Quiltingboard Forums - View Single Post

07-12-2015, 03:56 PM

#33

HouseDragon

Senior Member

Join Date: Jul 2012

Location: Kaua`i

Posts: 617

I have two machines.

One is a Husqvarna Sapphire 875Q which I take in every summer for its annual checkup (servicing). I keep the service agreement paid up: it costs less to extend the agreement for a year than for one "regular" servicing. It also covers in between problems (only one of those so far).

My second and backup machine is a 1966 Elna Supermatic. She's still a workhorse and sews lovely straight seams while the Sapphire is at the spa. She also has cams for fancy stitches: she was top of the line in 1966 and I've never been sorry I went for the gold. She was bought on sale for $200 and, today, almost sixty years later, 1966 Elna Supermatics are $200 on eBay. Amazing!

I keep the Elna oiled and cleaned and run her every couple of months if she's standing unused. She has never been professionally serviced in almost 60 years!!!

But ~hey!~ She's Swiss made of high quality metal and has always been treated as a princess.

I also got online a couple of years ago and found the technician's manual: I take her apart myself and oil the extra places that you can't oil without opening the machine. I was totally shocked at how clean she was inside. I also bought a second (and a third ~ long story) Elna on eBay to cannibalize for parts.

If your machine isn't computerized and is running fine, I'll echo the rest and say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

And you might keep an eye out on Craig's list for an Elna Supermatic (1960s era) to use as a backup machine.

Reply