Marnie, I know that when reading my manual they said be careful cleaning the bobbin area because it would be easy to mess up one of them many thread cutters my machine has. I love the auto thread cutter. I know you said you like the Ruby but have you seen the Ruby Deluxe, it has alot of great features. Viking has their convention in Sept and that's when they have all of the new releases and stores have the opportunity to buy machines that were set up to be used at the convention to teach on. Since they are classified as used, even if it was only a few minutes and by professionals, they have great price reductions but come with any extras offered with new ones and the full warranties. I love my Viking and when my Deluxe is paid off I'm getting a smaller one to take to classes and all. I had a Kenmore/Janome but my old electric Singer is messing up so I let my daughter borrow my Kenmore. She fell in love with it and how easily it sews. There is such a difference in a computerized machines and the older electric. She says she's never giving it back. Last night we were finishing up her boyfriends quilt and wanted to learn how to use the Diamond. I told her I didn't know if that was safe because she wasn't getting that one too. She just laughed and said, that I never let her take it to her house so I was safe. She's right, it doesn't leave home without me.