Why does it cost so much to repair a sewing machine?
09-07-2010, 05:44 PM
#71
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
Originally Posted by quilterguy27
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
My guess would be because repairmen don't live on air and have bills to pay. They have building rent and utilities to pay plus since it's their only job they also have homes and cars and such to pay for. Life ain't cheap.
09-07-2010, 10:16 PM
#72
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Canton, Ohio
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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by quilterguy27
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
My guess would be because repairmen don't live on air and have bills to pay. They have building rent and utilities to pay plus since it's their only job they also have homes and cars and such to pay for. Life ain't cheap.
09-08-2010, 04:01 AM
#74
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: las vegas nv.
Posts: 2,452
Originally Posted by Lostn51
Here is another way to look at it........
When someone wants to commission you to make a quilt for them and you give them a reasonable price for handcrafting them a nice full size quilt.
They look at you like your nuts because they could go to Cracker Barrel or BB&B and buy a quilt in a bag for 1/3 of what you just quoted them.
Your not going to give your work away and your not going to give them the materials at your cost. Your going to mark the price of materials up 10% and charge a fair amount for your labor.
Why should the guy repairing your sewing machine do it for free and charge half price for parts. You are paying for someones knowledge and expertise in that field just like you would for an auto mechanic, Dentist, Doctor, etc..
Like I stated earlier I service vintage machines and I charge a very fair price and the work that I do to them is over and beyond the call of duty compared to other sewing machine repair shops. They blow out the dust, oil it up and put on what ever part it needs and there you have it.
I tear them down to nothing more than just a case and start back from there.
Kerosene Spa treatments are a standard with me. As I put them back together I am cleaning and polishing every single part on the machine. I set the tension with a gauge top and bottom, and always include a piece of broadcloth with the stitching under the feed dogs to show you that it has been tested and runs like it should. And they never leave my bench without a good final polish!! :-D :-D
Billy
When someone wants to commission you to make a quilt for them and you give them a reasonable price for handcrafting them a nice full size quilt.
They look at you like your nuts because they could go to Cracker Barrel or BB&B and buy a quilt in a bag for 1/3 of what you just quoted them.
Your not going to give your work away and your not going to give them the materials at your cost. Your going to mark the price of materials up 10% and charge a fair amount for your labor.
Why should the guy repairing your sewing machine do it for free and charge half price for parts. You are paying for someones knowledge and expertise in that field just like you would for an auto mechanic, Dentist, Doctor, etc..
Like I stated earlier I service vintage machines and I charge a very fair price and the work that I do to them is over and beyond the call of duty compared to other sewing machine repair shops. They blow out the dust, oil it up and put on what ever part it needs and there you have it.
I tear them down to nothing more than just a case and start back from there.
Kerosene Spa treatments are a standard with me. As I put them back together I am cleaning and polishing every single part on the machine. I set the tension with a gauge top and bottom, and always include a piece of broadcloth with the stitching under the feed dogs to show you that it has been tested and runs like it should. And they never leave my bench without a good final polish!! :-D :-D
Billy
09-08-2010, 05:10 AM
#75
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bikini Bottom
Posts: 5,652
Well you can do what everyone else does, and mail them to me! I am sitting here in my Sunroom and I am looking at 4 boxes with machines in each one of them waiting for me to take them out and play with them.
That was just yesterdays mail....... :lol: :lol: :lol:
All but one are repaints so I dont know if they really count.
I try to go out of my way and give the service that I would expect. I can not stand for anything to be done halfway, and if I do it I want it done right. If there are any parts involved I always let the people know and give them options. I do not rob from one machine to put on the next like 3/4's of the places do, and I have one heck of a stock pile of new parts for the vintage machines!
Oh and Doug I am thinking if you cloned me we would be in for a world of trouble. This planet can only handle one of me....
Billy
That was just yesterdays mail....... :lol: :lol: :lol:
All but one are repaints so I dont know if they really count.
I try to go out of my way and give the service that I would expect. I can not stand for anything to be done halfway, and if I do it I want it done right. If there are any parts involved I always let the people know and give them options. I do not rob from one machine to put on the next like 3/4's of the places do, and I have one heck of a stock pile of new parts for the vintage machines!
Oh and Doug I am thinking if you cloned me we would be in for a world of trouble. This planet can only handle one of me....
Billy
09-08-2010, 05:59 AM
#76
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Wayne, PA
Posts: 178
My husband took four hours just to put up six curtain brackets. First, he had to find a stud then he decided he needed his drill. Then, wanted me to tell him he was holding the drill straight. I will never ask him to do anything around the house again. I wish I had a husband who could fix things. You are so lucky if your husband can fix things.
09-08-2010, 08:11 AM
#78
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Canton, Ohio
Posts: 1,403
"Oh and Doug I am thinking if you cloned me we would be in for a world of trouble. This planet can only handle one of me....
Billy"
LOL Billy! It would be kinda funny to see a bunch of you in every state waving your "permits" around yelling "... and I'm not afraid to use it!" I'm getting a visual and chuckling. You can all march on Washington together for a cause, LOL. Now we're talking trouble. He He He. I know the feeling tho. I can't imagine this world with another one of me in it.
Billy"
LOL Billy! It would be kinda funny to see a bunch of you in every state waving your "permits" around yelling "... and I'm not afraid to use it!" I'm getting a visual and chuckling. You can all march on Washington together for a cause, LOL. Now we're talking trouble. He He He. I know the feeling tho. I can't imagine this world with another one of me in it.
09-08-2010, 08:14 AM
#79
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
Originally Posted by Lostn51
Well you can do what everyone else does, and mail them to me! I am sitting here in my Sunroom and I am looking at 4 boxes with machines in each one of them waiting for me to take them out and play with them.
That was just yesterdays mail....... :lol: :lol: :lol:
All but one are repaints so I dont know if they really count.
I try to go out of my way and give the service that I would expect. I can not stand for anything to be done halfway, and if I do it I want it done right. If there are any parts involved I always let the people know and give them options. I do not rob from one machine to put on the next like 3/4's of the places do, and I have one heck of a stock pile of new parts for the vintage machines!
Oh and Doug I am thinking if you cloned me we would be in for a world of trouble. This planet can only handle one of me....
Billy
That was just yesterdays mail....... :lol: :lol: :lol:
All but one are repaints so I dont know if they really count.
I try to go out of my way and give the service that I would expect. I can not stand for anything to be done halfway, and if I do it I want it done right. If there are any parts involved I always let the people know and give them options. I do not rob from one machine to put on the next like 3/4's of the places do, and I have one heck of a stock pile of new parts for the vintage machines!
Oh and Doug I am thinking if you cloned me we would be in for a world of trouble. This planet can only handle one of me....
Billy
09-08-2010, 11:08 AM
#80
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bikini Bottom
Posts: 5,652
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Go look at the newest issue of Quilter's Home!! There's a candy apple red featherweight on the cover! Pretty, pretty!
I checked with House of Kolor on some Candy paint to shoot a Featherweight with yesterday and just the materials to paint the machine were going to set me back $275. I went ahead and ordered the Candy Purple for the bike I sold and it was just a tad over $1100. And all I am painting is the gas tank, oil tank and a rear fender.
Billy
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