Farmland Quilter Posted September 15, 2012 Report Share Posted September 15, 2012 Looking for an update on the bobbin cam from those who have had it for awhile. Especially anyone using it with Intelliquilter. Can you see the stitches clearly even when looking around IQ screen? How far back did you have to mount the monitor? Do you still feel it was worth the investment after using it for a time? Any input you can give would be helpful. I don't get many clients (wish I did) so I can't spend much$$ . Still working on paying off machine, but it's getting more and more difficult to get under there and check the tension. I thought it was ok but now that I see it on take up roller its not as good on the back as I would like it to be. Luckily it's my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted September 15, 2012 Report Share Posted September 15, 2012 The one system is no longer available. I wanted it decided to get it and they cant sell them anymore. I caant remember the name of the one still available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cblevins Posted September 15, 2012 Report Share Posted September 15, 2012 We have the one from R & S but haven't put it on yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamu Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 I have the bobbin cam ...the one you can't get anymore.... I have found that it does help to view the underside stitches but the view is not as clear as I would like, so I end up looking anyway. However, it will give a 'heads up' on anything that might be wrong. The one thing I don't like is that you have to stitch several inches and then view... the camera doesn't look right where you are stitching so you have to run it a bit to see the stitching. Also, I think the overhead light interferes with the viewing, sometimes I put my hand over the top of the quilt to make it dark enough to see the stitches well. When I think there may be a problem I still have to find the area and view it up close to see if I need to make repairs....so for close viewing, not so good....for potential problem viewing, okay. I was able to work with the R-S system at Barb's long arm retreat and thought it was a better camera than what I have. The picture seems to be more clear. However, I really didn't care for the 'fish bowl' effect around the edges of the screen. It seems to me that there was some discussion about these bobbin cam's a while back and some offered alternative methods of viewing your stitches on the underside. Maybe you can find what others posted as I think some of them were pretty good and very inexpensive too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore1223 Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 It depends on the color of the backing, I think. Sometimes I can see it clearly and other times not so. I do love it for doing pantos from the front. I read somewhere that others put a mirror on the table to check tension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Just to note--the R&S set up is a panto cam, not a bobbin cam. It's set up to view the focal point of the laser on the panto table. Ron mentioned that he researched many cameras to find the right one to focus exactly where needed. Some have made a bobbin cam with a nanny cam. I think the issue is correct focus and enough light on the underside to show the stitches. A strong LED light would need to be attached to the camera somehow to direct some wattage to the underside. And the problem with seeing what you have stitched because the machine needs to be out of the way to see the bobbin stitches. Personal and opinionated opinion--they're a waste of cash if you can't get them to work. I use a "free" LED flashlight from Harbor Freight and a healthy crawl under the table if a manual inspection (rub my hand under to feel the stitches) tells me I need to take a look. Only exercise I get besides when I drop my bobbin case! Inside scoop about the unavailability of the Canadian bobbin cam? They were threatened with patent infringement by a US company with a similar product. They blinked and withdrew their offering--even though the US company didn't have a patent. I guess they never should have offered it so cheaply. Nothing pi$$es off a competitor as much as undercutting prices! Call out the lawyers!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marycontrary Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 I use a suggestion from one of Kimmie Brunner's videos -- combine that flashlight with a good sized hand mirror. Put the mirror under the the section of quilt back you want to look at and shine the light from the flashlight onto the mirror. The light will bounce off the mirror and onto quilt back and you will see a pretty clear reflection of the stitches in the mirror. No more crawling under the quilt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 I have a Bobbin Cam. I like it. He ran a special on it and I believe I got the whole set up for around $250. It was a great buy for a two camera set up. Well worth it to me. I mounted my monitor on top of my Liberty towards the back and it's never in the way yet I can see it easily. The front camera shows my bobbin thread and the back camera shows my CL stylus or for someone else the panto stylus. At first it was blurry, but both cameras have a focus adjustment ring on them. Once I discovered those and adjusted them my visual is very clear and crisp. I also had to clean my plexiglass Hartley table really well so the camera could focus through it. Some fabrics are harder to discern the stitches through than others. It's true that you have to go several inches before you get the picture, but I usually tack the very top of my quilt down with a straight line because I float my top so there's my test stitching. I still use my old favorite to test my stitches on the back by running my hand across it. I can feel "good stitching". That method seldom fails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 flashlight and mirror, worth a try. Thanks for tip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmland Quilter Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Guess I'll give the flashlight and mirror a try tomorrow. I have trouble getting a good look at stitches from underneath even when I'm under there. Have you heard of Quilter's eye? Looked similar to bobbin cam. But $450.00. Yikes. I'd one to hear from someone who had it on a Millenium with an IQ before I invested that. And there's always the problem with the thread cutter making the camera too far to the left. Maybe we'll try the mirror tonight. I'm curious now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmland Quilter Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Ok, couldn't wait til morning. I have a small LED light that was just perfect. Thank you Mary. I will be getting to a Sally's Beauty Supply and getting a mirror to dedicate for this purpose. I could see the stitches much better than when crawling around on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wannabelongarm Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 Give Matt or Bradie a call at Sparrow Studioz, I think they have something similar now. I love my cameras, they check the tension and I can trace my pantos from the front. Saves lots and lots of time! Good Luck, Joanne Flamand Artistic Quilt Design Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie H Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 I built my own bobbin camera in January or February of this year using some instructions from Bill and Sherry of Arkansas (from the Innova list). I love it and use it for each and every quilt. ALWAYS. It is as important to me as my TOWA gauge, which I now use with every single bobbin change. I can't say that you see the stitches just as if you are looking at them in person, but I think I have about a 95% idea that the stitches are either 100% perfect or slightly off. I can tell easily if they are really off. The camera I'm using I love and it was only about $10. I don't have a "fishbowl affect" when looking at the monitor and I can see the stitches on every backing as the cameras turn to black and white in low light, making it easier to see on colorful, wild backings. For me the system was well worth the time invested on figuring out what parts to order and how to put it together. I would do it again in a heartbeat!! I posted some instructions on my blog of the parts I used in putting mine together. If you are interested a parts list with links, check it out. http://www.bloomingquilts.com/search/label/Stitch%20Camera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore1223 Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 A lady on the Pantovision forum just posted a picture of a web camera that she's using but you'd need a usb port to plug into. Her pictures show a clear view of the stitches on back. So if your IQ has an empty usb port this may be an idea for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 Can the Pantovision fit on an APQS or other machines besides Innova or is it only for their machines now? The mirror idea sounds good! Give my back a break! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parm Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 I know PV works on Gammill Plus machines but not Gammill Vision machines, also the Nolting machines. Not sure about other machines. Here's ABM's number if you'd like to find out: 1-936-441-4401 ask for Kandy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Kuhlman Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 I ordered a pantovision for a millie and when they came out to put it on, could not get it to work. So I waited for about two months and they still did not have one,so I cancelled my order, but that was Feb of 2012. they might have one now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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