LK150 Basic Setup
Setting Up the Machine
Place the machine flat on the table. Take a clamp out of the box and unscrew until fully open. Turn clamp so that the opening is facing away from you and toward the knitter. Insert the top prong into the left slot on the base of the machine, so that it goes completely into the opening, and the clamp screw goes under the lip of the table. Tighten just until the screw snugs up against the table top. Repeat for right clamp. Now be sure that the knitter is securely attached, with the edge of the machine flush with the edge of the table; tighten screws a bit more if necessary, but don’t use excessive force or you might crack the plastic.
Insert the row counter, with the numbered dial facing forward, and the tab at the bottom going firmly down into the slot on the rear of the machine bed, slightly to the right of the center.
Remove the yarn rod socket and push firmly to insert the prongs into the small square hole at the back of the knitter. You will usually feel a small snap when the prongs go in completely. The socket should be very stable when inserted correctly, and should fit tightly against the back of the needle bed
Place either end of the yarn rod in the socket vertically, pushing down until it is snugly in place. It should not wobble if inserted correctly.
Snap the tension guide (the piece with the bent wire) onto the back of the yarn rod. The wire section should be on the back side.
Remove the Auto Tension unit from the box. This looks like double antennas. If there is a plastic sleeve on the antennas, remove it now.
Turn the antenna wires completely around, until the little hole at the back snaps onto the prong on the back of the main section. You should feel a little resistance when this snaps into place.
Turn the Auto Tension over and look at the underside of the main section. There is an oval-shaped opening in the center. Now place this opening over the top of the yarn rod, pushing down so that it goes over the yarn rod securely. The antennas should be toward the rear, and the two little curled eyelet wires should be to the front, as the machine faces you.
The yarn feeding/tension assembly is complete. This is how it should look.
Insert the yarn rests (the wide, L-shaped pieces of plastic) into the slots on each end of the bed. These aren’t absolutely necessary, especially if knitting with only one color of yarn, but it’s still a good idea to have them installed. They hold the second strand of yarn out of the way so it doesn’t get tangled up in the carriage.
Now for the carriage. First, raise the handle, push it toward the rear, and snap into place.
The carriage comes already installed on the needle bed on a new machine, but used ones will frequently come with the carriage removed. To place carriage on needle bed, use either of the following methods.
1. Place the carriage level with the needle bed, with the groove at the rear of the carriage, A, in line with the rail at the back of the Needle Bed. Bring the groove on the rear of the carriage over the rail and slide into place.
2. Pull the release lever on the back of the carriage forward. While holding it in the forward position, place the Fabric Presser B (the metal unit at the bottom front of the carriage) under the Sinker Posts C (the comb-shaped section on the front of the Needle Bed). Lower the back of the carriage until the groove on the back goes down over the rail on the rear of the Needle Bed, then release the lever.
Check to be sure the carriage is securely joined to the bed. Push it across the bed several times to be sure it slides easily and is not caught. A slight resistance is normal, but do not force it. If it does not move easily, take it off and start again.
To remove the carriage, simply slide it off the end of the needle bed. You may also remove the carriage by pulling the release lever forward; lift up the back edge first, tilting it towards you slightly, and it will come off the bed.
When knitting with more than 100 needles, it helps to extend the carriage rests on each end of the bed. To do this, unclamp the machine from the table. Turn the bed over. Press in the stoppers and pull the carriage rests out. Clamp the bed back on the table.
If you are knitting a narrower width, or your space is very limited, you may prefer to push the carriage rests back in. It isn’t necessary to unclamp the machine; just gently push each rest inwards until it clicks into place.
This completes the basic setup. Now wasn’t that easy!
This tutorial was copyrighted and uploaded to the original Clearwater Knits website in 1997. It was updated in 2017.