Robotic quilting for LA
 

Hi, i have an older HQ16 and am curious if anyone has this machine and if you have added a compatible robotic quilting system? I Realllly dont want to pay like $10,000 for the HQ set up... have been looking at PC quilter... some. Any suggestions? Thanks! Linda

I had the HQ16 and bought the HQ quiltcad - ProStitcher. That is an older model than is on the machines now. Have you checked with HQ as to the price for this for your machine? $10,00 is waaay more than the computer portion should cost.

I am not familiar with quiltcad... looked it up... appears to be a software program. Does it have the robotic attachment? I am not good at following pantos.. My stuff looks like a 2 yr old... :( so i usually just do FMQ stippling. Thanks Linda.

I had the PC Quilter some years ago. I really enjoyed it and, once you got used to it, worked great. I had to sell it when I moved states.

I had the HQ16 with the ProStitcher. It came with QuildCad but I could never get it to work for me (the QuiltCad SW part). The HQ worked great with purchased patterns. And yes, it does cost around 10K to get a new updated system. They do not have anything new for the old version. I have decided to just keep the old system on my new HQ18 Avante and it works great, just not all the great new features. I am not using for a living so will keep my old setup. If I were you, I would work with a local dealer or go to a big show and see what kind of deal you could get to upgrade from the 16--the extra stitching room is great.

I paid about $8,000 to add the robotics to my HQ Fusion about 3 years ago. But that includes the tablet computer that the software runs on, along with Art & Stitch design software (though Prostitcher comes with a lot built in so you don't have to use A&S) It also required a different carriage.

Most of what you are paying for is a sophisticated CAD program, and they've never been cheap.

Linda, I started out with the PCQ and hated it and their customer service too. One of the gals that worked for them, moved on to work with another person and they came up with MQR using the guts of the PCQ so those with a problem PCQ were able to move over to the MQR fairly cheaply. I kept the retrofitted PCQ/MQR up from my starting machine Viking MegaQuilter 9" to a stretched Juki 18" and then finally moved up to have it upgraded to the present system for my Innova 26". It also comes with the program called ProQ Designer which I love using. These systems are still in use and ocassionally you'll find one for sell. I know they sold my old retrofitted one. Great folks to work with and there are yahoo groups for both the ProQ Designer and the MQR system. The price will thrill you too.

If you have problems following the lines on a paper pantograph, consider the PPS, Precise Pantograph System. You can sit and the handles are much easier to use to follow the pantograph.

If you can only do stipples, consider adding a separate line to get a ribbon. It is a wonderful effect and doesn't have to be precise. Plus it covers a lot of area.