Preparing for a Gifted Queen Quilter 18...what now?
 

I wasn't looking or thinking about buying a long arm, but I've been "gifted" what I believe is consdiered a Mid Arm Sit Down Machine, a Queen Quilter 18. Bear with me as I'm still reeling a bit, this is something that I hadn't even considered as I've been very pleased with the local long arm "magician" that has quilted several previous projects. But a friend is helping her mother downsize and has offered it to me, we just have to travel to pick it up, which since we are going to visiting next month anyways...I'm seriously considering accepting. BUT, where do I start?

It looks like the manufactuer, Queen Quilter, has been through some challenging times as the company has transitioned to Tin Lizzie, but might also now be LockSmith Lizzie?? Is this a concern?

If the manufactuer is out of business, is this a possible issue with support, parts, information?

Essentially, I'm trying to figure out if this is something to pursue?
Please share adivce, thoughts, tutorials...how do I even get started???

Do you know for sure that it is a sit down? A "queen quilter" sounds like the longarm with an 8 or 10' frame that was built for Sewing Machines Plus to sell as their offering (and looked identical to Tin Lizzie; quite possibly built for their rebranding), much as their "King Quilter". The Tin Lizzie-branded sit down was, I believe, called the Apprentice. I believe sit down and frame 18" machines are the same basic machine, but a longarm with frame will not have a foot pedal and a sitdown machine would require wheels and encoders to put on a frame (and stitch regulator).

Tin Lizzie is no more. There is a new company called Locksmith Lizzie that has machines which look similar (and may, in fact, be mostly the same), but they do not support the old Tin Lizzie models. This according to the owner of a longarm retailer who has taken them in on trade and has problems sourcing some parts so he can resell them.

Still, never look a gift longarm or midarm in the needle bar ;-) I would start searching for info by looking for a Facebook group and also perhaps contacting Sewing Machines Plus if you determine it was one of their machines.

Sorry, I've not heard of that machine. I just wanted to say you are very wise for checking into it before accepting this gift. I have paid the price for accepting gifts that, at the time, I thought were generous, only to realize later that the gift giver was somehow unable to take their "gift" straight to the dump, which was where it belonged.

I'm still determining exactly which/what it is, this is the picture I was sent...
https://attachment.outlook.live.net/...animation=true

It looks like a sit down machine that has been well taken care of. Can't see in the picture if it can be used with a frame or not. What is your big worry/concern with it? You might search out some of our threads on the decision on whether or not you want a long arm, which can depend on a lot of things.

So one of the first questions I'd ask myself is how many quilts per year would you quilt down? I have a backlog of 20+ tops and like to piece about a top per month and I would certainly use a long arm on a regular basis that dust wouldn't settle on it. If I only did one a year, I probably wouldn't be so envious.

Even if it requires a cleaning and some effort to get, I'd sure get it. Biggest downside is probably space, I'd probably have to get rid of my dining room table to fit it in my small house but it's mostly a cutting table now anyway. I really prefer to move along with the quilt in a standing type long arm set up, but even if I moved out my dining room table I still wouldn't have enough room for 12' rails.

Any normal sewing repair person should be able to do what is required if you have issues.

I live in Washington state, about 2 years ago now my friend in Arizona gifted me with a modern Bernina 830, not quite as deep a throat and no table but it was certainly worth the $200 or so it took to ship it back home. We also had to buy a box from the Bernina dealer with all the correct foam inserts and such as well. It was still worth the $200 repair and cleaning I had done.

To OP - you have now bumped at least 4 or 5 old threads in addition to starting this one, asking the same exact question, which is called "flooding", and not permitted on most boards. It would be better to stick to this one topic and not bumping old threads asking the same question.

I bought a Queen Quliter many years ago. The parts are interchangeable with Tin Lizzie. I also bought a Tin Lizzie foot for quilting with rulers. The circumference was just a tad larger than the quarter inch one, but works well.

I have a queen quilter 18 sit down machine and absolutely love it! I haven't had any problems with it other than getting 'out of time' once, but that was fairly easy to fix. Other than that, it has given me 5+ years of wonderful service. I'm not the only one who quilts on it, so it gets plenty of use. In my opinion you would be sorry if you passed up this machine.

Here's a link to sewing machines plus that is selling one. The ad says it is a longarm and comes with a frame.
Did or can your friend send you a picture or explain further?

https://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/r...quilter-18.php

I would accept and talk to the Lady that owns it now.