GERRY Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 I have read some of the old posts about waxing the rails, but there dosen't seem to be anything recent on the subject, so I thought I would ask the people who have been quilting for some time & as a newbie this is the place to go. I live in B.C. so I'm not sure I can find that "Renaissance Wax" (I hope I have that right). that some one spoke about. And by the way, who would have thought that it would be an all day project to find paste wax for wood, after Walmart, Home Hard Ware, Can-tire, & the local groc. stores, I finally tried a flooring store. They had a 10lb. can (the size of a paint can) it was $70.00. So one of the floor restorers took pity on me, scooped a big blob from his personal can & handed it to me, to get me started he said, NICE GUY !! EH Any way if I should wax, is there an alternnative to floor wax ? There seems to far more waxes in the car dept. & is carnewba wax O.K., There are also all kinds of silacone sprays that may work. If anyone has a tried a true method please let us newbies know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaB Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 Hi Gerry..... I used to use "Maguire's" car wax..(which I found in auto parts stores) putting it on, letting it dry, rubbing off, worked great. Now what I do now is clean rails and take a little alcohol on the cloth and rub and dry, much easier, and the result is the same. Also this is how I clean the wheels. Glad to hear you've got your Millie and are having fun learning all kinds of things. Happy Quilting, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnQuilts Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 I would never ever wax my rails again. I used to wax my rails, and right after waxing, it is wonderful. But after a while, it is worse than before, so you've got to do it again, and again, and again, and again....etc. When I got my new machine, I promised myself that I would never wax the rails and I don't. I only clean the rails and the wheels occasionally with some alcohol on a piece of cotton batting. Once you start waxing, you'll have to keep doing it. My advice is don't start. It's totally not necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Linda, I have to agree with you....I have had my machine for over 8 years and I didn't know you were to wax the rails....Stupid I know, but I just didn't know. Then I knew about it but forgot to do it always intended to do it, but just never got there. AND now I figure its to late to start...same wheels, same rails and never any problem so I guess now I will follow your example and not do it. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Sorry, Lynn I called you Linda...sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Gerry - I wax occasionally. The most important thing when waxing is to make sure the wax is VERY dry. Sometimes, if you put too much on, it looks dry on the top, but there is a wet layer underneath. If you don't get it all off, it can gum up your wheels a bit. The newer machines have a newer wheel and axle system that makes the machine so much easier to use. I replaced my wheels and now don't feel the need to wax as often. I generally just clean the rails with alcohol (I have a great stock of Vodka, Gin, Canadian Whiskey, sometimes some even gets on the rails!! ). Actually, just plain of Isopropyl works fine. When I'm feeling like doing a really good cleaning, I'll wax, but I make sure I have a good block of time so I can be sure it's all dry and all comes off. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Gerry, I was told in the beginning that waxing was to make the wheels run smooth and to keep oxidation down. I did it one time, then I talked to a sales rep and they said you really don't need to do it, just keep the rails clean. I gave the wax to my DH for the cars, and I clean my rails between quilts with alcohol and batting. I just have a ritual, oil the machine, if it needs it, clean the bobbin area and give it a drop of oil. Clean the wheels with alcohol and a q-tip. Clean the rails. Dust everything off, the table, the machine, etc. Even though a lot of people think dust is a protective film:P I clean it off. If you don't get the wax all the way off, I think it could be a mess. Anyway, that was my two cents! Have a great day, Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinaCollins Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Just to clarify..... NO, you do NOT need to wax your rails! This will actually create a gunky build-up over time and increase the oxidation process. The best thing to do is take some denatured alcohol and wipe down your rails between quilts. Also use this alcohol on a q-tip and clean the wheels. You'll notice that this cleaning process will keep your APQS machine running as smooth as silk much better than the old wax method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 I can tell such a difference after I wax my rails and for me, it works! Every morning, I clean the rails with either a piece of batting or a square of Bounty paper towel, and a little alcohol. I use a Q-tip with alcohol for the wheels. Then I rub the tiniest amount of Renaissance wax over the rails. I just take the paper towel and barely let it touch the wax (which is a paste), rub it on and then immediately rub it off. I don't think Renaissance actually dries but maybe it does because one time we left the lid off a can for a long time accidentally and it did dry out. DH uses it for his fine woodworking. I go back over the rails again with a clean towel or swatch of batting kinda like if I were polishing silver. My table is probably 7 or 8 years old and just last year I changed my wheels to the new black ones but the old ones were not gunky or anything . . I just switched to the new ones (and I love them). A while back after reading that it was recommended that we not wax, I stopped for a few weeks and just went to cleaning everything with alcohol and not waxing but after a while, I just felt the need to wax again and oh, what a difference it made. So, I'll continue to wax. I will say that I initially started out using the Maguires that was recommended by APQS at the time and I never did feel it made much difference but I swear by this Renaissance wax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltaholi_518 Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Hmmm, so many opinions. I clean with alcohol, and then I wipe the rails with a crummy dryer sheet all scrunched up. I prefer Bouce, "Mountain Fresh" lol. My machine runs smooth and smells good too. I also rub the area of the machine that the thread goes by, especially between the takeup and the first pigtail. I think it helps with static, especially in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltjunkie Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 I agree with Judy, I think waxing makes a great difference but I don't need it all the time, but if you need that extra ease..I do use Maguires, haven't had time to look for the good stuff Judy uses. I do clean with alcohol and this works most of the time to keep the machine smooth, but the wax adds an extra "umph" when you need it. I have the newer wheels and still use wax occasionally. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bstucker Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 I'm a waxer also. My routine is to wipe down the rails with a piece of batting, and then use a dab of McQuires on the rails and immediately buff it off. I do this after oiling the bobbin, and while the machine is warming up. Usually I wax every other day, unless I'm doing custom quilting....then its every morning. The extra glide I get from the wax really helps me make smoother patterns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connie hurst Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 Goodmorning all.. Originally when we said to wax the rails, it was for the oxidation... not the movement... I guess it is up to each person... The one thing I would say, is that, if you have to wax to get the machine to move smoothly, you have some other issue going on, and the wax is just a temporary fix.... If this is the case, Let us know and we will get everything adjusted properly..... You should NOT have to wax to have a smooth running machine!!! Have a Good Day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted June 13, 2006 Report Share Posted June 13, 2006 Now, Mary Beth, I didn't mean dust is a protective covering for a Long Arm. Its best as a protective covering on furniture, TVs, stereos, and collectibles. Oh, I mustn't forget the garden tub in the master bathroom. Unless it is used daily it seems to need to be dusted (with the vacuum) before it can be used. I clean my machine with alcohol between quilts. I try to remember to wax it on the first of each month. It just makes sense to me that it keeps the oxidation down. I oil the wicks anytime they feel dry. I clean the bobbin area everytime I change bobbins if I'm using cotton thread and every third bobbin if I'm using a polyester thread. I dust it anytime I see dust or fuzzies on it. Funny, but the protective coating on furniture doesn't bother me, but the smallest amount of dust on Libby is just not allowed! Phyllis Hughes Oklahoma City www.myhomelandquilts.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerri Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 Interesting topic.... When I had the original wheels I tried to wax every couple of days.... I could really tell the difference when I "forgot" to wax. The machine became very hard to move effortlessly - many times my ovals, circles and feathers would be "squared off. I became so frustrated that I purchased last July the Edgerider Wheels and what a difference!!!! I used alcohol to remove all remaining wax off the rails and now I never wax at all. No more black "gunk" - the only time I wipe down my rails is after I use my Hartley Fence which has the original brown composite wheels on it. About every 5 quilts I take a Q-tip and scrub the thin line of gray in the wheels. The machine moved to effortlessly that I had to tighten the wheels just to keep the machine in control!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERRY Posted June 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Hay Jerri:.... this is Gerry, What are edgerider wheels, & where do you get them, how much are they, & will they fit on any of the apqs machines. Let us know, so all our machines will move effortlessly too. My DH brought me home a metal polish cream, made for aluminum & crome, it's called "BlueMagic" made in Conroe TX. It's suppose to clean of all the oxidation/tarnish & leave a protective silicone film. I tried it 2 nights ago & what a shine, all the black stuff came off,(& let me tell you there was alot of that black gunk) & I checked today and no new black stuff to clean off. I'm not sure how often I' ll have to polish the rails, I'll check every day & let you know. I did notice that the machine did move with more ease, so I'll be a wax/polisher for now & see how it goes. Thank you for all you input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerri Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Look at Edgerider.com there you will find the information that you need. I think Kings Men Quilts also sells them too I think. They cost $160.00 plus shipping and worth every penny!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERRY Posted June 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 The Edgerider web site is not on line at the moment, It's being up-graded. King Men Quilt Suply do have them, they look like they are silicon or plastic, I bet they clean up nice, & it would be easy to see when they are dirty, Thanks Jerri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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