today i packed up my janome and went up to the store. there's a guy there that can tell you why you have issues with free motion quilting. is it me or the machine?

i should have known. i came out of there without my machine and a quote for service (cleaning, annual tune-up) that is going to cost me between $70 and $80! he said i had nicks in my plate from bent needles (must have been those times when the needle broke . . . oops). he thinks he can smooth the nicks out without replacing any parts. that still seems awfully expensive!

i'll be lucky if he has it done by saturday. interesting though, the lady that was there did some free motion on one of the demo machines and she had some loops on the back, too! he told me there are several factors to the loopiness - thread, needle, speed, throat plate being smooth, etc. he did say that the thread i was using (coats and clark) was not recommended (go figure).

*sigh* i feel naked and i didn't get my block-of-the-month done for saturday morning. cheer me up.

i could buy a lot of quilting supplies with $80!

what do you all pay to have your machine serviced annually? or do you have it done that often?

thats about what it cost me when I had mine serviced. If I buy a new machine from this guy he will do a yearly tune up etc. for free.
Judy in Ohio

That was a good price.....I had to have work done on my Brother CS6000 about a month ago. My bobbin casing was also nicked from broken needles, as well as my spring to release my feed dog needed replaced. They sand out the bobbin casing if it's not nicked to bad. Otherwise they have to replace it. But I considered this. I've had my machine 3 yrs, never had work done on it, and I sew everyday. It cost me 125.00. I don't feel I got took, I'm just Thankfull I got it back in 1 week. It runs like new. I was lost without it, oh yeah the tune-up was incl. So your price was good. And I live on a fixed income.

The guy here charges $75 just to look at it , but will take that off the total.

I had mine cleaned/oiled and the plate replaced.
Cost me $150 and that was with a "rush" job. Didn't want to be without
for a week. I could have used my other machine, but I had some embroidery I wanted to get done.

I pay $79 for cleaning and it always runs better, mine is Janome also.

the place I take my Singer to is 50$ for cleaning/oiling/minor adjustments.

It's a good deal for $80! Here just to look at your Janome and not even touch it is $65...then it goes up from there. This is literally your driving force to keep your art going...so, keep it going:)). If you know a machinist...they can smooth your plate of it's nicks prob for free. They prob put it on a buffer to smooth it out. I (knock'n on my wooden head)that I haven't done that to mine...but I do take it apart and clean and oil it myself. I love those good acrylic paint brushes for craft painting...the lint just clings to them!! And they get to those little corners you can't reach...I gently roll it, and the lint just rolls out holding on to the brush. And, if you sew alot...there's a bunny living inside of it!:0)Skeat

annual cleaning???? annual servicing??? :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

I have to take my serger in yearly. It costs $150 to $200 each time. I really run it to almost death. The cutting blade needs replaced + various other things. I use it mostly to do old levi pieces for Billie blankets. My old Singer (that only goes back & forward) gets serviced by ME! I have taken it apart several times & believe it or not-I get ALL the pieces back & in the right places. When ol'steady freddy singer decides to have a r&r without notice-I am really lost! I guess that I'll have to get that new/used one I got(that supposedly does embrodery, & figure out how to wind the bobbins. LOL

Here in Raleigh, that's all I have to go by, but that's about what it'll cost. :(

heres a hint if your bobbin casing is plastic and has nicks in it take an emory board to smooth the out the nicks. I have done this many times with no problems

Being totally unmechanical, I can identify with your frustration. But, an overall "tune up" probably isn't a bad thing for a sewing maching you love and use alot. (My hope is that it will work better you--not ball up on the back or whatever)

Keeping my fingers crossed.....

that is the going rate.... it is hard to buy these machines that cost an arm and a leg then fork out that kins of money for tune up and stuff, but that is what we have to do. Hope he gets it working like new for you and soon. It is hard to be without a machine. What kind is yours?

thanks ladies, for the support. i guess it isn't such a bad deal after all. i have kept the lint out of it, but i was told to not oil it myself. he did say that i need to change the needles more often (err on the side of 'too often' he said). i looked at some gutterman thread today at jo-anns and that's probably what i'll use on my next free motion quilting project.

hannahsmom - it's a Janome 8080 (from Sears in 2004). it's been a great machine for the money!

i learned something about machine service that made me sick!

I had been taking my New Home computerized machine for cleaning and was most often told it was full of lint. The price went from $50 to $75 and at a point I said to hubby "this machine is old enough that I think we shoud take it out of the case and clean it ourselves." Out came the tools and we took the bottom off. WHAT???? have I been paying for? Everything was sealed. There was absoutely no part of the workings of that machine visible. The only place lint could go was in the race. And a vacuum will suck it out. I have not taken my machine back for service since. I also was suckered in and won't let this happen again.

Many older machines have exposed parts underneath, but since this is a sealed machine, there was no reason other than to rip off his dumb customers who thought there was lint in the bottom. I was mortified...and quite a bit smarter.

For assistance in "sucking" the lint out of the race, I suggest the use of a spare turkey baster. I have one that fits into the end of the hose on my vacuum, and I does a great job on the machine and also my serger. Sure is cheaper than what I have been paying. No More!

Have a great day and use those bucks for fabrics!

June

It is amazing how much you can save by learning the different ways to clean your own machine. I have a Husqvarna Platnium 750. I've had my baby for 3 1/2 years now and I have YET to get it serviced!!! I take alot of my machine apart (which is not alot actually) and clean it myself.

Last week I went to a maintenance course for my machine and I learned sooooooo much more that I wasn't doing and know I have saved myself alot more money. Yes I even learned how to clean up those pesky nicks that the throat plate gets when the needle hits it (well the tiny ones.. when there are bigger ones, then yes it must need to be replaced.)

I teach my students how to clean out their machines after every course. You should clean out your machines after every project or every 12 hours of use. Change needles regularly,

timing issue.. well that is something that the technician would have to play with.. that one I don't know, but I do know how to detect the signs of a possible timing issue.

Wow that is big money some of your are having to pay out for servicing your machines. ouch.

Another option is get a can of compressed air.. perfect to use in those teenie tiny spots your vacuum hose can't get into!

a nice fluffy cosmetic brush is great too!

Aggi, I read somewhere not to use compressed air on a computer key board because it forces dust and dirt into crevices where it should not go. I have applied that same rule to the sewing machine. What do you think about this idea? Is it possible it could be driving the dust and fuzz someplace where it could cause damage? I am not sure about it myself, but decided to take the precaution. I have never had a repair on my machine that is close to 25 years old. We all follow our own rules and that is OK..Whatever works!

June

That sounds about right to me for a good tune-up. I think it's worth it if you think of it like this; changing the oil in your car is, say, $30...replacing the engine is $3000.

You buy a really good machine, but if you don't take GOOD care of it, it's not worth all the money you paid for it.

And I agree with you about letting go of your machine...just the thought puts me on the verge of panic. So my solution is to take her (the machine) to the dealer for her preventive maintainence while I'm out of state on vacation, and make sure I get back home early enough to pick her up before I go back to the apartment.

I took my Janome MC 7000 in for servicing, the first time in 23 years and it cost me 60 dollars. The guy oiled the sponges in the motor, adjusted my feed dogs and re calibrated it.

I have a small compressor for upholstery work and once a month I used it to blow the lint out of all the nooks and crannies, other than that I didn't do anything special to it and I didn't get loops on the back when doing free motion. My Janome now enjoying retirement, watching my Pfaff sew. :)

Dancer, you didn't! You did not retire that machine. I have loved mine from day one and recently found one exactly like it. I plan to use the new one and give the much used one to a daughter. The newer one shows very little sign of usage. Mine is work worn, but not tired! I have read that they are one of the most reliable macines New Home/Janome ever made. I believe it!

June

Hi,

I also have a Janome 6500 and love it but I agree about the thread, Coats and Clark just isn't the best quilting thread. Use a good one in bobbin and on top. My favorite bobbin thread is Superior's Bottom Line....very thin, durable and a filled bobbin seems to last forever. It can also be used on the top.

For the top thread I like Superior's King Tut, but my favorite cuz the price is wonderful and the thread is awesome... Connecting Threads Essential. There are 1200yds to a spool and you can buy it in 'sets' of 10-15 spools and they are less than $2 each! Egyptian Long Staple Cotton, does not knot up, no fuzzing lint. Check it out online. Not available in stores. http://www.connectingthreads.com/essential+quilting+thread+sets_EL600901.html

Hope this is helpful.

let us know what you end up using. Some machines don't like certain threads. Since we both have a Janome, you might consider my recommendations.

sue

sue - i will consider your recommendations. will check out the on-line options as soon as i finish this post. so far i've only looked at the gutterman at jo-anns. haven't had a chance to do further research.

thanks a bunch!

*i just looked. i have a horizontal spool pin on my machine. how do i change it? or can i? this thread looks WONDERFUL!

you point the nozzle away from the main computer components, so to the left of the machine where it wouldnt' cause the damage. I asked that same question to the woman who offered the class. She services machines for a living. I figured she would have the right answers. By pointing the nozzle that way the lint will keep away from where we don't want it.

Hi Patty,
I know what you are talking about the cost of cleaning a machine. The nicks on your plate is somethng you can take care of yourself. There is a very fine sand paper you can use and it smooths out the nicks and burs you get from learning to use your machine. I ordered mine form Clotilda's catalog not to expensive and it does the job. I use a set of craft paint brushes to clean my machine. they are really small and some are flat so you can get in places otherwise you couldnt. Long handles help a lot too. good luck Bonnie

Gee, great question and unfortunately I don't know the answer, my Janome has 2 vertical spool pins! Do you have those plastic round things that push onto the pin to hold the thread on, wouldn't that work? Or isn't there room on the pin for a large spool? I've seen those metal stands that people use for the really big spools.

My best suggestion is to call your closest Janome dealer or maybe ask at JoAnn's but in the sewing machine center there if they have one. That is where I buy my Superior thread, at JoAnn's in the sewing machine center, not in the normal thread area of JoAnn's. I've gotten better prices of Superior Threads when they are at the big quilt shows, they offer better deals and you can ask questions in person, see a whole wall of sample stitches of all their threads.

I think you will be so pleased with the Connecting Threads Essential, the price is wonderful and so is the thread. I got the 'bright' collection and planning on getting either the neutral or the spring set.

best of luck!

PS, I'm originally from the Canton/Akron Ohio area, I see you are in NW OH

sue

Hi Again,

Thought you might like this link to Cindy Needham, she does all her own quilting and uses Superior Thread. Her specialty is quilting vintage linens. she was our guild's guest speaker 2 wks ago and her work is phenomenal, unfortunately the photos in her website just don't do her work justice. She was the featured artist at Road to California Quilt Show in January and I walked right past her and her exhibit...duh, a lost opportunity!

http://www.cindyneedham.com When you look at her gallery of photos, click on a photo and there will be a series of photos to look at. I missed that the 1st time I looked, I thought it was only 1 photo.

Ladies, if you have vintage linens in drawers with no idea what to do with them, Cindy's website will give you an idea. It doesn't matter if they are stained, have holes or in anyway damaged. she recommends instead of tossing them to somehow use them even if it is on the back as the hanging sleeve or label. I don't think there any photos of her sleeves but she uses the lace ends of old pillowcases for her sleeves and they look stunning.

sue

well, i picked up my machine yesterday (monday). WHAT A DIFFERENCE! i free-motion quilted my name as practice (just like before) and it was beautiful! I guess the $90 is worth it! but may try to stretch it to every other year. now that my kenmore is working nicely, i can switch out!

i'm off to my free-motion quilting class tonight! got some fancy-schmancy machine quilting thread (one spool, just enough until i can order some of the 'essential thread').