I cleaned this before I did a king size quilt. This fluff is all from that. I was shocked how much was there. When I took the bobbin holder out - it was a layer of felt under it too.

I clean that area daily and bobbin area each bobbin change on my LA.

Amazing, isn't it??? I clean mine about every other bobbin change when doing the quilting and a little less often when just piecing.

Every bobbin change...

Yikes!

I now clean mine out after every two hours of sewing. More or less.

I remember when I first got my first machine I didn't even know you were supposed to clean it. I happen to be in a dealer's store and noticed her taking off the throat plate on a floor model that was the same as my machine.
She kindly showed me how to do it.

I went home and removed the throat plate on my machine.
And it looked worse than that picture above.
PACKED solid. No wonder it was making all kind of weird noises. :roll:

I clean the bobbin area every time I change it and take the plate off (the part under the needle) every time I start a new project.

Depends on what I'm doing but for the most part I clean with every bobbin change and between projects. If quilting, I also remove all the plates to clean and oil every other bobbin change.

That's my routine as well, although if I'm working with flanel I'll do it more often.

And it's one of the things I hate about my new Janome 6500. The throat plate is a PITB to get off. My Husky is a lot easier.

Every bobbin change.....

This morning, though it was not as packed as your machine.

Cheers, K

I clean it every time I think of it which is often - thank goodness!

I remember taking a class once where the other gals were shocked when they were told they should clean their machine and change their needle. One gal bragged that she'd been sewing with the same needle for 8 years :)

every time I start a project, or when I am having a problem with the bobbin. I use a can of compressed air WARNING!!!!! make sure you hold the can ONLY in the UPRITE! position(ask me how I know) or you will get a wet spray (not good for a sewing machine) I also use the compressed air on the top section of my machine were the thread is put thru

CHris

I flip my machines on their side and take the bottom off as well. I did that for a lady in our sewing group and the fuzz there was so caked on the gears I'm surprised they still worked. She was happy with the power it had on thick seams after the clean out. DH laughs as I have a travel kit that includes screwdrivers, brush and oil. Gotta keep our babies purring.

piney

I clean mine out every time I start to use it.

Every time I change the bobbin!

I don't have a set schedule for cleaning, but It's often. A bit of lint or worse, a bit of thread, does not make my FW happy, so I keep her clean & oiled.

i should clean mine more often What am i talking about i should use mine more often LOL

Best tool for me for the cleanout is my hand vac with a drinking straw attached to the spout with duct tape. (keep a bit open so there's not too much suction)
The straw gets into the nether regions and cleans her out good!

have an old viking and didn't realize you need to take the bobbin assembly out.unscrew and remove the whole thing. my dealer showed me how to do it when i took it in because it froze. the lint was packed in like a layer of felt. i normally brush out the bobbin case everyday clean the assembly every couple of months now.

I keep a pipe cleaner by my machine and clean out around the bobbin each time I change it. I also take it apart and do extra cleaning with each new project. I had a machine for 20 yrs. before I started quilting and never cleaned it....yikes...no wonder it wasn't working correctly. The pipe cleaner quick cleaning works great.

I am constantly cleaning my machines. With each bobbin change I get rid of the lint and after each project I practically take the machine apart and clean it. I also use automotive car wax on my vintage machines and keep the plastic finish cleaned on my newer machines. My amchines all look like new, even my vintage ones.

What kind of animal did you have in there? Looks like it made a nest. LOL

Mary

OMG!

I give my Juki and Baby Lock a cleaning after about every 4th bobbin change. Almost every day I give the one I'm working on a real good cleaning and oil the Juki every day. What I am lax on is changing the needle!

I clean after every 2 bobbins and after every project