APQS Ulitimate XX?

[waterlilygardening]

Hi! Does anyone else here have an Ultimate XX? I've got this old machine & was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers on this particular model. Thanks.

[Bonnie]

I'm not sure what an Ultimate XX is I have heard of ULT 1 and ULT II. I have a II.

[chickenscratch]

I think Ultimate XX is how some Ultimate II owners refer to their machine. If so, then Bonnie and I each have one.

[quiltmonkey]

I saw an APQS Ultimate XX on ebay about a year or so ago. It was an older model, really big, and had a really large throat space. The ebay auction said it still worked perfectly. I think the XX model was used to manufacture large quilted things like draperies and stuff like that? In the photo, it looked like the beginning prototype longarms when they first started coming out.

Waterlily, I'd bet that if you wrote an email to APQS about the XX model, they could help you with more information. Good luck!

Shana

[waterlilygardening]

Thanks ... yes, it is a monster sized machine & APQS was helpful answering questions when I had first bought it. I also had to replace quite a few of the parts like wheels, handle, etc. From what I understood when I bought it, the machine did come from a factory that did bedspreads & such. It has worked fine for my own personal needs but I was hoping someone here on this forum was using one. Maybe they could give me any tips that I may not know about.

[Bonnie]

Kat if you would like maybe I can help you get a picture loaded on the site so we can all see it....if its a ULT II then as Teresa said either of us can help you, but without a picture I'm not sure where to start.

If you have a digital camera and know how to store your photos, call me and I will help you get a photo up so all can see it.

Here is my machine...does yours look anything like this.

[waterlilygardening]

Here is what it looks like. I do fairly well with stippling & a few other freehand background stitches. If I try large designs I always have trouble. My husband pointed out yesterday I should try to see if I could get a laser pointer & use pattern guides somehow. I can use the machine from the front only since I don't have enough room to get behind it.

[chickenscratch]

Kat, that is certainly an interesting machine. It looks like it must have a 30" throat space. Wow. Mine is just like Bonnie's so I won't be much help to you either. I definitely like your table set up though. I wish mine was set up like that.

Bonnie, that is a beautiful quilt on your machine. Is it yours?

[Bonnie]

Yikes Kat.....what a strange machine.....so much different than ours (Teresa and Me). You don't need much room behind your machine to make it work with Pano's and a lazer light about 24 inches is all I have behind mine, so if you can I would move it out a bit. I too wish I had a table like this one...wow what a better working area. How old is this machine and are they even making them anymore. Mine has been replaced by one of the newer machine and has been out of manufacturing for about 2 years now I think.

I have rigged up a lazer pointer on my machine...I decided I didn't need the cost of the APQS lazer...works great, I don't use one very often so what I have is well worth the cost. I have it attached from one of the bolt holes on the side.

No, Teresa, the quilt you saw from the picture was a customers....I followed the blue dots behind the hand stitching (it was one of those premarked cross stitch blocks with the quilting design already marked),and then made huge scallops down the wide wide border....then when it was finished we made the end of the spread (it was a king size spread) curved so it had a great drapy effect at the corners. IF I remember correctly that this quilt got quilted twice....she didn't leave enough room for a pillow tuck so we had to take it back out and she had to put in a wider piece for the pillow tuck...I was really really glad to see this one leave my studio.

[waterlilygardening]

I definitely prefer the open working area on this frame. I usually don't need the entire depth since my arms aren't that long, LOL. When I talked with APQS they said the machine was made in 1991 & I don't think they are made anymore. I don't think I will ever need to do any panto, so I'm not worried about getting to the backside for quilting.

I think I'll be looking into getting a lazer pointer & rig it on somehow. Do you have one that you recommend?

I don't think I would have wanted to deal with having to add a piece after it had already been quilted

[Bonnie]

I'll get you photos of my rigged up lazer light...works pretty good and it was only about $35.00 including the cost of lazer pointer.

No its not fun to unsew a whole quilt....let alone having to find a different back and a larger batting...she needed to add about 18 inches for the pillow tuck...the way she had it was where most of the top row of embroidery block were tucked under the pillows.

[ramona-quilter]

Kat,

I love that roller setup on your machine. It looks like you

have to sit on the floor to pin your quilt top though. I think I

would like that better than leaning over the belly roller to

pin. I have an Ultimate I with an Intellistitch Turbo (after

market stitch regulator).

This is actually my second Ult I. My first one had similar

handle bars to yours but they were more on the left and

right sides in front and back and a single button like yours.

My IS Ult I has the curved foam padded handlebars.

My first Ultimate I was made in 1989 (plate on machine head

has the manufacturer date). That first one had been

neglected and needed a lot of work. You have to start

somewhere, huh?

My first one was a bargain and gave me the chance to see if

I liked longarming....without putting out a lot of $$. I found

that I loved it and sold that first one (in 1 day on craigslist)

and bought the current one (without the IS) from a quilter

who advertised it on this forum. She shipped it from

Oklahoma all the way out here to San Diego. I just love it.

And looking at your baby quilts, you are off to a great start.

Congratulations and welcome aboard.

[mark]

Hi Kat,

Yes the U-XX is a monster machine! It is like the older U-I machines but with a 36" throat. It was manufactured mostly for windows and draperies work rooms and people who did comforters. We quit making this model in the late 90's as a 26" throat is big enough for most people doing 1 quilt at a time. It is made of the same Aluminum so even though it is big, it is still light weight! We have parts available so if you need anything, please call us at 800-426-7233 and we will do what we can for you.

[countrystitcher]

Kat, how do you like your Intellistitch Turbo - pros/cons???

Thinking of adding it down the road to my machine since it is non-stitch regulated.

Thanks, Sharon.

[waterlilygardening]

Bonnie--I'd love to see close ups of how you did your laser light.

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one that has started out with a much older used machine.

Mark--thanks for the info & it is good to know you have parts for this model.

Sharon--I don't think my machine has "Intellistitch Turbo". How would I find out that info? I would love to get a stitch regulator.

[countrystitcher]

Okay, so I can't read - Ramona had the add-on stitch regulator. So someone, anyone who has one give me some pros/cons before I think about getting one.

Thank you

Sharon.

[ramona-quilter]

Sharon,

I had the IS Turbo installed last May. I had been longarm

quilting about 7-8 months. I love to quilt but the stitch

length was not the best. I would have long stitches when

I moved too fast and very small stitches when I slowed

down for a point or corner. I just could not seem to train

myself to move at the correct speed. Buying a machine

with a SR was not an option for my budget so I started

looking at the Intellistitch.

http://www.intellistitch.com/

The price had just been reduced to $3,000. They come to

your house and install the IS. You get a faster motor, new

handles, and a whiz-bang stitch regulator for $3k. The laser

was moved but this works great and I was able to use

the Circle Lord with the IS.

You can still quilt in "constant mode" or in SR. They told me

that if you want to go "fast" use constant mode. When I

use the SR, I usually work at 10 stitches per inch but

sometimes on tight curls or spirals, I change to 12 SPI. Then

there is 16 SPI like for micro stipple.

It takes a bit of getting used to. I had to train myself to

keep moving or to really pause. When you stop, the machine

finishes the stitch. But if you start moving again too quickly,

it's like the start and stop run into each other and you can

jam your needle. I don't do that much anymore.

And service, well, it's the best. I had a problem in the

beginning and tried to fix it myself with their tech on the

phone and OMG I thought I had fried the computer. I

touched the computer board with my screwdriver and heard

it zap and the machine went off. The tech was very good

and patient. They arrived the next day with a new board

and it was up in a couple of hours. The zap turned out to be

a blown fuse. Cost of repair = $0

They have reps all over, mine are Helen and Tony out of

Las Vegas. IS also have reps at the big shows and give

classes at Innovations, MQS, etc.

For me it was a good fit. Price, service and functionality - I

love my IS Turbo.

Email me if you have any specific questions.