machine service
 

I tell customers that if they sew every day, they need a service at least once a year. But never go more than 4 years without a service.

When we do a service, we remove the outer covers and blow the lint out of the gears. If we don't, the lint can build up and damage the gear set on that Bernina 430.

Also on older machines, the old oil can turn into a tar if not oiled deeply on a regular basis, then your machine could freeze-up.

I liked to do it every year but two are fine. I moved 3 years ago and cannot find a business anywhere near me so far. time is a ticking!

During the first 5 years or so I had a service policy, so I took it in pretty often to be cleaned. Since then I haven't taken it in. It's hard to find a trustworthy shop around here. I do clean and oil it regularly.

Our LQS recommends once a year for service. They will trouble-shoot a quick repair or issue for us. The maintenance classes are offered every two months. I also have them blow out machine at the end of class time. Of course, the one time I had machine issues in class, the owner found a dust bunny in the feed dogs. Yikes!

I usually took my machine any time it misbehaved. But then I joined the QB and learned how to clean and oil my machines. Since I use my EMB/Sew machine (Viking) the most it has gone in to be serviced twice in 4 years. The first time because the manual told me is should go in and the second it kept making bird nests underneath. Each time the repair guy told me that he is amazed how clean my machine is and if it weren't for the stitch counter he wouldn't believe how much I use it. And after his service it quit making the nests, so he believes there must have been an extremely small piece of thread stuck somewhere. Just thrilled nothing bad was going on. My Janome had gone in once in about 8 years. The repairman asked if I used it very much - all the time - said it was so clean he wasn't sure. I do not mess with the tension at all, so thought it should be checked.
My Singers have not been taken in since I got them. My Mother's machine was serviced before she gave it to me and I clean and oil it after each time I use it and put the lubricant in fairly regularly. The FW I have done the servicing but I plan to take it in before the next trip to AZ. I have had it about 6 years but it is my traveling machine so isn't used very much compared to the other 3. My little Europro has never gone in either - it works fine, I clean and oil it when it gets noisy. Since it was less than $100.00 I believe any repairman would just laugh.

My Bernina dealer says every 2 years so that's what I do. But I have gone longer with my 150. I won't with my new one though.

My two straight stitch only machines have not gone in for service. I clean and oil them regularly. They are 11 and 10 years old. I use them at least 6 days a week 3-5 hours a day.

My one and only computerized and main machine I have serviced yearly. I have a trustworthy repair man and he does a great job and since I travel 500+ miles to go to him, he does it in one day. Most of my machines I can service myself, all vintage.

I service my pre 1956 machines myself, but took the 1973 Elna in yearly when I had a good repairman and was using her heavily for apparel and home dec. She doesn't get much use these days and there is no good repairman available, so it's been a while now. I will call the old repairman one of these days and see if I can bring her to his house. That machine isn't going to be touched by anyone who doesn't know what he/she is doing.

I had a machine tech order me the tools needed to open my housing. Most will under the table for a generous tip. That was less then the cost of one cleaning. I can deep clean the machine and oil it myself. Any sewing problem I have that needs a repair I take it to the local shop.

When I sewed on just one machine...my Janome 6600, I took it in faithfully each year for service but now that I have 3 and use all 3, I take them in about every 18 months.

I now have multiple machines so each individually does not get the amount of wear/use as in years past. From time to time usually just before a quilt retreat I will clean and oil my feather weight. (Many good tutorials on Youtube.) My other machines, get a once a year or once in 18 months check up but when I get the feeling they are sluggish, I do a quick check for lint and "fuzzies". It is easy to clean out the dust bunnies myself and cheaper than a trip to the shop.

My computerized Viking doesn't go in regularly at all. In fact, it's been several years since it's last service. I have been giving it quite the workout lately and plan to take it in just before going on vacation for 2 weeks. Doesn't cramp my efforts that way.

I have never taken any of my machines in for cleaning or "check up". I did take a used Janome in, once, to see if it was OK and have it cleaned, since I was not the original owner. Before taking it in, I rolled a piece of masking tape and put it on the edge of the cover and locked the lid down. I had heard that this shop may not be actually cleaning machines.....sure enough, I was charged, but the cover was never removed. No more visits to that shop. A tip from my guild. If you take your machines into a shop that does a lot of servicing, mark the inside of your case with a permanent marker, and put colored tape or a tag on your cords and foot control. I do clean and oil my machines myself. I would take my machine in if I heard unusual noises or it was malfunctioning. Other than that, no costly trips for cleaning.....save the money, buy more fabric. Ha!

All mine are vintage, they go in for service when I get them. Then I clean each when they get sluggish or make a different sound. One advantage of vintage is I can clean them myself.

As I live a distance away from my dealer I try to get my machine in at least every 2 yrs. I don't use it everyday or sometimes only a couple times a month.....depends on what's on my plate. Now my sister hadn't had her machine in for years and she didn't use it much either. When she decided to hem a tablecloth her stitches kept skipping. I asked her if she had cleaned her bobbin area. She looked at me like a "deer in a headlight". Clean the bobbin area? She didn't know you were supposed to. So I showed her how and she had no more skipped stitches. She decided maybe she should take it in for a good cleaning after all......................Duh moment.

I have 2 Berninas and they go in every year for service. Neither has ever had a problem.

When my Bernina Artista 180 was my only machine, I had it serviced faithfully every year. I feel that when you spend a lot on a machine, the cost of having them serviced regularly is a small price to pay. Now that I have a lot of machines, I don't take them in as often. The vintage ones only go in when there's a problem I can't fix. The Bernina and Juki I tend to stretch to every 18 months. I do have a schedule to clean and oil my vintage machines though

I have an older Bernina, no warranty left. I watched a youtube video and took the housing off and cleaned my machine. DH had the srewdrivers needed, one was odd looking.

Years ago I had an awful experience with a shop that happened to be the only one in my immediate area. I took it in and got an estimate on the cost of a maintenance check plus the stitches were not quite right. Also was told that if they found something that would cost more than what I was quoted they would call. Well I never got a call except to say it was done and picked it up only to find out they were charging me triple what the estimate was and the machine was still doing what it was doing when I dropped it off. Needless to say have never been back to them and pretty much learned how to care for my own machines.