feline fanatic

Definitely keep us posted. What bothers me is the business about it going off on you mid-bobbin, or stitch one row fine then go awful the next row. I sure hope it does work out. I can't imagine having so much invested in a longarm with computer guided capability and never be happy with it.

Edited to add, make sure you wind a bobbin or two while they are there as well!

GEMRM

When they come, be sure to have a pencil and paper handy to make notes of what they do and what they tell you. Note what thread they use too, unless they are using yours.
The suggestion to wind a few bobbins is a good one too.
I would use two old sheets with batting or some old fabric vs an actual quilt top for them to practise on too - that way you can play around without guilt and "re-cycle" it after. I even wrote notes right on the sandwich with my pen for future reference.
My dealer tech told me to mark the tension knob somehow so I could know what was the "sweet spot" for my usual type of quilt top, backing and batting. I was also told to adjust by a click or two (vs large amounts) and stitch, check, then adjust etc. By keeping track of the # of clicks (and which direction) I would be able to return to the "sweet spot" or at least know how far off I was.
I think this marking/counting would work too if I were to use a different backing such as minkee - I intend to write this stuff down in a book just for the longarm for future reference.
Good luck!

Annaquilts

Look into Innova.

JustAbitCrazy

I don't think there is such a thing as a longarm that never has tension issues, because those can and do happen just because you are moving the machine while it is stitching. A longarm is a huge sewing machine, and all sewing machines are designed to be stationary while making a perfect stitch. When we start moving it in all different directions, with fluctuating speeds, here and there it becomes hard to make the perfect stitch, and fails. I think most longarms do a great job of making good stitches under such adverse conditions. Right now your problems are extreme, though, so you obviously have other issues besides movement contributing to the problem. Keep us updated on what happens after your dealer gets done with it, and good luck.

Nilla

My dealer and trainer came to the house. They replaced my bobbin case. They adjusted the tension, but it wasn't way out of whack, maybe 4-5 full turns I think. The trainer taught me how to notice if it's even a little off so I can adjust it before it gets too bad. They adjusted the take up bar just a bit and did several other diagnostic tests that were fine. They watched me thread the machine and out the bobbin in. After some test free motion quilting, we finished the computerized design on the quilt I'd started. There were no tension problems. For lack of no obvious explanations, I suppose maybe my bobbin case was somehow messed up. The squiggly piece on top was sticking out further than the new one, so maybe that was the problem.

I've got another quilt ready to load, hopefully this weekend, so I can get right into another to make sure it's still working well. Fingers crossed that maybe now I'll be able to focus my energy on improving my skill rather than fighting the machine!

Jennifer23

I'm glad it's fixed - hopefully for good! Bobbin cases can be pretty finicky, so replacing it could well be the solution. It sounds like your dealer is doing a good job of supporting you, which is so important with an investment like a longarm. Good luck with it!

pumpkinpatchquilter

Have you tried a thread net? There are one or two brands of thread I have to use a net with or it doesn't come off the cone correctly and gives me looping underneath. I would guess it has more to do with thread or thread path than tension. Tension is going to give you rail road tracks or pokies on either the top or bottom depending on where the adjustments need to be made. Looping means that excess thread isn't being pulled tight to form a stitch. Could be something happening in the bobbin hook area too - be sure lint has been thoroughly cleaned out.

I would also try winding bobbins on another machine or with a side winder and see if that makes a difference.

I promise you tension isn't the mystery that so many think that it is...but it definitely requires a "feeling" for the thread and an understanding of out the machine works. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

pumpkinpatchquilter

I just saw that you were able to fix the issue - Yay!!

PlanoDebbie

Have you tried using your machine in manual mode at all? I've had my Queen Quilter for just over two years and also had tons of issues with tension and thread breaking. I was about to call a repairman a few weeks ago and decided to switch from my stitch regulator to manual to see if there was any difference hoping that it would narrow down my problem. While I prefer the stitch regulator in theory, I had no problems at all in manual mode. I did have to tighten up my upper tension quite a bit at first, but have now quilted 3 quilts in manual mode without any tension issues or thread breakage. (Of course I will now be jinxed after writing this!) I recently bought a K-Kraft Bobbin winder as well, because the one on top of my machine was not working well. I love having this bobbin winder. A few of the down-sides to using my machine in manual mode are that I need to be consistent in the speed I move around the quilt to keep my stitches relatively the same size. Also need to be quick on the trigger finger to stop the stitching when I stop moving the machine.

As far as my tension issues in the stitch regulator mode, I'm figuring it's one or both of the following problems: My encoders could be bad, or they just don't make good conduct with the pipes. My conduit pipes have a slightly rough texture to them as opposed to being smooth as glass. Home Depot only carried one kind that would work for me when we did our set up. I'm guessing the encoders may have difficulty rolling over this rough textured surface and translating that information to my stitch regulator.

terrylenae

I have a Gammill Vision 18/8 and rarely have tension issues. However, I use the Towa Bobbin Gauge with every bobbin change to check my tension. I rarely need to adjust the top thread tension.