MarieBrewer Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 I was in the same spot your are in right now. I unscrewed the rails from the table and ran my machine up and down the rails to see if the thing would self adjust, checked the front to back distance of the rails all the way up and down the table and ended up adjusting and readjusting the wheels cause that seems to be the culprit. Mine works pretty good but is still a little stiffer in the center of the table. I have the truss bolts at different heights because that's just the way it has to be to have a level table for me. This isn't recommended but sometimes I do it anyway= I use WD-40 on the rails. Helps the glide but you run the risk of getting graphite on the quilt. Need to clean the rails more often and just before you remove the quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyA Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Let us know how everything works out. Once I had an APQS guy redo my table and wheels my Liberty has glided like a dream. It really made a difference. Good Luck and check back in with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes Posted December 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Isn't Sherry work wonderful! She does such intricate quilting - oh to be half that good! And you're probably right - as a newbie a forehead slap is probably just what I need - I might need two because I'm a little hardheaded! Mercedes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
On Pins and Needles Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Hi Mercedes: I also am a newbie here and thought I would chime in with my experience...I have also been SO frustrated. My story is long, too long to post here but like you, if I tried a Millennium at a show I loved it, my own machine, not so much...I was sure I had a lemon. After many tears, phone calls, e-mails, I got expert help and it took 3 experts to convince me the machine (with a few tweaks) was ok, I was the problem. None of the three accused me of being a "problem" but I figured it out! I'm sure Sherry will help you out, if you still have issues I suggest you contact Sheila Hooper or Barb Mayfield. Both are wonderful, Sheila is much closer. They are both the best ambassadors APQS could have and both have very talented husband/technicians. I'm still fighting with the machine but I did manage to do a quilt for a Christmas gift that was an allover freehand design and NOT a meander...this is big progress! I'm hoping to take a beginner class with one of these ladies when the weather is more predictable...if you'd be interested, let me know, we could carpool. We're almost neighbors (I'm in Puyallup), Sheila is in Woodinville and Barb is near Spokane. I feel your pain but I'm predicting we both will survive this...lol. Cindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Yay! Sherry to the rescue. You are certainly in great hands. She should be able to get you up and running with no problems. Can you ask for pointers too! Sherry rocks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Cindy and Mercedes, Just know, there is a "getting acquainted" period with your machines. It is almost like making friends with a stranger, just have this "stranger" located somewhere in your house:) I think all of us have wondered 'what the heck have I got myself into?' You all are not alone. We have all had those little problems. Take the beginner classes, they really do help. I also recommend the book "Longarm Machine Quilting, The Complete Guide to Choosing, Using, and Maintaining a Long-Arm Machine", by Carol A. Thelen. This book along with my APQS machine manual stayed on one end of machine at all times, probably the first 3 years of my quilting career You all are going to be fine. It sounds like you both are in very good hands. And of course, you have us;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 ne thing came to mind when I was having trouble with my Lennie... Actually 2 things. Make sure your wheels are riding the rails in the center. Check each wheel and see where the black mark from the track is. If it is not in the center move the wheel (s) so it is in the center. Also check each wheel for threads.. We used a dry scrubber like used in the kitchen and found pieces of thread snips imbedded in the black stuff.. The other thing is the rails on the carriage.. or the c arriage tables.. are they level? We found ours were bending in the middle.. we got some 1" 90 degree angle aluminum, cut it to length and screwed it to the carriage between the wheels. make sure all of them clear the wheels, and if you have the SR feature, be careful of the encoder under the bottom carriage in back. The home plant or John Mitchell or Dawn C should be able to help. Please don't give up. It took me a long time to find ways to check varios things and get them set right.. not constantly a long time, but minutes here half hours there, etc. Once solved, it will be a blast of fun to equal no other. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Rita, The "ride" on your Lenni may be better with the rails riding in the center of the wheels, since they are vertically oriented, but the Millie wheels are horizontal: the wheels should be riding on the rails so that just a sliver of light is able to be seen between the rail and the upper inside edge of the wheel. Different strokes for different folks! (or machines....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted December 29, 2009 Report Share Posted December 29, 2009 Oh Oh, Barb, totally forgot that. Thanks for the reminder.! Appreciate it. The Carriage that carries the machine is close to the same, so she can check their straightness or see a bow in them? Rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoAnnHoffman Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 You need to have a sales rep come to your house and see what's wrong. Did you have a beginner lesson? Have it at your house. Wheels are too loose or too tight. Table might have a hump in the middle because center bolt is set too high in the center of the table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Rita did you get your Penny straightened out from awhile ago when it went bonkers? What ever was wrong with it I dont think I ever heard and did Jennifer Kay ever come to take any measurements for her Side Saddle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharond Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Mercedes, I also bought my machine used, 3 1/2 years ago. No manuals came with it, so it was figure it out on your own. My machine felt like I was driving a truck, so I bought edgerider wheels and DH put them on. It moved smoother, but not as smooth as the new ones. So I ordered the manual on CD from APQS -- printed it out -- couldn't find out what to do. Took a class on machine maintenace from Amy at MQS 2009 -- received a maintenace manual -- came home and DH looked at what it said about the wheels. The little nuts for the wheels have to be lined up a certain clock position -- all the same way. It now glides along smoothly. I hope you get your machine figured out soon so you can enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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