****update****
Okay, first I have to say that all y'all are angels and I truly do appreciate the time and effort y'all put in to helping me!!!
I threw together a quick quilt to see if I could make some progress on this machine. I also added 2 more thread guides on the top of the machine, removed the nicked up thread bar of the top rear of the machine and really paid attention to every detail while loading this quilt. Took me 90 mins to load this lap-sized quilt, I was being so detail oriented. Lol! Then I ran off some bobbins, now I have been playing with the tension and position of the winder daily to get a good-looking bobbin. I think I finally got it, or at least close enough. They now look evenly wound although I am not too sure about the tension but, for now this setup is working good enough. Once I got all this going, I let her rip. Oh my! I was truly amazed and felt so competent, for once, on this machine. The biggest factor or lesson, for me, is to keep the quilt LOOSE! Not falling off loose but a lot looser than quilting on the domestics. I have gotten to the point now where I can actually hear the change when it's too tight, is that not crazy? I can also hear when the thread breaks and thus stop immediately instead of going all the way across with tons of holes.
I quilted this quilt, using a panto, in just a few hours with only 4 thread breaks! I know that doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment but for me, 4 for an entire quilt on this machine is HUGE improvement!! I also know why the thread broke those 4 times, it was my fault. Going to fast or the quilt was too tight. Like I said, thanks a ton! Y'all have no idea how much your help has meant to me, and the confidence I have gained by it.