LURCH

[catsigler]

I want to do a panto but in order to come close to being able to follow a curved line without jerks and angles, I must level the table. But leveling the table seems beyond my capability.

The rails read level end to end and front to back on the table ends. However, level front to back except on the ends of the rails seems to depend on the position of the machine head on the carriage. If the head is all the way to the back of the carriage, the back rail is lower, no longer leve, and the carriage is not level. If the head is all the way to the front of the carriage, all is pretty level. I think this is the reason I'm having so much trouble guiding the machine. I'm at a loss and I don't know where to go from here.

I am so frustrated. Maybe the truss nut??

[smorris]

Hi Cathey

You got it! Adjust the tension bolts in the centre of the table.

When I set up a table I first have those bolts resting on the tension bar.

I check the front to back level on one end of the table and get that right, then I do the length level on one side (from one end of the table to the other and get that level, then I go on the other side of the table and get that level along the length. Then the remaining front to back should be level.

Then I put the machine in the centre of the table (I don't have the lexan on) and measure front to back and adjust the height of each of the tension bolts, the back may need to be slightly higher than the front since the machine is heavier at the back.

Before you start levelling, you might like to loosen all the bolts across the table that hold the cylinders in place and retighten them with your fingers so that they are equally tight, then give an extra turn with a wrench to each. If one cylinder is looser than the rest the table will bow out at this spot and the machine will be stiffer to move there. The measurement you are aiming for across the table is 23 3/4".

Good luck

Sue in Australia

[catsigler]

Thanks for the response, Sue.

I was assuming it was a leveling problem but the table is level and the rails are parallel, but 22 1/8, not 23 3/4 (wonder why), and the problem I am having and have had since I got the machine seven months ago is still dogging me. The machine moves smoothly front to back, and side to side, but it a absolutely will not move diagonally, which means no circles, no curves. There is no thread wrapped around the wheels. I am renaming my machine LURCH until this is resolved! My husband and I have spent the last four hours trying to identify the source of this problem. Watched the maintenance video twice, adjusted the wheels every which way to Sunday, checked/adjusted the stitch regulator wheels, but nothing has made one bit of difference. It moves smoothly front to back or side to side, but when I try to move in any other direction, the two directions fight each other and make sewing smooth curves or diagonals impossible. He suspects one or more bad wheel bearings. I need to get this problem resolved. It's been seven months. All I can quilt are circle lord designs. I don't suppose any customer support is available on the weekends???

[Ammoman]

Cathey, if you ever figure it out be sure and let me know. I have the exact same problem. people are telling me i'm supposed to buy tools that cost hundreds of dollars. whats up with that?

[Georgene]

Could your wheels possibly be too loose? That was my problem in the beginning when I couldn't do rounded curves.

I thought loose wheels was the thing, but when my sales rep visited, she tightened the wheels and it did much better.

If you can grab hold of the handles and jiggle the head back and forth, the wheels may be too loose.

I'm a newbie too, but this helped my situation. Hope it's as simple for you. Of course it still takes practice to do those curves.

[catsigler]

Your rep visited?!! Wow!

No, the wheels have been in every o'clock position. They are currently back at the factory 9 o'clock. Not too loose, not too tight. That's not the problem. Steve is pretty sure it's bad bearings.

Someone the other day described her machine as "like butter". Mine is like driving a truck on a gravel road. Not good.

[mark]

Just a thought Cathey, if your machine moves smooth front to back and side to side, I would think the wheels are fine. To move diagonally is very difficult to do free handed, you are now moving both sets of wheels, that is why so many people use the rulers and guides to do ditch work, it is so hard to do free handed. To move just doing a freehand design and go in the diagonals it will take some ppp. Maybe someone else can jump in here and see if I'm totally off base.

Take care,

[catsigler]

It is not possible to make a smooth curve with this machine and PPP will never change that. I want new wheels.

[smorris]

Hi Mark and Cathey

Mark, you are right about practice, it takes us all different amounts of time to learn to guide the machine to make it do what we want it to do, just like some people have more control over a pencil than others.

It took me ages to do free flowing designs that I am happy with.

Cathey, are you feeling any minor bumps if you move the machine slowly across the table or backwards and forwards, if not your wheels are good. If you have bad bearings you will feel a consistent bump in one of the directions horiz or diag at very consistent spacing. There can also be three other reasons (that I can think of) for why you'll feel bumps

1. on the toothed wheel, the channel lock has a tiny bar that could be catching on the teeth as the wheel moves around,

2.on the underside of the toothed wheel is a rivet that could be catching on the channel lock assembly

3. one of the set screws on the collar that is above the rubber encoder wheel is rubbing on the larger carriage wheel.

i responded to you under the subject lurch with some other things to check for on your table - it would be great to see some pics of your cams and a sideview of your wheels against table rail and to know the distance between your levelling bar and machine all along the table ( a low levelling bar will really make it difficult to move the machine smoothly). I'm sure we can get this sorted out soon.

Best wishes

sue in Australia

[catsigler]

Yes, Sue, there are minor bumps front to back and side to side, but the quilting line is smooth in those directions. Guess Steve was right; this confirms the bad bearings. He even thinks he knows which wheel.

The leveler bar is plenty high, nowhere near the machine bed.

Steve adjusted #3 yesterday but that did not change anything. I'll mention 1 and 2 to him when he and Jack get back from the doggy park.

Except for replacing the wheels, everything else that can be done has been done and checked and done again; the table is fine, level and parallel.

I am getting a little tired of hearing PPP. Practicing will not fix a mechanical problem with the machine.

[Quilting Heidi]

Cathey,

I'm sorry you are still having problems but your post did help me get my table set. I have been playing with my wheels trying to get them just right because I was having a bobble but couldn't tell if it was due to operator error or something not adjusted well. Finally today I spent several hours stiching pantos and by the time I got to the end I figured out where my machine seemed to be harder to move, creating the bobble. It was pretty consistent once I recognized it. It turns out that the bolts on the leveler bar had worked loose on one side and I was pushing the machine uphill. I think I got it. THe other thing I noticed was that one of the screws that hold the rear wheels bar on was out by about 1/4". Tightened that up too. I sure hope that is it.

I really hope you get your problem resolved. It is so frustrating when all you want to do is stitch. I do have a question though, why does it work with the cl and not when you do it manually. Do you feel hesitation or the bump when it is hooked to the cl? Just curious.

Heidi

[catsigler]

Heidi, that's great! I'm glad you found your trouble.

With CL, the stylus is in the groove and the machine can't go where it wants to go, but only where the stylus allows it to go, unless the stylus jumps out of the groove, but if that happens I add an extra strip of non-skid shelf liner under the low spot and that prevents the stylus jumping the track.

Sue, the wheel pics are up:

http://picasaweb.google.com/catsquilting/Wheels

Let me know if you need to see more shots.

[mark]

Cathey,

If you feel the wheels are bad and you know that you have located them, then you need to call in and speak to Amy and get some new ones, they are under warranty and you can have your problem resolved.

[smorris]

Hi Cathey

Thanks for the pics - can you take a top view of the cams too?

I can see that you have extra spacers between the axle on the back of the carriage and the wheel (probably to raise the carriage enough for the Circle Lord) from the picture they don't look to be equal in depth to the ones on the front and, from the picture it seems that the wheels are not sitting with the same "air gap" front to back. This would make a considerable difference in how the machines moves even if your washer is only 1/16th" different. I know it probably seems hard to imagine that small amount could make a difference but it will.

Mark - am I seeing things?

Best wishes

sue in australia

[mrsbishwit]

No Sue your not seeing things I thought the very same things when I looked at the pics last night.

[smorris]

Hi Cathey

Thanks for posting the pics of the cams - they all look good.

Do you still have the instructions for fitting the CL.

I have never fitted a CL, but I would expect to see a number of washers - possibly different thicknesses and and replacement gold bolts that are longer than the APQS ones. It would be important that the bolts are the same diameter as the originals and that, where the bolt goes through the hole drilled in the carriage there is thread on the bolt rather than smooth shaft so there can't be any movement.

If you raise the back of the machine, you must raise the front exactly equally to keep the wheels in alignment. This will mean that the gold bolts that came with your machine will not be long enough and you'll have to order more from APQS - or get them from an autoparts store.

I'd talk to Mark or Amy on Monday to find out what length and diameter bolt you need and how much thread versus smooth should be on the bolt to allow the spacers to pass over.

I'm sure you are very close to getting those lovely curves now.

Best wishes

sue in Australia

[catsigler]

The CL makes the back and the front of the carriage higher. Maybe Michael will jump in here. If I am understanding what you all are saying, you think the spacers are making the back higher than the front. This is not the case. The three washers raise the carriage equally at the four wheel mounting bolts (photos 353, 354, 355, 356), and the carriage is level.

Sue, the air gap at the wheels is difficult to photograph because of the light source and the angle of the camera, but it is not difficult to see. It appears equal to my eye. The machine moves smoothly front to back. Less so from side to side, That's where I can feel a slight bump, and where Steve believes the bad bearing is, on the left front wheel as you stand at the front of the machine. He would like to replace that wheel with a new one and see if that fixes the situation.

Myrna, when you say the wheels do not look correct, I don't know what you mean.

[Myrna Ficken]

Cathey it is my thought that the wheels should glide on the rail. Mark, John someone correct me if I am mistaken. In a couple of the photos they appear that they are sitting in the groove of the wheel. It could be the angle of the photo.

Was looking at the Hawk family in your photos.......wow very cool.

Myrna

[catsigler]

Myrna, it's the angle of the photo, and the flash distorting the view. They all sit the same. Steve just spent more time analyzing the wheel movement. He lifted all the weight off the wheels in the front and spun both wheels. The right front wheel spins freely. The left front wheel does not. I need a new wheel pronto! If I get it installed I might be able to get my round robin quilt quilted in time for my guild's show on Oct 12-13 and I will be a happy camper. Or maybe someone else wants to volunteer to quilt it for me. hahahahaha

Oh, Myra, that Hawk was the most extraordinary birding experience! The fledgling was sitting on the fence in the corner of my yard and he stayed there for most of the day until he learned to fly and then his mother and the other fledgling stayed around our home for several weeks. I was three feet from him the first day when I took those pictures. He didn't even know he was supposed to be afraid of us, though his mother was shrieking from the top of the pine tree. It still gives me chills thinking about it.

[pigletaz]

Cathey - here is an offer to you. I have a Freedom SR which glides in all directions and I am in Gilbert. If you need a machine, please come and use mine. I do not have a CL yet but you can do pantos and freehand, etc. You are welcome to use my machine if yours is not working properly in time. Thanks, Renee

[Myrna Ficken]

That is so sweet of you Renee. What a great bunch of quilter's you are.

Cathey call in the morning and they will send you one out tomorrow and you should have it in a few days.

Have the hawks come back? I love being in "town" now but I do miss the wildlife we had in Hurricane. The first week we moved there we had a pair of Golden Eagles on the golf course right behind the house every morning and evening for a month. They had plenty of rabbits to hunt. Last winter we had a Bald Eagle around the house for a few days. We were in the hill house then and it was flying at eye level and up over the house. It was awesome. Of course I was in awe looking at it so I never get my camera.

Myrna

[catsigler]

Renee, you are so sweet to offer your machine! Thank you. I think (hope) I'll be back in business by Thursday. I just ordered a wheel and it should be here Wednesday afternoon. Steve will even be here to help with the installation. Wee! Thanks to everyone for all the help and support. Onward and upward!

[ffq-lar]

Too little and too late I know, but sitting at dinner last night I posed your problem to my engineer DH and he pondered a minute. He said sounds like one wheel isn't turning. So sorry you had to go through all the hassle to find out the problem and from now on I will involve my hubby sooner!!! Good luck with the new wheel and get quilting, Cathey!