Link below - I also suggest you join the yahoo group for homequiltingsystems - lots of pics & talk of Dead Bars.

I made a Dead bar for my Imperial frame before I found these instructions - would have been way easier had I found this first. I highly recommend a Dead Bar - at least on my frame.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dead Bar Instructions

Thanks for the info..
Derlene

Marsha,
What's the purpose of the dead bar?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Jennifer

A Dead Bar is a non moving bar attached to the sides of the frame that runs parallel and slightly forward or back of the take-up bar. The take up bar is permanently adjusted as high as allowable for the size of the quilts you are quilting.
The quilt sandwich runs under the dead bar and gets attached to the takeup bar leader. The height of the dead bar is slightly above the bed of your machine at whatever height your quilt sandwich is normally at when you are quilting.
After you have adjusted your quilt to that sweet spot, you do not ever have to adjust the heights of the belly bar or takeup rail, because the dead bar is fixed and always keeps the quilt at the correct level & height above the machine's bed. No running from side to side, adjusting the rail heights at each advance.
Having a 9" throat, there is alot of rolling back & forth- I am in a very tight space, raising the bars on my frame was not easy or smooth. Installing a dead bar eliminated that frustration.
Now I say the dead bar is permanent in the sense that it stays where you put it, but I made mine adjustable so I could fine tune its location somewhat. After I found those instructions, I lowered it a little, and was amazed at how much better and easier the next quilt stitched. I used to have a problem with the quilt bouncing about half way thru and it gave me a headache.
The dead bar cost me about $20.00 to make, and 6 months to figure out how to adapt it to fit my frame. I did not like my frame at all before the addition of the dead bar. The machine is fine - wish it was bigger and better, but the frame is what I did not like at all.
I highly recommend using a dead bar. Also, my frame is set up at 10'.
If I can answer any more questions, ask. I'm pretty handy - but DH did the grunt work for me.
It made a huge difference for me.

Ok, I understand now. I think. Only, it won't work on my frame, so it doesn't really matter! lol The way my frame is designed, I work from the backside. With that in mind, plus the design of my frame, I wouldn't be able to add that extra bar.

Thanks for explaining it to me.

I have finishing touches instructions and followed their directions but can't seem to get the dead bar to level up with the belly bar with the closet rod socket I got without getting into the clog wheel, I have moved the wheel somewhat but it still doesn't work, I am using the 1/2 conduit, do you have a different way to attach the bar to the frame?
Derlene

I was clear as mud? Many people still work from the back - I have a space problem, so had to choose, and being new, I wanted to see what the heck I was doing~LOL.

I keep forgetting I'm reading on the quilting forum and each time I see the title of your thread I read it as Dead Bear and get alarmed. (yes, I'm from Appalachia and that's how bear sounds to me. LOL)