srichardson Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I received an e-mail this morning from Superior Threads in which they announced a new Towa type gauge for TOP tension. There is a chart on their website showing the tensions used for different threads on different makes of machine. I don't know if APQS agreed to be part of their research or not as the Superior site is down and I can't check. Has anyone been able to check out the chart? What do you think? Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 The site is up now and they tested on a Freedom with permission from APQS. The chart looks very straightforward--with the recommended top tension and the recommended bobbin thread to use. Handy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srichardson Posted January 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I was finally able to get on their site too. Here is a link to a short video showing the new gauge. http://www.superiorthreads.com/videos/tension-gauge/intro/ Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I posted about this on the "Gone Quilting - Chat About anything" Topic. Didn't see this one first. I ordered one of the gizmos and hope it works as well as the Towa Bobbin Guage. We shall see ! Their website was soooooo slow this morning. I waited and waited and finally just left to go run errands and by the time I got back ( 2 hours later) it was up and running better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kueser Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 Their site is still running a little slow. Probably due to all of us looking at that new guage. I thinking I need to put that on my next order. A lot less headaches and adjusting back and forth - I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 If you look at the chart for the APQS and then compare to some of the other brands, our tension does not need to be changed any near as often. Plus the tension on the APQS machines is all below 6oz I am assuming that is of pull. I thinking I need one of these! But I don't have any bad tension problems. . . . . Touch wood Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 whoever gets this first, i hope that you will share with us if you think this a worthwhile tool. i looked at the recommended settings, and they have the TOWA numbers much higher than i run on my lola-baby. and with it set this way - i can work great and quite quickly with SF/BL and Rainbows/SF, but i have not had much luck with anything else. if this really works, wow - how ccool would that be for the learning curve of new quilters?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltsinmotion Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 yes please for those of you who are trying it out keep is posted , I have the towa it has saved me hours of time and many headaches also just a thought if we have the towa its working well do we / I need another gazmio ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 I also have the Towa Bobbin Guage and it has helped me a lot. I have the Top Thread Tension Guage ordered and hoping it will help with the top thread tension adjustments as much as the Bobbin Guage has. Since I use the Magna bobbins most of the time, I don't have a tension problem there, but if I wind my own bobbin, then I use the guage to check. I THINK I have it ordered anyway, as just as I hit "place order", the website went down. But when I checked my account and order history, it was on there. I never got any order confirmation though. I e-mailed Superior to ask about it. Sure didn't want to end up ordering 2 of them ! :>( I have wrestled with using King Tut with my Millie ever since I got her a year ago. I have tweaked and tweaked and bout the time I think I have it, NOT! I love King Tut thread, too. I used it exclusively on my HQ16 and it stitched beautifully every single time. So, I have some cones I sure would like to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 OK, I tried out the Top Thread Tension Guage from Superior Threads today, and as far as I'm concerned it worked ! I have had a horrible time getting King Tut to work with my Millie. So, today, I tried it again. The printout says the tension should be between 5 - 6 for the King Tut............#18 or #19 needle. I put in the proper needle, sprayed the cone of thread liberally with silicone (? right word) and threaded the machine per Dawn's method - not using all 3 holes in the 2nd thread guide. I used a Magna Glide Classic bobbin. I tested my tension once but it was too light, so tightened it and tested again when the guage showed 5.8. I tried stitching and got a perfect stitch - top and bottom ! I marked that number on the printout, so now next time I want to use King Tut or similar thread, I know what tension to set it. I also marked what bobbin thread/bobbin I used. I'll test other threads as I use them and see how they do. Most of the time I am using Glide thread, but there are those times when I like the heavier cottons. I put the cone of thread inside a plastic bag and sprayed the heck out of it and let it set while I changed the needle, bobbin, loaded a practice sandwich, etc. I actually quilted a baby quilt panel with it and got along fine. The thread broke a couple of times, but that was my fault. I was stippling and got to going too fast! I used about a 10-11 stitch length as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 thanks for posting....this is fabulous news. i have been waiting to see what you think. i wind my own bobbins..do you think that will effect its operation??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I don't kinow............in the instructions that come with the tool, it says to check your bobbins with the TOWA guage and set to the number it suggests. I forget now exactly what that was...........I think 180 ish ??? Anyway, probably the type of bobbin thread used makes the most difference. The Magna Glides have a fine thread - Bottom Line. I did try a Magna Glide Delight bobbin , and got a nice stitch as well. I'd rather use the Classics, as they have more thread on them than the Delights, but both work. We probably just need to play around and test different threads/bobbins and see what works best. Write down the combos that give the best stitch. On my practice sandwich I had a piece of Warm & Natural batting. Then the baby quilt had a poly. I thought that might make a difference, but it didn't seem to. When I have time, I hope to go through my threads and bobbins and try different combos and see what I come up with. "When I have time........" hahahahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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