Linda Gooden

Thank you all for your response. I love to quilt, but have not done anything for quite sometime because it just isn't fun to fight that machine. I might see if my husband can help me put that pipe on the poles. I never used a quilting machine before I bought this one, should have researched a little more.

PaperPrincess

this is what I was told also. If you watch LA quilting videos from various manufacturers, they often tell you that you should have the quilt sandwich on the frame loose enough that you can poke a finger up from the back and grab it from the top. Again, watching videos, you can see the base of the quilting machine move under the quilt. It seems like it's too loose to work right, but it does. I also do not roll the top or the batting. Just get the backing rolled on smoothly, lay the batting on top & smooth, lay the top on the batting, pin the top, then baste. For the side clamps, I just clamp the backing.
This also might be a silly thing, but are the side legs exactly vertical? if they are bowed out where the feet are wider than the top this would put pressure on the top rollers and maybe bend them a bit?

lowjane

I know of some ladies that use conduits instead of their poles, they were purchased at home depot/ Lowes and cut to length. Perhaps if you take a pole with you to get the right dimension then you are sure you have the right part. It is not uncommon for people that quilt a lot to have to replace their poles on various frames. The bend in the poles particularly the center of the pole is cause by over tensioning the poles when loading quilts. I just load my backing, then drape my batting and front over the back. I secure the top with a doing a line of stitching and then the other end I use white plastic C clamps to keep the quilt straight. If you are able to get two good poles you might be able to float your batting and top and use the poles that are not bent. Good Luck

jane

LindaM

You may also be able to insert a steel or wooden or other rigid rod inside the pole to help straighten it out.