Thread: Am I the only one frustrated by her Tin Lizzie?

Just wondering. I am either very stupid when it comes to this machine, or the machine is a dud. I have such a problem trying to get the machine to run correctly. If the tension looks good on both sides, the thread breaks. If the thread doesn't break, the back looks awful. I did a quilt 2 weeks ago, and thought "wow, this is how it should be. I am loving this." I finished it, put another quilt on the frame, and cannot get the thread to stop breaking. I have tried all sorts of stuff. Anyone else having problems or am I just dumb?
I've had the machine set up for about a year, and it has been like this the whole time. My friend came over and played with it, and it was good for three quilts. Then back to the same old thing. I hate bugging people, and I hate having the machine get the best of me, so, no, I haven't called the company yet. But last week I emailed them - no response. Emailed them twice today.
Sorry, had to vent.

Boy, I'd be calling them on the phone. I know LA machines are expensive and wouldn't want to wait for the warranty to run out. There might be something wrong with it that is mechanical or computerized that you can't fix by yourself. Please call the company or at least the dealer who you bought it from.

I am frustrated with mine too. I have had lots of thread breaking problems. It only likes King Tut thread and still often breaks. I am now having problems with skipping stitches. I think it might be my encoders. They were defective when I got the machine new and had to be replaced right away. I have had it about a year and a half.

You're not dumb, and you're not alone. LA's can be tricky to master, and there are many different reasons for tension problems and thread breakage. After a while you will get the hang of it, but don't hesitate to ask for help!!! You can get a lot of tips from the internet if you search - here's one for another machine, but most of it would apply to all makes - http://www.longarmohio.com/tips.html There are also lots of yahoo groups devoted to longarming, all kinds, and the members are very helpful. I belong to the LongArm group, as well as several groups for the Innova.

Did you get a class from the shop where you bought your LA? They should be able to assist you with any questions specific to your machine. Good luck!

Originally Posted by dunster

... You can get a lot of tips from the internet if you search - here's one for another machine, but most of it would apply to all makes - http://www.longarmohio.com/tips.html There are also lots of yahoo groups devoted to longarming, all kinds, and the members are very helpful. ...

Dunster, thanks so much for this advice. There are lots of good tips on that link, one of which I will try in a few minutes

First I don't know anything about the Tin Lizzie, I own a Nolting Pro. The problem could be the thread, needle, batting, fabric, how tight or loose it's loaded, etc. I suggest that you join some general longarm forums or one specific to your TL. I recommend these 2 general longarm forums ... many different longarms are represented. Both are free
http://apqs.com/quiltboard/index.php
http://mqresource.com/forum/

I have a Lizzie and I had the same problems to start with, keep calling the shop where you got it. Don't give up! Don't letup you have a 5 year warrenty on parts ( at least mine does) and if it is a lemon the company should fix or replace it. That being said for the first year I had mine I was calling the shop or the company so much they knew my voice. LOL Some of my problems were operator error, and some were the machine. Through it all they were all very helpful and supportive. At one point Pam from the shop where I got the machine even gave me her cell phone number so I could call her while she was on vacation. Now I must say I love my Lizzie! Some times I still have problems with thread if I try to sneek in a type she doesn't like. Make sure she is well oiled and all her moving parts are lint free. Don't give up on her, once you two click there will be no stopping you!

I have had mine for a year and have been very pleased.
I followed these instructions for getting the tension:
Getting the Tension Right

Mine will sew with any kind of thread. I did originally have a thread breakage problem: There's a wire thingy (technical term) on the upper thread tension dial that the thread goes around to guide it into the uptake mechanism. I noticed that when the thread broke, it was because it got wrapped around this wire. I put a small piece of tape (like 1/8" X 2"), from the body of the machine onto the dial, covering the loose end of the wire guide. This fixed 95% of the thread breaks, the other 5% seem to be if the thread gets fouled up near the spool, but this is really rare, like once every 2-3 quilts. Since I use mostly the same weight thread, I don't have to turn the dial to play with the tension. If I do need to change the tension, I just unstick the end of the tape that's on the dial.