w1613s

I had been personally blessed (bought, inherited, etc,) with antique and vintage machines and then a friend came up with a Bernina 1630 whose quilter had died. The friend had the Bernina's identical twin. Both of the machines sew beautifully but both of them clack and clatter like crazy. My antiques and vintage machines don't do that. They purr.

The new noise in my sewing room made me pay attention to the sounds other machines were making. I listened on tv, at quilting workshops given by my guild, at classes given by quilting fabric stores - you get the idea. The newer machines all seemed to make varieties of loud noises.

I am a clean freak regarding the innards of my machines. Both my Bernina and its twin sister were taken to a reputable Bernina dealer and were checked, cleaned, lubricated, and tested because both of them made the same noises. When I couldn't clean/lube and get rid of the clack/clatter business, I snatched both my and my friend's machines and off they went to the Bernina doctor hoping he could find the problem, fix it, and return purring machines.

No go and no explanation of the noises. So, once again my question, do newer machines, assuming differences for make, etc., etc., no longer purr but clack and clatter instead? My friend died 6 months ago and left me her entire sewing room and all that is in it including my Bernina's twin (we will not discuss the probate situation where I live). There are some 5 or 6 machines she used and the lifetime stash, other equipment, etc. of a quilter. I have never heard any of her other machines "at work" and need to know what to expect from them. She left me her sewing room with instructions to gift most of it to new quilters and others who are just beginning to be involved with fabric arts and garment design and production. I need to know about the machines I will be getting into the hands of inexperienced sewers and they need to know how to keep them running well. And they need to know what "running well" is.

Thanks in advance and please forgive me for being wordy. It seemed you, ladies and gentlemen, needed to know the dynamics of the question so you could help me with the answer. (D'you like the excuse?)

Pat

Candace

No, newer machines are usually pretty quiet. All those plastic parts working and or rubbing don't nearly make the same sound as metal on metal. If you don't like the machines pass them on. I'd use a 1630 in a heartbeat!

mighty

Seems all my machines have their own sound, guess we just get used to it.

mlmack

If you took the machine to a Bernina service center, and they didn't find anything wrong, I'd say that whatever noise it makes is normal.

I had a Bernina 930, and I didn't find it to be overly clacky or clattery.

quiltinghere

I'm sure sewing machines sound different from model to model and even the same model - two machines.

Just like cars and motorcycles sound different.

Nan - IN

Tartan

I think Berninas are a little noisier because of the all metal parts. If they have been cleaned and lubed, they should be good to go. As for vintage machines, there is a reason I call my Singer treadle " old clunky".

tessagin

On YouTube there is a video for machine repair and maintenance. I would check there. Could be the bobbins aren't set in just right. I saw on the one where there was the teeniest piece of lint caught in the bobbin. The guy took a very tiny pin and picked it up. My fairly new machine was making an odd noise (starting to clack) so I tried his tip. No more clack. It was a tiny piece of lint smaller than the width of a strand of hair.

Stitchnripper

Here is my 2 cents for what it is worth. One of my vintage machines is whisper quiet when I sit it on a folded bath towel on the dining room table. Without the towel it sounds like a train!! It sews great either way. Maybe the location of the machines has something to do with the noise?

purplefiend

I have 2 older Berninas, the 1031 is very quiet, the 930 makes a clicking sound as it cycles; that's normal.
When I was sewing with the Pfaff 1222E, I noticed that its noisier than the 1031; all of them sew beautifully. The Viking Sapphire 875 is 4 years old and a lovely plastic wonder, after sewing with antique treadles, it just seems like too much machine.
Sharon