Wondered Why the Machine Was Being Balky...DUH!!!

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09-13-2011, 03:29 PM

#61

collady

Senior Member

Join Date: Mar 2011

Location: Batesville, Arkansas

Posts: 852

I have made a habit of cleaning my machine every time I replace the bobbin! It is a habit that get great results. When I take it to the shop every May, they question how much I use it, because it is fairly clean inside! Sure is nice.

09-13-2011, 03:44 PM

#62

neayact

Member

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Connecticut

Posts: 67

It's amazing how much lint and fluff get into our machines!
I try to remember to clean it but we all seem to get busy with the projects

09-13-2011, 03:47 PM

#63

Novice.for.now

Senior Member

Join Date: Jan 2011

Posts: 471

LOL, I'm glad to see that others have embarrassing moments too. Glad your quilting buddy is ok.

09-13-2011, 05:18 PM

#64

Wanabee Quiltin

Super Member

Join Date: Jul 2011

Location: St. Louis suburbs

Posts: 6,084

If this had been a Bernina, you would have found out after you sewed 6 bobbins. They are very sensitive to dust.

09-13-2011, 05:22 PM

#65

Charming

Super Member

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: Riverside, CA

Posts: 1,634

ROFL.....that was so funny

Quote:

Originally Posted by quilting.addict

I never thought about cleaning my Viking. Of course, I had never quilted before. So seven years go by and my sweet machine starts acting up. I take the bobbin area apart...lo and behold, I had enough to lint to make batting for a baby quilt!!! LOL

09-13-2011, 10:26 PM

#66

Annaleehunter

Senior Member

Join Date: Feb 2010

Posts: 606

Quote:

Originally Posted by jljack

My modern Brother machine had been very trouble free for the 18 months I have had it. It was great and had 80 decorative stitches, was a strong stitcher, etc. I had no complaints about it at all.

About 3 weeks ago it started acting really strange, tangling bobbin thread, breaking top thread at the feeddogs, not moving the fabric through right. I set it on the floor and took out my vintage Singer 301 and Featherweight and finished a couple of projects.

Last night DH helped me get the needle plate off to take a look. Well, goodness!! No wonder it was acting strange!! I realized not once had I taken that plate off, and every single nook, cranny, spring, space, crack, feeddog track and all was packed solid with lint.

DUH!!! I just hadn't thought about it, since it's a drop in bobbin in front of the foot.

SO....CLEAN YOUR MACHINE!! I should post that over my thread rack on the wall. Sorry, little Brother machine....I promise not to neglect you again!!

I am cleaning up my FW for a class and the last step is taking off the plate and checking in and around the feed dogs!!! I just have put it off till the end. Thanks for reminding us to check this often overlooked area!

09-13-2011, 10:34 PM

#67

natalieg

Super Member

Join Date: Jul 2010

Location: Montana

Posts: 1,073

I constantly tell people this. It causes a lot of issues.

09-14-2011, 02:51 AM

#68

watterstide

Super Member

Join Date: Oct 2009

Posts: 5,453

mine was nasty after i finished piecing a quilt, with cotton and flannel pieces.
i cleaned and oiled her..before i started the actual quilting!

Make sure you get the bunnies in between the feed dogs!

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09-14-2011, 03:02 AM

#69

kaykwilts

Senior Member

Join Date: Feb 2011

Location: North Central Texas

Posts: 378

Thanks for the reminder. Though I am usually "religious" about cleaning and oiling, I appreciate the reminder that most machine problems can be avoided by making sure you keep the lint out!

09-14-2011, 03:27 AM

#70

gmaybee

Senior Member

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: Lower Michigan

Posts: 908

I try, but don't always remember to brush my bobbin area out after each project. If I'm working with a linty fabric I try to remember to do it during construction of that project. Some people I know brush out after each bobbin change.