I Should Have Known Better

The Bailey was working so well on the practice quilt.  I was pretty sure that the tension problems I was having had to do with the batting, the frame, the carriage, the Sew Control, the needle, the bobbin winding, the needle, the bobbin case, the bobbin winding,  the needle, the hook, the needle, the frame, the carriage, the needle, the Sew Control, the carriage, the foot.   I addressed each of these issues several times. 

The last time I ran out of bobbin thread I decided to clean the darn thing.  I always clean the hook, the race and the bobbin case with each bobbin change.  It is a class 15 machine so I replace bobbins about every time I wind the quilt onto the take up bar.  Or more often.

This time I took the cover off of the gears and oiled the shaft behind the gears.  The cover comes right off.  See photo below.

  The gears were fine. There was very little lint on the gears.   I would be happier if the gears were both metal.  One is, one is not.  Go figure. 

I oiled and cleaned the shuttle driver shaft.  I just flushed it with oil, ran the machine and wiped away the spewed off dirt.  The second time I did it I found this.

The shuttle driver is clean now.  I flushed some more Tri-flow through there, ran the machine and wiped the spew until the Q tips were no longer dirty.

I also spent some time looking through my stash of hooks and found one that looks very similar.  It was noisier, I thought, so I polished the OEM hook (if you can call it that) that came with the Bailey and put it back in.  The thing is still noisy but the stitches are much improved and I am back to having some fun.

The Bailey needs a permanent home.  I have no room for the Behemoth anywhere in the house.  OK, it will fit in the living room but that would require moving the TV and the couch and a chair.  I am willing.  I think Steven might be, but I haven't suggested it.  For now it is in the guest  apartment.   Next time I need to move it for company I may have to reconsider.

 I pin a piece of fabric on each side so that I can quilt right up to the edge.  The bungie cord clamps help keep the sides taught and if I have enough extra border fabric on the sides, I don't have to do this. 

I found these magnets amidst the South River Parts stash.  I have found a good use for them, I think.

The little white things are L size Magna Glide prewound bobbins.  I am winding Signature thread bobbins.  I do like the Magna Glide.  They produce a nice consistent stitch.  You have a choice of colors too, black or white.