Milli dragging -- Dawn?

[donna sco]

Dawn has helped me over the months with various problems about drag on my machine.  I have readjusted the table, rechecked the level of the table, and adjusted the wheels.   It seemed like it improved but now I realize there is still a drag.

 

I was quilting a 2-row panto and realized that the first row which was close to the back of the machine was really dragging and when I quilted the 2nd row which was closer to the front of the machine it moved more freely.   When I am doing a border or sashing and start at the back and work toward myself at the front of the machine, there is a definite drag toward the back.

 

So what do I check now?    

 

I put on M&M wheels a couple of years ago and have read about having to replace those wheels.  But why would the drag be close to the back and not everywhere?  And what was the symptoms of bad M&M wheels.

 

 

 

[Primitive1]

Is the bar that holds the quilt down in the back too low, not the take up bar, I wish I knew the name of the other one., you should be able to fit your hand under it when a quilt is loaded....is the batting thicker there or has it been pieced?  Have you looked at the cord to see where it goes when you are moving the machine, move it until you feel the drag and then get someone else to move it the same way while you get under and behind it to see if you can tell what it is. 

 

Don't know what to tell you about the wheels but I wouldn't think it would be them if it was just when the machine is at the back of the frame.

[Anniquilter]

That's the leveler bar.  Yes,check to make sure it is not too close to the quilt. Good luck.

[mark]

Hi Donna,

If you have a bad bearing in one or both of the carriage wheels on that side of the carriage or lower wheels, then when most of the weight of the machine is on those wheels that is where you will feel the drag.  When you have the machine head moved so that the weight is more equal on the lower wheels you don't feel the drag.  I would contact Amy at the factory and explain to her what is going on and she will most likely help and suggest that you change out some wheels and that should take care of the issues!

[zeke]

Yes, what Mark said. Now you can always reposition your machine axles. Zeke.

[cegates]

One more comment about the leveler bar - it may be sagging a little in the middle so that sometimes everything is ok but then it gets turned so that the low point pinches your quilt and causes drag. This was a big problem with my first, very old machine. I ended up using old carriage wheels sitting horizontally with long bolts to raise up the ends. Even with my newer machine, there is a little bit of sag in the middle, I have to turn the bar to make sure the middle is at its highest point.

Carol