Matthew,
WOW, thank you for sending Keith over the divide. Other than the tension issue, he got the rails equal distance apart, leveled or lowered the wheels, checked the timing and tuned it up a bit and lowered the back take up rail. The machine is so smooth now. it used to feel like it was trying to jump off the table.
Keith installed the new tension unit and worked great and worked as hard as he could to get it to mess up. It was GREAT! I know why I purchased an Innova and all of the owners are not wrong. ABM is the best. Thank you for your help. Please tell Keith thank you again.
Boersma’s installed my Innova with Lightening Stitch a few weeks ago and all I can say is WOW! I am in love with this machine. The lightening stitch regulator can keep up with my incredibly slow pace as I stitch within the appliqué, a slow and time consuming process. It has no problem going through three layers of batting. Doesn’t mind if I am using trilobal polyester thread or nylon monofilament. The precision is awesome, if I stop the machine stops and stays right where I stopped it. I couldn’t be more pleased.
I am currently working in my manic mode right now trying to get my next competition quilt completed in time to enter the Houston Show. I kid you not; I am currently working on it at least 40 hours a week on the quilt, in addition to my full time job as an Organizational Change Manager. I am up at 2:30 every morning quilting until I get ready for work and spend another 26 hours on the weekend. I tell you, I have tying on, tying off, and burying threads down to a fine art! So keep your fingers crossed that I can get the quilt finished in time for Houston. Good news is if I can’t make the deadline, I will know that I did everything humanly possible to achieve my goal.
I included a picture of my Innova with my quilt on it just for the fun of it!
Best Regards,
We are all newbies at one time or another and as we progress we look back and think 'why didn't I do that sooner.' I think you'll find this about PantoVision...I have said this before...It is a computer program, being attached to an electrical, mechanical device operating through yet another version of Windows by a human...there is a learning curve and if it were easy everyone would do it. For me, if it weren't for PanotVision I would have never attempted to longarm. It only makes sense having worked with power tools all my life that you stand in front of the machine...In my opinion Pantovision brought longarming into the 21st Century, it created a more ergonomically correct posture for the user and added a much higher level of organization and provides opportunities for design that was previously limited. I just ordered Pre Design Studio III yesterday to compliment our PantoVision. It will allow us to design our own patterns and import them into Panto and at the cost of $15 per pattern will pay for itself rather quickly. I guess that's just my frugal part standing out. When the designers had to do the creation of the pattern, supply the paper, ink and machine to print that was a fair price...I just have a hard time justifying that expense to send me a file via email. We have a 22", 12' with a Standard Stitch Regulator that is complimented with PantoVision. If we could go back and do it over would we do anything differently...well it took a lot of research, going to shows, comparing machines and hours of discussions...yes it would be different...we would have gone with our gut decision and gotten Innova with PantoVision like six months sooner.
My wife LOVES her Innova longarm machine! For two years or more we researched longarm quilting machines: Tin Lizzie, APQS, Handi-Quilter, Nolting, Gammill (briefly - VERY pricey!), and others. Being the computer person in the family, I did a lot of the researxch on the Internet, reading the reviews of many of the brands. I recommmended that Linda take a good look at the Innova, which seemed the best machine, and the best "bang for her buck". Then we saw the Innova at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show and immediately were attracted to it. The quality of the machine, the top-notch customer support, even the friendliness of the dealers were attractive to us. Linda tried it out at the MA Quilt Show two years in a row, and enjoyed talking to the traveling rep, Heidi Farmer. When last year Valerie Schlake, a quilting friend of my daughter in Richmond, Va, switched from being a Gammill dealer to Innova, we checked it out again, and with some inheritance money, bought the 18" Innova and 10-foot frame and installed it in Linda's newly-redesigned sewing room. She has done numerous baby quilts and a couple of full-size quilts, my daughter has used it, and my wife's sister has done two full quilts and a baby quilt on it. (Now she too wants an Innova.)
Linda does not have the Lightning Stitch, and hasn't needed it thus far (she's had the innova about six months, since Feb. 2013).
We highly recommend it!
I love my machine!
Just wanted to say hellop and to let you knowI'm having a blast. I have on the frame my mom's applique quilt that has 1/2" round circles that are stuffed. I put on my trapunto foot and am able to stictch around those little circles very easily. Thanks for making a machine that makes me happy and I can have so much fun while quiltnig! Hope all is well.
Neal, Mike, Kandy & the ABM Family,
Thank you so much for the beautiful & delicious Harry & David gift box. It is truly appreciated.
Thank you also for the wonderful support & continued development of the Innova and AutoPilot. You are always there for us and we love our Innova and ABM.
Wow did Michael ever come to my rescue this week. I've been quilting for others now for a full year adn when I took in a lap quilt from a new customer on Monday I thought I would have a nice easy job. She picked a simple pantograph and I thought I'd have it all finished in an evening.
The first pass went easy as could be, but mid-way through the second pass I was having spots where gobs of thread were being laid down. The machine quilted about 15" of width before I discovered the problem. I thought that the machine didn't sound right and the top looked great so I looked underneath. After I picked this thread out, I tried sewing on a scrap piece adn sure enough I was getting rats nest spots.
It was now after 11pm on Monday night but I called Michael anyway. He suggested a few different things which I was going to try. A few minutes later he called me back asking for pictures of the needle to see if the timing was ok and the postion of the finger. Sure enought the position finger was way too far in . It was now 2am EST and Micheal was still there for me!
In the morning, I got my hubby to loosen the postion finger and together we got it set so that it was barely in the little slot. The gobs of thread were now gone but I now had some long thread loops unerneath. I only discovered the long thread loops after quilting the second half of the second row too. UGH! The fabric in this quilt is flannel on the back side and a top that I don't belive is 100% cotton. It is heavier and denser than 100% cotton. I realized this after picking out so many miles of thread.
Another few calls to Michael (again rather late in the eveing) and a few more adjustments to the tension knobs and the quilting looks wonderful. the quilt came off the frame tonight. Finally.
What great service!
Thanks you Michael!
I am in Ontario Canada. I did a lot of research but I'm so thankful I chose an Innova.
I purchased my Innova18 - 10 ft basic model from Peter Smith Trading in Toronto.
Peter personally delivered it to my home and was only a phone call away while I did my set up.
I was impressed by his no pressure, informative sales process. From the time I ordered to having it delivered to my home was less than 2 weeks. I was totally amazed to hear about the excellent customer service.
I can't explain exactly why I chose it initially but I definitely know I made the BEST purchase of my life. I just love my Innova and enjoy every moment I spend trying out new skills and techniques.
Steps to get your Free 14 Day Trial for AutoPilot™ Simulator:
Disclaimer
License and Disclaimer of Warranty Information By downloading, wiring to or using the AutoPilot Simulator program and hardware, you acknowledge acceptance of the following DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY ALL THE COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE ARE SOLD "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, THAT THEY ARE FREE OF ERROR, OR ARE CONSISTENT WITH ANY PARTICULAR STANDARD OF MERCHANTABILITY, OR THAT THEY WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS FOR ANY PARTICULAR APPLICATION. THEY SHOULD NOT BE RELIED ON FOR SOLVING A PROBLEM WHOSE INCORRECT SOLUTION COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO A PERSON OR LOSS OF PROPERTY. IF YOU DO USE THEM IN SUCH A MANNER, IT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM YOUR USE OF THE PROGRAMS OR FROM CONNECTING IT TO YOUR MACHINE.
The computer programs AutoPilot™ Simulator are Copyright © 2019 of Neal A. Schwarzberger and ABM International, Inc.. AutoPilot™ Simulator is a trademark of ABM International, Inc. AutoPilot™ Simulator is a proprietary product, its concept, design and functionality are Property of ABM International, Inc.