It's "NATIONAL CLEAN THE BOBBIN AREA DAY" nah just do it anyway...
 

Ok. So. What brought this on? I just picked up 3 machines I won on Goodwill Auction. I usually give them a once over when I get them. Each machine had impacted feed dogs and the bobbin area full of thick link. One machine had the bobbin area apart - I sucked in a deep breath until I found all the pieces. Well, that isn't going to happen to you now is it. You aren't going to send a perfectly good machine to Goodwill just because you don't know how to clean the gunk out before the machine quits. NOPE not any more. Here is the secret way to do it. (Well it isn't a secret - all you have to do is look in the manual...) OH and before we go any farther you must - YOU MUST pledge to go clean your bobbin area and feed dogs before reading any more on this computer... if you just laughed and spewed coffee all over the key board you can clean it up later. This is IMPORTANT. Now finish reading an GO I said GO clean that bobbin area. After that you are allowed to brag about it on here. Yes please post that you did it. At least clean one of your machines... The one you used last. I already did. Just for you. Here goes. Oh and it takes LESS than 5 minutes.

1) UNPLUG THE MACHINE um most of you knew that - if you have a treadle machine you can skip this step - just be careful to keep away from the treadle ok?
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2) POSITION THE MACHINE SO THAT YOU CAN ACCESS THE BOBBIN EASILY. This is the hard part - some of these machines are HEAVY. (HINT: The bobbin is usually somewhere under the machine.)
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Terrible Warning - I'm not done yet do not post unless you already cleaned your bobbin area.

3) OPEN UP THE LATCHES THAT HOLD THE BOBBIN AREA TOGETHER. This is the scary part. The bobbin case, bobbin and the 'thing' will fall out. Guaranteed. Well mine did.
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NOTE: Here is how it should look after everything has been evacuated. Now this can vary from one model to another consult your manual for best results.
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and these are the pieces you removed - right?
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Terrible Warning - I'm not done yet do not post unless you already cleaned your bobbin area.

4) NOW CLEAN OUT THE LINT. Nothing hard so far right? I use an old cleaned out mascara brush - it fits in the tight places and does a good job.

OK THAT WAS IT.

RE-ASSEMBLE IT!
IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME YOU MIGHT NEED TO STAND THE MACHINE ON THE BALANCE WHEEL END.
1) PUT THE 'THING' BACK. IT'S THAT LITTLE THING WITH THE SPINDLE THE BOBBIN RIDES ON. SEE PHOTO OR OWNERS MANUAL.
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Hang on to it and then
2) PUT THE OUTER 'THINGY' BACK IN PLACE - BUMP SIDE GOES OUT. You can experiment but believe me the bump side goes OUT.
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Terrible Warning - I'm not done yet do not post unless you already cleaned your bobbin area.

IT SHOULD SET FLUSH WITH THOSE LITTLE WING THINGS. FLIP THEM BACK IN PLACE AND TIGHTEN DOWN.
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NOW LOAD YOUR BOBBIN.
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The thread should pull through it's case counter clockwise.
Always put the needle up all the way before you try to put the bobbin in. You knew all this. Now go clean your bobbin area and feed dogs. Be sure to let everybody know when you get done! No cheating. Get off that chair and go do it now before you forget.









GO DO IT NOW!!!

Good reminder. I do mine every other bobbin.
Another reminder is change the needle out every 8-ish hours. I've heard people with 25 year old machines say why should they, it still sews. Cars with no tires will still go down the road, but...

While you are going to all this trouble I would recomend a drop of oil on the "race" (the area behind where you took the parts out to clean.) It can't hurt anything and it makes the machine run so nice and smooth!

Clean the feed dog area while you have it all out. If you take off the throat plate it is a little easier but you don't need a tutorial for that. Oil is a good idea too.

Miriam,

This is a wonderful technical sheet. But do I really have to do all my machines? Couldn't I just do the ones I use the most? I don't do the Bernina or the serger, those are my wife's.

Joe

I appreciate how you used the technical terms for all the parts. :)

especially you, Joe