Snow Birds- or others who are gone for long periods
 

We've owned a condo on the west coast of FL for a few years. As I'm approaching retirement (woo hoo!), I'm thinking about getting a sewing machine to leave there. Until DH retires, I might fly there on my own. Or, even when we drive down, it seems we already have a lot of things to load in the car, meaning adding a sewing machine to be transported could be a problem.

Do any of you leave a computerized machine for long periods of time? I've heard horror stories about them "freezing" up if they are not turned on periodically. More specifically, I'm looking at one of the "lower end" Bernina's, a 300 series machine, probably, unless I find a fantastic deal on something even better.

Thanks for any input/suggestions you can give!

Robin

I have a Bernina Activa that I keep at a mountain cabin. It sits all winter without power and the first time I turn it on in the late Spring it can take a good 20 minutes to turn on, but it's never failed to power up. It's been there for 12 years now.

I have a Lily 540 Husqvarna that really only gets used once or twice a year at retreats. Touch wood.... I have never had a problem with it, although it does sit in a temperature controlled room day in and day out. As soon as it is plugged in.... it does it's little realignment as computerized machines do... and off it goes, ready to use. Do you have a machine that you are thinking of leaving there or would this be a new purchase?

l leave my Janome 6500 at home when l go south for 4-5 months. l clean it ,but do not oil ( under bobbin is only place allowed anyway), unplug it, and put the dust cover over it. It is in my basement sewingroom ,so l also pick the foot pedal off floor & store it next to machine. When l return in spring, l then oil that bobbin wick, and make sure l use the machine for at least 15 min afterwards. The machine is computorized, and l've had no problems in the 7 yr l've done this. Meanwhile, in Fla., l have another machine that sits covered in a closet. The air conditioning is left on over summer though not turned down very far...mainly humidity needs to be kept down...that machine also has had no problems.

I have a Bernina 300 series machine. I turned it on last week after not using it for about 9 months. It started up immediately with no problem and I pieced a quilt back with it. It was in my house, not a vacation home, but I can't see that that matters.

We've had a rash of Berninas with dead power circuit boards. And the one thing they all had in common was they hadn't been used for 9 months to 3 years. These have all been Bernina 220 or 230 models that are about 8 to 10 years old. That's interesting what Tom W said about taking 20 minutes to turn on. I'll have to try that on the next one that comes into the shop.

We are also on the west coast in the winter. I leave a machine there, I have had no problems with it.

We have a condo on the east coast. I have been trying to decide which of my machines to leave down there and I am leaning toward leaving a mechanical sewing machine and a mechanical serger. We keep the air conditioner running, so humidity is not an issue. Once my husband retires and we spend longer periods of time there, I'll most likely buy a computerized machine to use when we're in Florida.

Do you have to have a computerized machine? I have a Brother 1500, all mechanical, straight stitch, and it is a workhorse. No issues at all with hot/cold, and I drag it hither and yon.

I would get a machine I didn't have to worry about freezing up. I think of all the machines all over this God's green earth that have set for months and years and with a little clean up, they're off and running . Maybe check out the different sites for that area or a local quilt shop and see what they have.