Groz-Beckert Titanium needles

[yankiequilter 283]

I received an email from Fil-Tec and they now have Groz Beckert titanium needles for our longarm machines. I'm wondering if anyone has used them and what your experience has been. Also, if someone from APQS is out there - Dawn?, Amy? - what is your opinion of using these needles? Thanks for your input!

[meg_marsh 45]

Hi Carmen,

From what I understand, our machines are timed for the other needles. You can re-time for the Groz Beckert. Even though some say they work the same, Amy says 'not'. I tried the GB in my Millie and found them not as good and would have had to re-time. Some have used the GB with great success and not had to re-time. My Innova uses the GB Titanium and I really like them.

[yankiequilter 283]

Hi, Meg. I received GB needles with my Millie and I believe APQS is stocking them now since the Singer are no longer available. I have compared the numbers on the package of needles that I received from APQS and they match the numbers shown on the Fil-Tec website, so the size is correct. I know the machine is timed to a 4.0 needle size and I am wondering about titanium vs.the regular needles. I believe I've read the titanium needles will break higher up on the shaft and thus, a larger piece may fall down through the needle hole. So far - knock on wood - I haven't broken a needle. Also I've read the titanium may bend rather than break. I think one of the benefits of the titanium is that they last longer.

[srichardson 241]

Hi Carmen,

I took the maintenance class with Amy last week at Road. She isn't in favor of the titanium needles because as you mentioned if they break they can cause problems because of the larger piece. I haven't used them in my Millie but did use them for a while in my DSM. The needles do tend to bend where a regular needle will just break. I must have bent one but carried on sewing unaware that there was a problem. I damaged something in the bobbin area and it cost almost $100.00 to fix. I decided that I would rather have a needle break as it would be much less expensive just to replace a needle that risk the cost of repairs. Dawn wrote an article about the Singer/GB needles a while ago.

Sue

[meg_marsh 45]

Interesting, Sue. Guess I better investigate some more. When I stocked up on needles at Innovations for my Innova - asked Neal and he pointed me to the needles at Superior. Not had a problem. I don't use the titanium in my DSM. Since I change needles all the time anyway, didn't see the benefit of Titanium. I have a full stock of the old needles for my Millie -

I looked on the number for my Innova needles (GB) and the number is 1955 - not 1955-01. Don't know what the difference is. They are titanium coated - not titanium. I just compared the package of needles for my Innova and what Dawn says to get for our APQS - the packages are the same!!!! Learn something everyday!!! Thanks Carmen and Sue for making me go to school today!! I guess all my needles for my Millie and all my needles for my Innova are the same........... boy do I have a lot of needles!!! LOL

[ffq-lar 3,621]

I use and love the GB titaniums--have for several years without a problem. Though they were on the last time I re-timed my Milli so maybe that is why.

[John Mitchell 1]

Titanium needles are titanium coated. The issue that Amy what talking about is when you break one of these needles they usually break up on the shaft and jam the machine seriously and the chance of knocking it out of time is great. I have just received a lot of needle information on needles from one of my needle suppliers and it is quite interesting. It has a chart showing needles that are similar and why. We have switched to the Organ needles with the deep scarf and I have sold a lot of them and all the reports I have received have been positive.

John

John