Stitchnripper

Wondering if these tension checks apply to a DSM?

anonymous

My innova dealer sent a guy to put the frame together and install everything. I also bought robotics and he installed all of that too. It was a 2 day job and he stayed at a hotel and I did not have any installation fee. I am sure it was built in, but totally worth it to me. There was a kink in the software that even he was not sure what to do, so he was on the phone with the home factory in Houston. Better him than me, and it was all working when he left.

quiltingshorttimer

on my Gammill if the timing is off, it causes skipped stitches. sounds like you have more of a tension problem. Last time I had a tech out for maintenance he said that long armers don't replace their check springs nearly often enough and that can be a source of stitch quality.
I too check tension each quality by stitching out on a practice piece and use my Towa gauge for each bobbin---even with the same thread, sometimes the wind of the bobbin will be a little different--each bobbin seems to have it's own mind!

sweetana3

Took a class and everyone had a Handiquilter machine. Watched the whole room of machines being pulled out of the boxes and set up and all but one were fine and the one only needed a tweak to work great. I was impressed.

jmoore

I'm sorry to hear you have such frustration with your LA. I am new to using an HQ Avante at the LQS where I rent and so far, I have been very impressed with it.

JustAbitCrazy

I agree with Paperprincess and quiltingshorttimer.

JustAbitCrazy

I agree with feline fanatic and quiltingshorttimer.

Wanabee Quiltin

I went to a retreat last year and a fellow quilter is the person who told me about keeping my backing and batting larger so I could test the tension with a strip of fabric. I clean the bobbin area thoroughly and oil it every time I change a bobbin and test the tension in the bobbin case too. Then I test the stitching, using a long handle mirror and flashlight. The timing went out immediately after we got our long arm due to my putting the needle in backward, my fault. But after that was fixed, we have had nothing but problems with this machine. Finally, our wonderful repairman, (not the dealer) said he believes the timing is off in the main part. He is a pro at this so I will trust him. Thanks for all the good suggestions though, especially about fixing the timing myself. Maybe sometime I'll try it.

Macybaby

I somehow knocked the timing off with my HQ - happened when we took it off the carriage to add the robotics.

DH loosened the screw holding the needle bar, and moved it until the eye of the needle was lining up correctly with the hook, and tightened it back down. Fixed that problem

I was also plagued with tension problems from the start. I bought the digital tension readout and replaced my tension unit. With that on there, I realized I was not turning the tension near enough when I was trying to adjust it, and often turning the wrong way. With the digital readout, I know when I've got from 500 to 515 (and it's like 3 turns) and also that if I want it tighter, I've gone the correct way.

And when taking a class, I realized I had the quilt too tight. My HQ likes it rather loose, so I can grab a finger to the first knuckle. If I have the quilt snug, then loosen the front rail two -three clicks, that is where the machine likes it. If it's not as loose as the machine likes it, either front to back or side to side, I will have tension problems. I did one quilt that I had it too snug side to side, and all the stitching except those running directly side to side looked fine. Those going that one direction had the top thread pulled to the bottom.

I also use the fingernail trick - run your nail along the thread underneath, and if the top thread is being pulled to the back, you'll feel a "click-click" as your fingernail goes over it. I also bought an endoscope camera for my phone, and that shows up the back side stitching quite well - and cost under $20 (you do need smart phone that can run it - it does not work on my husband's phone).

There was a time I was feeling I'd made a big mistake buying my machine, as I had no problems like this with my Bailey. But now I'm a lot happier with it.

Wanabee Quiltin

Thank you Macybaby for some ideas about my machine. I do know that any sewing machine can be finicky. For the first ten years I had my Bernina, it sewed horribly on Coats and Clark thread but this year, it finally sewed great. My repairman said he thinks my machine isn't a lemon-yet, but very very touchy.