sylkamode Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 have a major problem with my Millennium, I hope anyone has suggestions. I was quilting a quilt for a customer, when the machine went over a very thick piece with seam allowances in crosspoints, and the needle broke with a very loud crack. The machine stopped, but not in a normal way. I shut everything down and looked at the needle. It was broken allright, but the point was still stuck in the whole between the bobbincase. I could get it out, but after that my thread cutter wouldn't work anymore. It seems like it is mended or something. So I removed the upper plate under the hopping foot - just 2 screws, and the transparent plate above the thread cutter. After that I have tried the tread cutter again, and it worked well again, but when putting things together, it got stuck every time I tried it, under the metallic plate which is under the hopping foot. Can it bee that the thread cutter is distorted? It was a real blow when the needle cracked, but I don't know what to do next. I have cleaned everything, and started to go through the manual, checking if the needle is coming to low, and I think he is, so I would like to raise the needle, but cannot get the screws loosen from the front cap of the machine... and so on. Just too tired now, I think. I will try later this evening when my husband comes home, perhaps we can try things together. I really need the thread cutter with the work that I am doing, and even when I don't use it, the thread breaks more often, and it sounds as if the needlecase is different now. If I don't yse the thread cutter, ok, if things will work again, I will have to get used to not use it, but it should work, doesn't it? Can anyone help me with this? I have a lot of quilts to work on, and the quilt I have on the machine has to be finished this weekend. I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks Sylvia Kaptein Sylka-Mode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Sylvia, You might want to post this message under the APQS Help tab...I keep looking for someone to answer your question...Wish I could help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 When you removed the throat plate did you reinstall the two washers on each screw? 1 thick and 1 thin. This adjusts the clearance for the thread cutter and if not correct your hopping foot will not be adjusted correctly. I think the needle bar height check and adjustment is in your manual. When you rotate the machine over by hand does the needle hit the hook assembly. If you would like you can call me at the studio for personal help. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted March 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I have reinstalled the two washers, so that should not be the problem. I have worked though the manual, and checked if the needle bar height was ok, we have ajusted that a fraction, and the needle dit not hit the hook assembly. So that should be fine. But still the thread cutter will not work anymore. It seems as if t cannot co under the threat plate anymore, even with the washers reinstalled. I think I should not use the thread cutter anymore, but it should word, doesn't it? Today I will try to quilt again, last night we were ajusting according to the manual, and I hope things will work better today. Even with things checked, the machine sounds different after, than before the accident with the breakage of the needle happened, but I think the machine was hit pretty hard, so I hope it will be better today. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Sylvia: I didn't note your location. That would be a real long distance call. Check and see if lights 3 and 5 are on (left bank of LED's)when the needle is up. If they are not on the TC will not work. (these are needle up and lock). I would remove the lexan cover and the throat plate (if the lights are on) and see if the cutter is being obstructed (be careful). Does it make any noise as all (click, etc.) when you activate the TC? John John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted March 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 It seems to be stuck, so yes, noise and then nothing, but you are right, 3 and 5 are not on, 2 and 4 are. We have removed the lexan cover and the throat plate, and after that the thread cutter works fine. But after placing both plates the right way - with the washers - at their place, it doesn't work. I have mailed before that after the breakage of the needle, this was the case. I am working with the machine again, allthough it sounds different, but quilting goes fine again, just no thread cutter. Sylvia The Netherland, Europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted March 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I am sorry, John, 3 and 5 ?re on, not 2 and 4, I was not looking right. But again, still the TC doesn't work. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Do you have the correct washers under the lexan cover? Is the TC arm hanging up on the two little blades? If it works without the cover something is hanging it up. You should have a thin and a thick washer on each screw. You say the machine sounds different. Could you tell me how is sound different? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted March 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 It rattles more, sounds like the spool is empty, this is different from before the breakage of the needle. The washers are correct, I have checked this over and over. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Most of the time when you hear a rattle in the bobbin area this means that it needs oil. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sylkamode Posted March 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Yesterday I have worked with the machine, to see if it was allright. From needle falling out of the bar - never happened, but I have asked a collegue, and she had that sometimes too - to very much thread breakage. After a while I have tried another cone with the same cotton machine thread, and then it went allright. I have oiled the machine before I went to work, but what I mean is that in the spool house the sound still if different than before, with a full spool and with an almost empty spool. This appeared after the rough breakage of the first needle. I can work with it now, but it took me a couple of days before I could do so without sweating and worriing that something like that would happen again. I still cannot work with my TC, but I have left that out. I think the machine got a heavy blow with the breakage of the needle the first time, and perhaps something is 'offset', with the Threac Cutter. At a time like this I wished there was someone from APQS in the neighbourhood. I have contacted Claudia Pfeil, but she is away for business/show for 1 1/2 weeks, but luckaly I have a collegue in The Netherlands, who has also the Millennium, so we can talk to each other when things are not well. The machine is running again, I can finish the pile of work I have to do, and hopefully when all is well, quilting goes good. Thank you John, for your support. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.