quilting on longarm
 

I have a very old longarm and the rear thread guide looks like it is just a sturdy coat hanger so when I am quilting it really vibrates and sometimes the thread gets messed up . Should my thread guide be strong enough it does not bend while quilting. just let me know what you have on your machine

You can add guides to keep the thread straight. I have an old Singer 201 that someone stretched to 18", and the person who had it before me had placed several tiny Command adhesive hooks on one side, then run the thread through the hooks. She also added a couple of small wads of batting in strategic places to keep the thread from jumping around.

a quilting acquaintance of mine is also a fishing enthusiast. she went to the sporting goods dept. at walmart and got fishing line guides for fishing rods and mounted them on top of her machine in a couple of places.

Are you talking about the tall vertical guide or the smaller ones that run along the top or side of your machine? If it's the tall one, you can get an inexpensive one with a plastic base at JoAnn's. It's on their notions wall. Not sure how you would affix it to the machine, however. YOu could try it with and without the base.

ha! that is good thinking ;-)