HelenS Posted November 2, 2022 Report Share Posted November 2, 2022 Has anyone found a solution to winding bobbins evenly on the small winder that comes with apqs machines? It seems to lack the ability to wind properly on its own without me guiding the thread the entire time. I've adjusted it multiple times, changed the washers included, etc, but have yet to find a good combination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueD Posted November 2, 2022 Report Share Posted November 2, 2022 Helen - is this the plastic "Sidewinder" bobbin winder? I don't have a solution for you. I got one of those with my used Lenni. It did the job ok but I found someone here wanting to sell the APQS turbo winder. It was expensive but I like it much better. I do see there are some high speed winders on Amazon (one with +700 mostly good reviews). Just an option.... Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenS Posted November 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2022 SueD, It's not the Sidewinder. It's the same on found online everywhere, small, and sits on a metal plate. It's very lightweight, but not very user friendly. It just doesn't do what a bobbin winder needs to do. I previously owned two HQ longarms that came with a good stand alone heavy duty bobbin winder, so was very surprised at what came with the APQS Lenni. Guess I need to bite the bullet and buy a better one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueD Posted November 4, 2022 Report Share Posted November 4, 2022 Honestly, you’d think with the price of these machines, they’d include that bobbin winder with all of them, not just the ‘big ones’. Sue HelenS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenS Posted November 26, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2022 Update: I tightened the tension just a bit, about a quarter turn, and it seems to be winding MUCH better now! I'm still watching it as it winds, ready to rest my finger lightly on the incoming thread to guide it as it winds if needed, but so far, so good! dbams 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maaike Posted November 27, 2022 Report Share Posted November 27, 2022 Glad to hear that things have improved! I don't know if this would make a difference to your problem, but I sometimes put a net on my thread cone to help control the thread and the way it winds. HelenS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenS Posted January 2, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2023 I am, once again, disappointed in the lack of quality bobbin winder that came with my Lenni only seven months ago! ugh ! It seems to have totally died today! I wound one and one half bobbins and simply just quit! I've tried cleaning the sensor "eyes", changed bobbins, turned off, turned back on multiple times, unplugged, etc. but nothing seems to make it run again. I am not running a business, and do maybe a couple of quilts a month on it, so have not even gotten a whole lot of use from this winder. I can replace it on amazon for under $34. After spending 14k, one would expect a much better quality bobbin winder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted January 3, 2023 Report Share Posted January 3, 2023 Helen: Don't buy another cheap winder. Save your money and buy a good one. I use a commercial winder and it has served me well. I have several that i've bought over the years. Some as complete free standing units, others a simply pieces that I put together. I bought all mine as used items. Paid as low as $10 (a really good buy at a quilt show rummage sale), and as much as $65 off e-bay. APQS's high end winder is high quality, but also high cost. Jim HelenS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted January 3, 2023 Report Share Posted January 3, 2023 Helen: I just looked on e-Bay and found listings for 2 commercial units. Listing number 165674996748 "Tin Lizzy" unit at $90 plus shipping, and listing number 363815762528 SWF unit at $73.67 with free shipping. The units I have are like the Tin Lizzy one. I'm unfamiliar with the SWF unit, so I can't really comment on it. Based on another listing it seems the SWF unit is quite expensive new. If I were buying, I'd probably buy the SWF unit, but I'm sort of adventurous and a bit of a risk taker so it might not be the best unit for you. I know the Tin Lizzy unit will serve you well. I see a lot of Chinese stand alone winders at reasonable prices, but I'm a bit leery of quality control on their stuff. Might work great, might not work at all. Good luck. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenS Posted January 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 8:34 AM, jimerickson said: Helen: I just looked on e-Bay and found listings for 2 commercial units. Listing number 165674996748 "Tin Lizzy" unit at $90 plus shipping, and listing number 363815762528 SWF unit at $73.67 with free shipping. The units I have are like the Tin Lizzy one. I'm unfamiliar with the SWF unit, so I can't really comment on it. Based on another listing it seems the SWF unit is quite expensive new. If I were buying, I'd probably buy the SWF unit, but I'm sort of adventurous and a bit of a risk taker so it might not be the best unit for you. I know the Tin Lizzy unit will serve you well. I see a lot of Chinese stand alone winders at reasonable prices, but I'm a bit leery of quality control on their stuff. Might work great, might not work at all. Good luck. Jim Thanks, Jim! I'll go take a look and see what I can see. I called APQS and they are sending me another bobbin winder. No telling whether or not it will be the same unit until I receive it. One can only hope not. lol dbams 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenS Posted January 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 Update: Many thanks to APQS for the speedy replacement of my bobbin winder! YAY! dbams 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunny Quilter Posted February 19, 2023 Report Share Posted February 19, 2023 Was the bobbin winder replaced with a turbo bobbin winder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunny Quilter Posted February 24, 2023 Report Share Posted February 24, 2023 Message just sent on wrong document Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenS Posted March 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2023 Sunny Quilter, The replacement bobbin winder was similar to the existing one, but quite a bit heavier. The new one also has the APQS logo on it that was missing from the initial bobbin winder. So far, so good! Still not crazy about having to guide the thread to make it wind evenly, though, and see no alternative to make that happen. I'd previously owned two other brands of longarm, and both brands came with a top quality bobbin winder that wound bobbins perfectly at the push of the on button, without my help. I guess I was spoiled. dbams 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AishaEdwards Posted March 22, 2023 Report Share Posted March 22, 2023 On 3/4/2023 at 6:52 AM, HelenS said: Sunny Quilter, The replacement bobbin winder was similar to the existing one, but quite a bit heavier. The new one also has the APQS logo on it that was missing from the initial bobbin winder. So far, so good! Still not crazy about having to guide the thread to make it wind evenly, though, and see no alternative to make that happen. I'd previously owned two other brands of longarm, and both brands came with a top quality bobbin winder that wound bobbins perfectly at the push of the on button, without my help. I guess I was spoiled. Have you found the solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenS Posted March 22, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2023 Aisha Edwards, I'm still working at getting a great bobbin wind, but it appears that messing with the tension a tiny bit seems to help, so still playing with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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