Bernina 530 question
 

How do you get the top off? Since we decided to gift the 830 back to my SIL, DH picked up a 530 that is in really nice shape but needs a good cleaning so everything will work right.

The manual shows all the oil point after you get the top off, but no where does it say HOW to get the top off. It's stuck on pretty good - and DH wants to make sure he's not missing a catch or screw somewhere before he gives it a good pull. It does look like it should just pop off, but it's probably not been off in a very long time.

call a local Bernina dealer..

Our "local" dealer is 70 miles away and not a fan of vintage machines. When we were asking something about an old Viking (they sell both) he said that he gets the old ones in all the time and just tosses them in the dumpster because they aren't worth dealing with.

He wasn't snide about it - just stating the economics of it. He also said that it was against corporate policy to sell used machines for parts. I've so wanted to go dumpster diving behind that shop. . .

The other "local" Bernina dealer we talked to (about 200 miles away) told us that the old machines weren't' any good and we should get a new one - and that was because we were looking for needles for the 830 Record. That guy was snide - he really didn't like people who had the audacity to work on their own machines.

I was hoping someone here has taken the top off one and knew if there were any tricks to getting it off.

Maybe try searching online.

They get stuck with age and non-use. They do need a little help sometimes to pop off. Tell Hubby to be careful if he wants to use something to pry it as it can damage the finish. I ended up using a smaller, flat head screw driver. My 730 was stuck tight like that too. It will continue to stick until you oil the hinges and open and close it a hundred times.

The old oil gums-up and makes the lid stick on. If you could get it hot around the edge, it might help. Maybe a blow dryer or really hot rag in a bag. We've recently used a soldering iron to loosen a gummed-up part, but you really want to be careful with that one!

Thanks everyone. DH went out to the shop and made a couple of wood shims and put tape on them, then tapped them gently between the lid and the machine and got it to pop off. He wanted to make sure there weren't any hidden clips before he did that.

It's getting the oil treatment now - looks very clean inside but some parts are really stuck together.

Wood shims are a good idea. I'll have to remember that for next time.

Like Candace said, they just pop off. Just be careful you don't chip the enamel.

Macybaby, I'm going to remember the shim trick for the future! My recently acquired 730 had the same issue (and it has several others, all waiting in the wings for solutions), and I took a chance by very gently and slowly and carefully inserting a small flat blade screwdriver between the top and the head and lifting, until it finally popped it off. Gave it a little squirt of Liquid Wrench where it looks like the catch is, too. It's still tight but I can get it open now by placing my palms on the back of the top, fingers on the front, and pulling up.