound are getting popular with me also! Right now Superior only has L size prewounds in Bottom Line; however soon they will be coming out with L size prewounds in So Fine. I can't wait!! I usually use So Fine in the bobbin, and whatever I want in the top. Some people will not use Maxi Lock; others swear by it. I do like the Maxi Lock Swirls. Try them all, you will soon find out what you like the best. Or, if you are like me; you'll want them ALL!!!:o:P:P:P

Sorry, I don't know anything about the Sidewinder. I use the Turbo Winder that came with my machine. Talk about fast!:o:o Get your fingers out of the way!!:P:P

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Congrats on your new machine. I don't know anything about the sidewinder but haven't heard much good about it. Some use their domestic machines to wind bobbins and others have upgraded to a better bobbin winder. I have the turbo bobbin winder and would be lost without it. I wind almost all of my own quilts. I do sometimes use prewounds and they are wonderful. They are really packed with thread and that is nice. Since I usually use matching bobbin to my top thread I usually wind my own. My favorite thread is SoFine with either soFine or Bottom Line in the bobbin. I like Kingtut, Signature cotton and highlights too. I love superior metallics. Don't be afraid to try different threads. You'll soon find a favorite.

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I have a girlfriend with Sidewinder, it works very badly for her. I wind all my own, both for reasons of $$ and really like to use the same color top and bottom, if I'm using the bottom line or so fine. I find my turbo winds quite a lot of thread, especially after I adjusted it to hold just a bit more than it did at the factory setting. I am careful to put a net on the cone to get a smooth wind. I'm also one of those people who doesn't like thousands of leftover bobbins around..:P I use up unfinished bobbins on PPP and try to only have the most popular 3-4 colors on hand...:D:cool: happy quilting, Pat

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Originally posted by rcck00

When you say Sidewinder, are you talking about the little plastic box bobbin winder? Like the kind you can buy at JoAnn's or LQS?

I believe so, but I'm not sure either. My friend bought one of those, and threw it away that same day she said it was joke.

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There are several threads on this issue. Basically you will need a bobbin winder even if you get prewounds. The sidewinder does not work. Don't waste time trying to get it to work because it never will. If you can get non squishy bobbins to wind, you will probably only get half full bobbins. There are several options listed on the other threads. Some Domestic machines can be used for winding. (Viking is not one of them of course since I own Vikings.). You can of course buy the $325 turbo winder from APQS. You can buy the $89 Gammill winder. Someone recommended that one to me in one of the threads and it works just fine. Nice tight, full bobbins.

Mary

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I like Nolting's bobbin winder because it actually has a 'stop'. Many of the stand alone bobbin winders do not stop when they are full. I've not heard good things about the Sidewinder but the idea of a separate BW saves your machine motor. Kinda like those VCR rewinders....Everyone here does remember what a VCR is, right?

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  • 4 months later...

I'm mostly a reader of the forum, but I have a question for everyone. Has anyone ever used a commercial or professional bobbin winder? I have a "sidewinder" and use it some when I need the top and bottom threads to match. Recently, it did a poor job and I had to pick out the entire border because of inconsistent tension (which I think came from poorly-wound bobbins from the sidewinder). I have a Millie and it doesn't wind all that well either. Any suggestions or referrals for a commercial winder?

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I'm dumb! I just read further and noticed that APQS has a turbo winder priced at $325. Also Gammill has one and the poster said it worked well. Does anyone know what the differences between the two are? I want one that will wind bobbins like a prewound bobbin so I don't have inconsistent tension (I'm PRETTY sure this was my problem -- maybe not -- any comments on this?)

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The sidewinder is useless and winds really spongy loose bobbins. I wind mine successfully on my Bernina 440QE which has same size spindle. Although I do prefer the prewounds as they hold more thread and need changing less often. The magnaglide ones with the magnets are brilliant !!!

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Hello all,

I had 2 sidewinders and got rid of them both. I like to have the bobbin thread and top thread match. I like cotton thread, King Tut and I wind my bobbins on my Bernina machine also. Please be careful when purchasing extra bobbins. I bought some from a company in CA. and they were terrible so I threw them away and purchased from APQS. They were L bobbins but the CA. company's bobbins were terrible.

mountainquilter

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hello -

congratulations on your new machine. im a newbie too. you will love it.

a friend of mine gave me a sidewinder a few years ago for Christmas. i got rid of it cause IMHO it is a piece of junk. i couldnt even use a bobbin wound on there in my bernina. it was the ONLY time i ever had tension issues in my bernina. & i've done lots of sewing on my bernina. i have heard, though i have not tried, that you can use your dsm to wind your bobbins. if i still had it, i wouldnt try it.

i have heard, though i have not tried, that you can use your dsm to wind your bobbins.

when i first got my machine, it came with prewound bottom line bobbins. i used them for practice and they worked well.

my freedom came with the turbo winder that apqs sells and it winds them fast and tight. that is what i use now, but i am still ironing out my tension issues, so i am not sure if it is winder or me yet.

i have also heard good things about the magnaglide bobbins. people swear by those. i have yet to try my samples of them, but you can ask nora123 to send you a sample to try.

good luck

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We use the sidewinder with no problem. I do have it taped down so it won't jump around. I also use the thingy on the side of the millenium but the tubing keeps tearing and I don't have anymore. You think they would have taken a tip from Singer and put a spring on it instead of having to use that tubing stuff. we also have several other machines we can wind bobbins on. The best one is a Singer powerhead 241 or 251 that have commercial bobbin winders on them.

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I have a Gammil and their stand alone bobbin winder. It is wonderful. Fills full and fast. Does have a stop on it. But I don't know how the L bobbins fill on it as my machine takes an M bobbin. I do know several people here have the same bobbin winder and maybe they will pipe in.

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I use both prewound and my turbo winder for my milli. I like them both, although I find the prewounds have so much more thread than I can wind on my own bobbins, so I always have cream and white prewounds on hand. I hate it when I am flying along and the bobbin ends!

I like Superior Threads, they have great service and I have been pleased with all the threads I have bought from them. They have a great variety also.

Lori

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Originally posted by Marion

I also use the thingy on the side of the millenium but the tubing keeps tearing and I don't have anymore. You think they would have taken a tip from Singer and put a spring on it instead of having to use that tubing stuff.

If you would like to continue using your on-board bobbin winder, wrap the spindle with a rubber band or several layers of painter's tape. All that is necessary is that the bobbin doesn't slip while winding.

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I only use pre-wounds. I love the fil-tech magna glides and magna quilts best. My second choice is Superior Super Bobs.

I seem to get more thread time with the pre-wounds especially the fil-tech. I have a friend that has a Lenni and she winds her bobbins on a Bernina 440. She said the Bernina winds them perfectly for her Lenni.

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