Be careful where you take your machines for service......
06-18-2010, 04:50 PM
#22
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Whitewater, WI
Posts: 24,528
Wow, what a great post. Somepeople just are NOT honest, and it IS sad that so many people with out much money are being taken! Kind of why its nice that you're showing us how to do some of this on our own!
06-18-2010, 05:20 PM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,496
It is so sad when repair shops are not honest -- whether it's fixing your car or your sewing machine....and most of the time, we just have to trust that repairman as we don't know what's wrong, how to fix it or what a "fair" charge would be. And don't get me started on people who have to come into your home to fix an appliance or a leaky roof, etc. :D
06-18-2010, 05:48 PM
#24
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bikini Bottom
Posts: 5,652
Originally Posted by no1jan
Oh Billy, you are so right. My SIL and her friend both took their machines at the same time into a "well-known" fabric store that also does repairs.
My SIL has a short in her foot pedal. When she got it back $100.00 later it would not reach the floor. She uses a hat box and bought a new machine. NOT THERE!
Her friend brought hers in for a tune-up. Approximately $130.00 later, she picked it up and when she opened it at home the tension assembly fell out. They had broken it and never told her. They offered to refund $50.00 back to her.
She couldn't get replacement parts so also ended up buying a new machine.
My SIL has a short in her foot pedal. When she got it back $100.00 later it would not reach the floor. She uses a hat box and bought a new machine. NOT THERE!
Her friend brought hers in for a tune-up. Approximately $130.00 later, she picked it up and when she opened it at home the tension assembly fell out. They had broken it and never told her. They offered to refund $50.00 back to her.
She couldn't get replacement parts so also ended up buying a new machine.
I take the machine apart and thoroughly clean the mechanics, I inspect the wiring and make sure the connections are tight (if it is electrical), thoroughly oil the machine, put it back together, check the tension both on the bobbin and the topside, run it at high speed for a few minutes to make sure the machine is oiled and running smoothly. Afterward I will give the machine a good old fashion polish and have it looking like it just left the factory!!
If it needs any parts then I will contact the owner and let them know what it needs and 9 times out of 10 they still make the parts and I go get them put it in and I put the old part in a zip loc baggie for them to see what it was.
Then I will take a price of broadcloth folded and ironed and will sew a sample of every stitch to make sure it is in proper order. Then I leave the piece of cloth in the machine to show the customer that it is functioning properly.
All of this for $65
Which is about $10 to $20 less than what the other shops here charge for blowing it out and a few drops of oil.
Billy
06-18-2010, 06:23 PM
#27
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bikini Bottom
Posts: 5,652
Originally Posted by wvdek
Billy,
If I lived closer to you, I would like you to service my machines not only for the price, but for the service and I bet you guarantee yur work.
Thanks for the heads up.
If I lived closer to you, I would like you to service my machines not only for the price, but for the service and I bet you guarantee yur work.
Thanks for the heads up.
Nah you know better than that, but if you have an issue with it within a reasonable amount of time then I will see what went wrong and fix it. But seriously if you do the job right the first time you never have to worry about folks bringing stuff back. Plus I take my time, I would rather spend 5 minutes longer to do it right than to rush through it and miss something
Billy
06-18-2010, 06:25 PM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 2,004
Originally Posted by Lostn51
Originally Posted by no1jan
Oh Billy, you are so right. My SIL and her friend both took their machines at the same time into a "well-known" fabric store that also does repairs.
My SIL has a short in her foot pedal. When she got it back $100.00 later it would not reach the floor. She uses a hat box and bought a new machine. NOT THERE!
Her friend brought hers in for a tune-up. Approximately $130.00 later, she picked it up and when she opened it at home the tension assembly fell out. They had broken it and never told her. They offered to refund $50.00 back to her.
She couldn't get replacement parts so also ended up buying a new machine.
My SIL has a short in her foot pedal. When she got it back $100.00 later it would not reach the floor. She uses a hat box and bought a new machine. NOT THERE!
Her friend brought hers in for a tune-up. Approximately $130.00 later, she picked it up and when she opened it at home the tension assembly fell out. They had broken it and never told her. They offered to refund $50.00 back to her.
She couldn't get replacement parts so also ended up buying a new machine.
I take the machine apart and thoroughly clean the mechanics, I inspect the wiring and make sure the connections are tight (if it is electrical), thoroughly oil the machine, put it back together, check the tension both on the bobbin and the topside, run it at high speed for a few minutes to make sure the machine is oiled and running smoothly. Afterward I will give the machine a good old fashion polish and have it looking like it just left the factory!!
If it needs any parts then I will contact the owner and let them know what it needs and 9 times out of 10 they still make the parts and I go get them put it in and I put the old part in a zip loc baggie for them to see what it was.
Then I will take a price of broadcloth folded and ironed and will sew a sample of every stitch to make sure it is in proper order. Then I leave the piece of cloth in the machine to show the customer that it is functioning properly.
All of this for $65
Which is about $10 to $20 less than what the other shops here charge for blowing it out and a few drops of oil.
Billy
06-18-2010, 06:38 PM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 371
I'm a little nervous! My machine is at the dealer being serviced right now. Even though I trust my dealer, I have seen the repair area and I know the tech very well. Her and I have lunch once or twice a week. But it still makes you a little nervous. I paid a huge amount of money for my machine and I love it. It is kinda like dropping your child off at their first day of school. It takes you forever to leave the parking lot and you just want to cry. I miss my machine! :cry:
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