LucyInTheSky...
I have the TL18LS w/qbot attached. I got mine in 2009. I was set to get an Innova (loved the couching foot idea)..but hubby insisted on a local dealer & I got my Lizzie from a local (well local as we get here..70+ mile round trip).
I had a problem with the machine "racing"...part was me moving too fast, but slowing way down didn't solve the entire issue. The reason I finally called my dealer was that my hubby heard a clunking noise inside the machine (that's where it sounded like it was coming from to us). My dealer's tech was out due to an accident...so I called the TL company & Isaac got back to me within a day or two. Since I was not at home (it was 9pm almost, on Friday nite...we were at bingo) we set a time for the next morning, when I'd be home and at the machine. I laid my cell phone on the quilt top...and as Isaac gave me things to try...first was to stitch evenly & not too slow or fast right to left...racing happened...so I slowed way down...only a short amount of racing, but there...and I also stitched forward and back at an even pace...still racing. Isaac also heard the clunking noise, and asked how my hopping foot had been adjusted. I didn't adjust it, the dealers tech did. So, Isaac had me move off the quilt, put the hopping foot down, then the needle down. I loosened the foot (mine has a screw on the side, older TL18's don't), slid a dime under the foot until it touched the needle. Then I tightened the foot, raised the needle, then the foot and took out the dime (I laughed when Isaac said to remove the dime...but after many years in customer service...I knew where he was coming from). I asked if there was an adjustment for the racing...he said there was, but that he wanted to know the color of my control board...so I took the cover off the control box...and told him the color...he said he felt I needed a new board. That took a week to get...put it in...Isaac again on the phone...racing was better, but still there. I told Isaac that I knew enough about computer control boards to know this should be an adjustment...I was correct...and was told what little white screw to turn and how much. Fixed! I am sure had Isaac known from the get go that I had some computer repair/assembly experience, he would have walked me through the adjustment. Oh, and the clunking...that was the hopping foot set incorrectly.
I have had my issues with tension, and believe it or not...that's not uncommon with any machine out there. I am not afraid to turn the tension assemblies, nor am I wary of adjusting the bobbin case tension. You have to be willing to get past the cost of your machine, wether it be a low end or high end machine. Every thread type/color, fabric, batting, etc. will affect your tensions at times (more often than not). As a result, I run my tensions fairly loose & can easily adjust to most any thread out there. I've only found a couple of Coats n Clark thread colors that didn't work...but they didn't work on my embroidery or home machines either...felt rough...they are in the trash. I had one Metroemb white thread that didn't work...seemed frail for some reason. I purchased their Sukerman (I think they call it Sigma) thread in white & cream...they are wonderful to use. I've tried 60wt bottomline (bobbin) thread in the upper, regular Coats sewing thread, metallics, serger threads, up to pearl cotton...and can run them all. Yes, I have to adjust the tensions each thread change...but I have to do that every quilt anyhows.
I had only one encoder problem (I broke one). Encoders rarely go bad..but the cables that they connect with are another story...they have a tiny wire to each prong of the tiny white plug..if one of those breaks inside the black coating...you can have encoder issues. Changing the cable fixes 99% of the issues with an encoder not working.
Learn what makes your machine tick...like the encoders. They have a tiny computer chip inside...that feeds info to the computer board on the machine...which decyphers and sends the needed instruction to the control on the handle...which tells the machine how fast/slow to move the needle....so we can outrun our encoders & that will cause racing.
Originally Posted by
LucyInTheSky
I bought my Tin Lizzie after testing out a few machines. I had been leaning towards the HandiQuilter, but when I was actually on the TL, I knew it was the one (same thing happened with my domestic). The machine arrived last May and immediately had a problem with one encoder (the thing that registers the side-to-side movement). Okay, no big deal, they replaced it after 2 weeks. But my rep never actually trained me. She spent 15 minutes with me, loaded the quilt wrong, said "play with it" and left. I had to watch the DVD a lot and come online before I could even do anything. And then the machine still wasn't working right. In February, I finally pitched a fit with the dealer and with TL themselves, since every quilt (the whopping 6 I made in 9 months) had issues. They sent the new rep (old rep was fired) and a tech. Tech said the other encoder (front-to-back motion) was also bad, which meant it had been bad for 9 months, awesome. Almost a month later, they replaced that - still issues. 2 weeks later, they just replaced the tension assembly. On the to do list is to get a quilt on there and give her a test.
I'm sort of in the buyer's remorse category. I still felt like TL was "the one", but I'm thinking I should've bought the HQ (since one of the gals I work with has one and LOVES the machine and the tech support, plus they have classes), or even a different machine. I dunno... trying to power through it since when it works, I really do like my machine. Hang in there, do some quilts, and make sure it's not just an expensive table like mine is...