Warming Up the Machine

[Sparkle]

I've never seen this topic covered here. Do all of you "warm up your long arms" before you start quilting. I briefly had a Nolting Fun Quilter and this was stressed as important. I sort of found it annoying, take out the bobbin, partially unthread the machine, let it run for about 4 mins. then rethread everything and put the bobbin back. It was most annoying when I was in the middle of a quilt to do the warm up routine!

So, I'm not doing it with my Ultimate II that I purchased in Jan.---but, was wondering if I should be? Do APQS machines require this warm up time? How important is this?

[mrmquilt]

I have an Ultimate II also and I don't warm it up. Never thought about it,

sorry I can't answer better. I just check the tension and go.

Michele

[CucumberQuilting]

If I turn my machine on and let it "warm up" then the single stitch up and down works at a faster speed then if I just turn it on and go. If the machine is "cold" then it moves quite slow. But then, I'm usually cold myself and only just getting started pulling up the first bottom thread. How fast do I need to move then anyway? I think of it as a safety feature!

Don't know if this is programmed into the machine, or if it's unique to my Millile. I've mentioned before that we have spasmodic electric service way out here and sometimes it can do funny things to a machine. I keep mine on a hefty surge protector at all times and unplug it completely during any kind of a storm.

(When I say I turn the machine on, that's all I do. Just turning on the power switch. I'm not actually running the machine at all. )

[Bonnie]

Sparkle,

The only time I have ever warmed up my machine was if it was in a room that didn't have the heat on at night and it would get down to below 30 and I would warm it up the next morning as I was also waiting for the room to warm.

I'm not sure if someone told me or if I read it someplace that as long as the room is above 68, there isn't any need to warm up our ULTII machines...there aren't any computer stuff that needs to get warm to work well as long as the metal and the oils are at 68 or higher its good to go.

Mark or Amy what is your input here. Which should we doing?

[CucumberQuilting]

Oh Bonnie, that must be it. I work in an outside basement room of our house. It's beautiful but cold. When everyone else is running around in shorts and tank tops this time of year I'm still working with the heat on and wearing my fuzzy slippers! It's like a wine cellar down here. (hmmm, there's an idea;)) Quilts and Cabernet anyone? Better stick with Chardonney or Champagne just in case there's a spill!

The cool thing about my room, (sorry, couldn't help the pun), is that everyone covets my space down here when the temperature outside hits 100. I'm so lucky!

~~ Eva

[Mary Beth]

Eva,

I have problems with my Millie from time to time with that too. If it is humid my needle up/down goes hay wire. If I adjust it with the #8 screw, then the weather clears up and it goes extremely sloooow. They I have to readjust...have you ever been to Missouri...one of the most humid places on earth. No one else seems to have this problem, so I'm thinking I'm full of hot-humid air!!

[CucumberQuilting]

Mary Beth, Do you mean, all the time you have this problem or just when starting up?

We live in the High Desert, so even on the lake it's extrememly dry. So dry in fact that we're one of the few places on Earth that don't have dust mites or termites. I use lots of hand lotion though.

If humidity is the problem, would it be helpful to have a de-humidifier in your studio to even out the changes in climate for your machine?

[Sheri Butler]

Mary Beth/Sparkle:

I too have just a slight "humidity problem" here in Nebraska. I guess I never attributed a slow start on the machine to that, but it DOES make sense!

I just start/warm mine up out of habit. Like any machine, I would think "warm up the motor" then take off! LOL (hence, why i've been doing it, that I dont think about it). Actually I had moved my machine to the basement when my son moved back home, and this week, I moved it back upstairs to the big room down the hall and above the garage. I never had a slow start when it was in my sons old room, but in the basement (full of humidity here in NE), it did go a tad slower while in the basement, but only for a few seconds. I dont think it's anything we have to worry about tho.

[Susanri]

I always warm up the machine I take out the bobbin and go from slow to high for a minute if I think it helps the machine run better sort of like warming up a car.

I can't remember where I learned o do it but it does help my first stitches stay great.

[Mary Beth]

I have a dehumidifyer in my basement. Keep it going all the time as soon as the furnace is turned off. I have allergies so we have to go straight from the furnace to the air conditioner. Anytime we try to open up the window and let in some good ole fresh air, I have problem with the needle up/down...it just sounds crazy, but it is true.

[quiltmonkey]

Originally posted by Mary Beth

I have a dehumidifyer in my basement. Keep it going all the time as soon as the furnace is turned off. I have allergies so we have to go straight from the furnace to the air conditioner. Anytime we try to open up the window and let in some good ole fresh air, I have problem with the needle up/down...it just sounds crazy, but it is true.

LOL! Mary Beth, perhaps it's your Millennium that has allergies, too?

[JudyL]

Originally posted by Mary Beth

...have you ever been to Missouri...one of the most humid places on earth.

When we moved to Kentucky from southwest Louisiana, I thought I was getting away from the humidity but . . the Ohio Valley has horrible humidity. When we decided to move to MO, I thought . . oh great, we're getting away from the humidity. I suppose I'm destined to live where the humidity is high but thank goodness for the a/c because I keep it cranked way down low and so far, the humidity has not affected my machine as far as I know.

[Mary Beth]

Wait until you see what it does to your hair :P:D