Quiltingboard Forums - Machine tune-ups...how often do you send yours in?

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My singer 401A is over 50 years old - had it completely overhauled once because needle shaft shifted. I clean and oil it thoroughly when I feel it needs it.
Machine is all metal so I feel this is the reason I have had few problems. Also, as with a lot of machines, appliances there is only one operator. My husband believes that also for his tools.

Fortunately I have several machines so I religiously take mine in yearly to be gone over. I also am good about cleaning and oiling my machines at the end of each major project. We are forunate here to have a good shop that does the work for about $60 and it is worth it

Mine tells me when I've sewn 1 million stitches, but I take it in every year regardless.

The turn around time for cleaning at our sewing machine service center is also 4-6 weeks BUT we can make an appointment for cleaning. Our wonderful service man knows we hate being without our machines and says they can wait their turn with us rather than lonely on his shelves. The cleaning appointment will be 4-6 weeks out but you keep and use your machine right up to your appointment and then take it in on your appointment and pick it up the next day, except for the rare exception when your machine needs a part that he doesn't have in stock. Even then, if it is going to take more than a day or so to get the part and if the machine can be used temporarily without damage to the worn part, he will normally return the machine to you for you to bring it back when the part is in. Check with your shop to see if they also offer this service. :thumbup:

Quote:

Originally Posted by KathyAire

My Baby Lock is seven or eight years old. Never had a tune up or problem with it. I love it. For some reason, I decide that I should take it in for a tune up. It's a minimum of $70.00. Took it in on Tuesday and begged for fast service. Got it back yesterday for $108.00. The bobbin case needed replacing. It sews and sounds wonderful. But, now the screen ony lights up half way. Didn't have that problem before I took it in. I called and he said it was probably a wire loose. I have to take it back again, 40 miles one way.
When you take your machine for service, ask that it be plugged in and take a few stitches before leaving the shop. If I would have done that, I would have immediately noticed the light not working properly.

I had that happen with my Pfaff 2054 - they had a defective spring that had to be replaced - and when I got back home, found the screen completely dark! I called the shop and he told me a few things to do - but since I couldn't see "anything" on the blacked-out screen, I ended up going back (40 miles) and he had to get another machine in the shop and set it next to it so he could see that screen to go through through the steps. I definitely recommend having them plug it in before leaving the shop with this computer stuff. :-)
Marysewfun

I was fortunate that the lady in our quilt shop knows how to clean and oil the Berninas so she showed me everything to do, so I do my own. She said, "You can get into the same areas that they do, so don't be afraid."

If you are lucky to have found a good repairman you can trust you are one of the very few! I do my own tune up for all my machines, even the computerized one. I bought the machine repair books. The most important thing to know is how to open the top of the machine the right way and put it back. The rest is just cleaning it out. The computer machine component part doesn't need maint. on the computer parts. It works or it doesn't. Time for a new board if the computer messes up.

Never. The Bernina dealer in Dublin is known to wreck machines, and the alternatives are too far away to send it unless there's something wrong.

I've had the covers off my 440 to clean it out myself though.

Send my machine in for a tune up and a good cleaning and oiling once a year. Between 'shop visits' my machine gets cleaned and the oil checked (:-) every time I change the bobbin.

Since I am currently unemployed, $$ is tight, so I do my own cleaning/oiling. However, my only machine newer than 1970's is an embroidery machine, and I do take it in when I think it needs it. All my other machines are mechanical, reasonably easy to service.