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HQ Infinity User Manual 

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The Infinity uses the MR needle system. Note that the needle has a 

round shank rather than a shank with a flat side like home sewing 

machines use. 

If you use the recommended needle, you will experience: 

•  Fewer skipped stitches

•  Less needle breakage

•  Less thread breakage, especially at high speeds

•  Less thread splicing or shredding

•  Optimum fabric protection

 

Â

IMPORTANT

: Change the needle regularly. We recommend you use a new needle for each new quilt 

loaded on the machine, and any time the needle becomes bent, dull, or burred. 

 

U

CAUTION

: A damaged needle may result in poor stitching quality or may even damage the machine 

or your quilt. 

To change the needle

 

ONLINE

: For more information about changing the needle, watch the video 

Changing the Needle

 at: 

http://www.handiquilter.com/videos/hq-infinity/222/

.

1.  Move the needle bar to the up position by pressing the needle up/down control on the handles. 

2.  Turn off all power to the machine. 

3.  Loosen the needle bar clamp screw with the 

2.5mm hex wrench. 

4.  Remove the old needle by pulling it down. Discard the old needle in a safe way. 

5.  With the scarf of the needle (indentation at 

the back of the needle) facing the rear of the 

machine and the long groove down the front 

of the needle facing the front of the machine, 

push the needle all the way up into the needle 

bar until it stops. Check the sight opening to 

verify that the top of the needle can go no 

farther up. 

 

U

CAUTION

: Check the needle to confirm it is fully inserted. The needle bar has a sight opening 

above the needle bar clamp screw. Make sure the needle is touching the top of the sight opening. 

If it isn’t, the machine timing will be off and it may be possible for the needle to collide with 

internal parts causing damage not covered by warranty. 

6.  Carefully tighten the needle bar clamp screw. 

 

U

CAUTION

: Although you can use your fingers to tighten the needle bar clamp screw, we recommend 

that after finger-tightening the screw you use the 2.5mm hex wrench to tighten it just a bit more. 

The Infinity runs at very high speeds and this ensures the needle will not loosen while quilting. 

However, do not over tighten the needle clamp screw as this may strip the threads of the screw. 

Stripped threads are not covered under the warranty. It may also become difficult to insert the 

needle properly into the needle bar. Once the screw no longer turns freely by hand, gently turn the 

screwdriver until the screw is tightened snuggly.

Needle size

Thread size

12 and 14

monofilament, 100 wt. silk, 60 wt. poly, mylar

16

monofilament, hologram, 100 wt., 80 wt., 60 wt., 50 wt., 40 wt. silk, poly or
cotton thread

18

40 wt. cottons and poly, 30 wt. cottons and poly

19 and 21

Any thread 30 wt. and heavier such as 12 wt., 19 wt., 30 wt.

Machine Quilting Tip: Needle Requirements

For general quilting, a size 16/100 needle will accommodate most threads and fabrics. 

Heavier threads, such as top stitch and some decorative threads, require a larger needle 

such as 18/110 or 21/130. Lofty batts and heavier fabrics such as denim, canvas, or densely 

woven fabric may also require a larger needle.

Hopping Feet

Your machine comes with two hopping feet: a ruler foot (comes installed) and an open-toe foot. Use the 

ruler foot for everyday quilting and ruler work, and use the open-toe foot when you need greater stitch 

visibility (such as when you are micro quilting).

 

ONLINE

: For more information about changing the hopping foot, watch the video 

Changing the 

Hopping Foot 

at: 

http://www.handiquilter.com/videos/hq-infinity/223/

Scarf 

(back side)

Groove  

(front side)

Side view

Summary of Contents for Infinity 26 QM33001

Page 1: ...HANDI QUILTER 26 INCH LONGARM Designed by a Quilter for Quilters USER MANUAL QM33001 VERSION 1 1...

Page 2: ...ror free Handi Quilter Inc assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in the informational content contained in this manual Handi Quilter HQ Infinity HQ Avan...

Page 3: ...ne specifications Owner s manual Frame setup information Gallery Frame installation manual Machine setup information Owner s manual How to thread your machine Quick reference card Needle system for yo...

Page 4: ...uilter s Eye Technology 21 Optional Accessory Easy Click Ruler Base 23 Install the Laser Stylus 24 Using Your Machine 27 Power Switch 27 Lighting 27 Machine Needle 27 Hopping Feet 29 Optional Accessor...

Page 5: ...et Language 64 Information Screens 65 Machine Maintenance 68 Clean and Oil Your Infinity 68 Maintenance Schedule 69 Troubleshooting 70 Appendix 1 76 Federal Communications Commissions FCC Declaration...

Page 6: ...s at 1 877 697 8458 Monday through Friday 8 00 AM to 5 00 PM Mountain Time Keep the carton and packing materials You will need them if you need to return the machine to the dealer or send it for repai...

Page 7: ...nfinity from the electrical outlet when performing any maintenance changing the needle removing thread locks or when left unattended Do not unplug by pulling on cord To unplug grasp the plug not the c...

Page 8: ...struction concerning use of the machine in a safe way and understand the hazards involved Cleaning and user maintenance shall not be made by children without supervision Save these instructions This m...

Page 9: ...s B and C may be used to connect this plug to a 2 pole receptacle as shown in sketch B if a properly grounded outlet is not available The temporary adapter should be used only until a properly grounde...

Page 10: ...nute to full speed Stitches Per Inch 5 stitches per inch to 24 stitches per inch Basting mode one stitch per quarter inch one stitch per half inch one stitch per inch one stitch every two inches and o...

Page 11: ...dlebars 3 Handi Accessory Rail 4 USB for video camera 5 Video camera bracket 6 Front handlebars 7 Front display 8 Front on off switch Close up view of needle area 9 Presser bar 10 Needle bar 11 Needle...

Page 12: ...anual 11 Right side view 15 Take up lever 16 Three hole thread guide 17 Thread tray and thread mast 18 Spool pin 19 Hand wheel 20 Handi Accessory Rail 21 Stirrup thread guide 22 Tension assembly 15 16...

Page 13: ...SB connection 25 Main On Off power switch 26 Power cord connection 27 Reserved for second video camera 28 Reserved for HQ Pro Stitcher 29 Stitch regulator 30 Laser stylus connection 31 Reserved for HQ...

Page 14: ...s heavy Never attempt to lift it alone Always use two people when lifting Always lift from the throat of the machine not from the handlebars or needle bar 3 Plug the ribbon cable from the stitch regul...

Page 15: ...n this section of the manual U U CAUTION To prevent any electrical damage to the handlebars always turn off all power to the machine when connecting or disconnecting the handlebars To install the fron...

Page 16: ...mm washer on the M5 hex screws and place into the top two holes in the handlebar bracket 4 Align the bracket and hex screws with the pre drilled holes behind the machine s head and fully tighten the t...

Page 17: ...o holes until they stop Use the 4mm hex wrench to firmly tighten the bolts and securely fasten the handles to the back of the machine 4 Connect one end of the RJ45 or network style phone cord into the...

Page 18: ...lative to the quilt Use the 5mm hex tool to loosen the bolt at the back of the handlebars Grasp the handlebars and tilt them closer to the quilt until they are in a comfortable position for micro quil...

Page 19: ...bar to control starting and stopping the stitching NOTE The traditional handlebar configuration has the Start and Pause buttons on the right handlebar and the Needle Up and Down buttons on the left ha...

Page 20: ...and into the front left side of the Infinity IMPORTANT If you have HQ Pro Stitcher you will install the HQ Pro Stitcher tablet computer to the front of the machine instead of the 7 inch display See th...

Page 21: ...Tray and Thread Mast To install the thread tray on the machine ONLINE For more information about installing the spool tray onto the machine watch the video Installing the Thread Tray at http www hand...

Page 22: ...Loosen the knob at the bottom of the thread tray until the tray can move freely along the Handi Accessory Rail Position the tray where you want it and finger tighten the knob Install the Quilt View V...

Page 23: ...on the camera so it shows the bottom of the quilt while quilting 4 Plug the cable into the port on the left side of the base end cap 5 Tuck the excess cable into the accessory track on the left side o...

Page 24: ...lling the ruler base watch the video Installing the Ruler Base at http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 219 1 Center the ruler base over the base end cap of the machine The spring loaded ball b...

Page 25: ...er base with only as much force as is necessary to keep the ruler from slipping Too much pressure will keep the machine from moving The quilting line is approximately a quarter inch away from the rule...

Page 26: ...essory track along the right side of the machine The laser stylus can move in any direction by rotating the clamp on the post and pivoting the laser up or down To make an adjustment simply loosen the...

Page 27: ...The laser stylus should never be left on and unattended Do not use the laser stylus as a toy Pay close attention when the laser stylus is being used by or near children or pets Use the laser stylus o...

Page 28: ...recommend you turn off both switches and unplug the power cord from the power source IMPORTANT Refer to the safety instructions Lighting The Infinity includes several lights to make it easy for you to...

Page 29: ...quilt loaded on the machine and any time the needle becomes bent dull or burred U U CAUTION A damaged needle may result in poor stitching quality or may even damage the machine or your quilt To change...

Page 30: ...crew Stripped threads are not covered under the warranty It may also become difficult to insert the needle properly into the needle bar Once the screw no longer turns freely by hand gently turn the sc...

Page 31: ...sser foot is raised allowing the thread to come freely out of the machine When a home machine is threaded the tension discs are released and open to allow the thread to easily fall between the tension...

Page 32: ...case so that the thread pulls off clockwise when viewing the open side 2 Slide the thread through the slot and under the tension spring leaving approximately five to six inches of thread hanging loose...

Page 33: ...t the thread pulls off clockwise when viewing the open side 3 Slide the thread through the slot and under the tension spring leaving 5 to 6 inches of thread hanging loose 4 To fit the bobbin case onto...

Page 34: ...r thread nesting problems on the bottom side of the quilt The Infinity can also save a top tension setting for up to three types of thread For more information about setting the top tension presets se...

Page 35: ...1 Always adjust bobbin thread tension first 2 Stitch out to check top tension 3 If top thread looks like Diagram A Problem The top thread is too tight Solution Press the Easty Touch Tension button on...

Page 36: ...ead must be flossed up between the two tension discs If the thread is not firmly in place between the two tension discs the thread will lay on top of the tension discs no tension and thread looping on...

Page 37: ...o bring the bobbin thread to the top of the quilt watch the video Starting and Stopping Quilting at http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 229 1 After the machine is threaded locate needle up ne...

Page 38: ...top of the quilt for quilting You will need to trim the needle thread following a tieoff ONLINE To see how to perform a bobbin thread cut watch the video Using the Bobbin Thread Cutter at http www ha...

Page 39: ...he art tablet computer that is conveniently mounted on top of the machine This rich and full featured software is easy to learn and makes precise quilting simple and fun Using the HQ Pro Stitcher Tabl...

Page 40: ...eating 2 point star button and multi point areas diamond button when starting and stopping freehand recording star button and when marking lines for quilting diamond button See the Infinity version of...

Page 41: ...have HQ Pro Stitcher you should have installed the tablet computer that came with HQ Pro Stitcher at the front of the machine rather than the 7 inch touch screen You will then use the HQ Pro Stitcher...

Page 42: ...h this icon to open the Tools For more information about the various tools see Machine Tools in the Toolbar Options section of this manual Touch this icon to open the Settings For more information abo...

Page 43: ...s in green as shown at the left This button does not move the needle but rather indicates your preference for the final needle position when quilting is stopped Easy Touch Tension button Touch this bu...

Page 44: ...it manually Drag your finger down from the top of the onscreen hand wheel in the direction of the arrows to cycle the needle bar and the presser bar NOTE You can if necessary move your finger in an u...

Page 45: ...hen in Manual stitching mode and it becomes the current speed Perhaps you want one speed when doing overall quilting a different speed for ruler work and yet another speed for micro quilting 1 Select...

Page 46: ...tely begins quilting according to the stitches per minute and stitches per inch settings The Start stitching indicator in the upper left corner of the screen turns green and the needle begins moving u...

Page 47: ...off when changing the needle replacing the bobbin or placing your hands near the needle to avoid unwanted stitching in your quilt or in your fingers Machine Quilting Tip When to use Precision stitch...

Page 48: ...ne stitch every two inches of movement of the machine B3 One stitch every four inches of movement of the machine ONLINE For information about basting mode watch the video Basting a Quilt at http www h...

Page 49: ...t from the video camera appears on the touch screen display Manually rotate the knob on the camera lens to adjust the focus as needed You can also use the dial built into the camera s cable to dim or...

Page 50: ...an be very useful when viewing white thread or white chalk on white fabric The best contrast is achieved when viewed in a dark or dimly lit room Although Handi Quilter has chosen to use UV lights whic...

Page 51: ...of the surgery Machine Tools To open the machine tools touch the Tools icon in the toolbar After selecting it the icon turns green Choose from the five tools at the bottom of the screen After you sele...

Page 52: ...ceed with your quilting When you are through quilting for a time press Pause 3 When you resume quilting press Play again The quilting timer will continue tracking your time and add it to the previousl...

Page 53: ...button followed by another number button Function buttons include addition subtraction multiplication x and division After you ve pressed the numbers and the function buttons press the equal sign for...

Page 54: ...ity 243 IMPORTANT If you are running the Infinity from a Pro Stitcher tablet computer the Update screen has only the machine icon because you update the machine software only The Infinity software is...

Page 55: ...de of the machine touch the display icon to update the display s software NOTE To update the rear display you must first unplug the USB cable from the bottom of the display and insert the USB drive wi...

Page 56: ...ne will beep when the calibration begins when it is halfway through the calibration and will emit a slightly longer beep when calibration completes When you check the tension setting after calibration...

Page 57: ...ptions that appear along the bottom of the screen shown below After you select an option the button background turns to green and the screen changes for you to do the configuration of that setting The...

Page 58: ...in the Using Your Machine section of this manual When you are happy with the stitching note the tension value on the Electronic Tension Button and follow the steps below to save it as a preset 1 Touch...

Page 59: ...ns to adjust speed or stitch length while the Easy Touch Tension button is selected or while setting tension presets Low Bobbin Alarm The amount of thread that fits on a bobbin varies according to the...

Page 60: ...the full bobbin As you quilt this number counts down While you are recording the bobbin capacity of a bobbin the number increases as you quilt until it runs out of thread 4 Return to the low bobbin a...

Page 61: ...h labels for the handlebars because you can decide which functions you want on the right and left handlebars For example use the left handlebar for starting and stopping your quilting and the right ha...

Page 62: ...options available for the left and right handlebars Make sure that the handlebar labels are consistent with your selection To configure the star and diamond buttons on the handlebars 1 Select the down...

Page 63: ...he star and diamond handlebar buttons for selected HQ Pro Stitcher functions For more information about using HQ Pro Stitcher with the Infinity refer to the HQ Pro Stitcher user manual Laser Lights Th...

Page 64: ...Overspeed alarm Alerts you if you are moving the machine faster than 100 of motor capacity and therefore are quilting too fast for stitch regulation to work properly Because of the high speeds of the...

Page 65: ...r you indicate how many stitches are in an automatic tieoff use the Tieoff button on the Main screen to perform the tieoff Touch the button and gently move the machine to perform the micro stitches Se...

Page 66: ...ifferent weights of thread Touch the Information icon in the toolbar Then touch the Needle button To see the machine threading diagram For quick reference the Infinity has an on screen guide that show...

Page 67: ...diQuilter com Select one of the buttons along the left to see close up diagrams of steps 1 through 3 4 through 7 and 8 through 10 Opens machine threading diagrams Shows close up diagrams of threading...

Page 68: ...Information button in the lower right corner of the screen Lifetime Stitch Count Shows the lifetime stitch count for your machine Lifetime Machine Time Shows the cumulative time your machine has quil...

Page 69: ...oil the bobbin area watch the video Maintaining Your Machine at http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 244 1 Turn off the machine by powering off the front switch Then remove the bobbin and bob...

Page 70: ...e display s touch screen response Maintenance Schedule In addition to the ongoing cleaning and oiling maintenance you should have your machine serviced by an authorized Handi Quilter representative ev...

Page 71: ...titches thread breakage or shredding Always change the needle if it has been hit bumped or pulled off center while maneuvering the machine about the quilt A slightly bent needle can be a major cause o...

Page 72: ...Visually check that it is up to the top of the stop sight hole above the needle bar clamp screw If the needle isn t installed properly it can cause damage in the bobbin area and throat plate The need...

Page 73: ...enough tension on top thread Check that the machine is threaded correctly Make certain that the thread is flossed snugly in place between the two tension discs If the machine is threaded correctly tig...

Page 74: ...rollers may be bowed or bent Make certain the fabric is not rolled too tight causing the poles to bow Check that poles are inserted completely together with the push pins engaged so bowing won t occur...

Page 75: ...e not suitable for thread Replace the needle to one better suited for the thread Use the proper size needle Hesitating too long at one point in quilting motif Move more quickly so stitches don t overl...

Page 76: ...isplay cables unplugged Locate the black cables that plug into the touch screen display and connect to the side of the machine Make sure both ends are plugged in securely NOTE If the troubleshooting t...

Page 77: ...adio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which...

Page 78: ...lay on your smart phone Setting Up the Frame http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 209 Installing the Front Handlebars http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 210 Installing the Rear Handl...

Page 79: ...y 218 Installing the Ruler Base http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 219 Installing the Laser Stylus http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 221 Changing the Needle http www handiquilter...

Page 80: ...nity 227 Adjusting the Top thread Tension http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 233 Threading the Machine http www handiquilter com dash videos video 228 Loading a Quilt http www handiquilter c...

Page 81: ...uilting http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 239 Using Rulers and Templates http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 220 Using Pantographs http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 238...

Page 82: ...n http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 235 Using Precision Stitch Regulation http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 236 Controlling the Lights on the Infinity http www handiquilter com v...

Page 83: ...82 www HandiQuilter com Using the Low Bobbin Alarm http www handiquilter com videos hq infinity 240...

Page 84: ...or such other point or place that may be designated by HQ All other costs including cost of freight and shipment for repair under this warranty shall be the customer s costs This warranty shall be in...

Page 85: ...ranty or ninety days from the date of shipment of a repaired or replaced Product whichever is longer HQ s entire liability for any defective Product shall in no event exceed the purchase price for the...

Page 86: ..._____________________________________________________ State _____________ Zip ________________ Day Phone ____ _______________________ Evening Phone _____ ___________________________ Fax _____ ________...

Page 87: ...86 www HandiQuilter com This page was intentionally left blank...

Page 88: ...a How to use Cruise stitch regulation a How to use Precision stitch regulation a How to use the front and rear handlebars a How to use the laser pointer stylus and the included pantograph a Review fe...

Page 89: ...88 www HandiQuilter com This page was intentionally left blank...

Page 90: ...reserved Printed in the U S A PRINTED 11 01 2014 Handi Quilter Inc 501 N 400 W North Salt Lake UT 84054 1 877 MY QUILT 697 8458 www HandiQuilter com HQ Infinity is part of the family of innovative qu...

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