How often do you change the oil in your car? Every three months whether it needs it or not? Every three thousand miles?
Now consider this. Your sewing machine is like that luxury car in that it requires the same kind of care and maintenance. You would never go year after year on your car without changing the oil or cleaning off dirt and grime. The same should be true with your sewing machine. Considering that luxury sewing machines now cost between $9,000 and $12,000, they are too precious to neglect.
How often does your sewing machine need an oil change? If you are an average user or if you only use the sewing machine occasionally, have it professionally serviced once a year. You may decide to do your own sewing machine service after completing a comprehensive sewing machine repair course. If you use your sewing machine more heavily, have it serviced more often. Instead of calling it an oil change we call it a standard or full service on a sewing machine.
Embroidery machines should be serviced at least once a year or every one million stitches.
Think about how you sew. Do you sew on linty fabrics or use linty threads? Do you clean out your bobbin area frequently? Remember, the more abuse a machine takes, the more often you will need to service it.
A recent national survey of sewing machine repair shops revealed a wide range of charges. A standard tune up in more rural areas might run as low as $79.95, but in a city shop you might find prices starting at as much as $150.00. Repairs and parts are always extra.
You can pay the price and have a pro service your sewing machine every few months, or you could learn how to maintain it between tune ups yourself. You could take a sewing machine repair course and learn the ins and outs of sewing machine repair. Then every several months you could do your own sewing machine repair. Think of how much money you could save. Still, you can save by learning just how to maintain your machine at home.
You might really enjoy a sewing machine repair course. However, there are some things you can do right now to reduce your service costs. By properly maintaining your machine between tune ups, you can enjoy longer periods between shop visits and much less frustration.
Step one: Change your needle frequently. Change it every other project or every three to four sewing hours. The cost of needle is minor. Dont you deserve to sew with a new needle and save the headaches?
Step two: Use only quality threads. Avoid linty cotton covered polyester threads, hand quilting threads, and old threads. Use long fiber or long staple 100% polyester, cotton, or silk threads.
Three: Sewing machines are vulnerable to environmental exposure. Keep your sewing machine protected at all times from moisture, dirt, smoke, dust, temperature extremes, and direct sunlight. Sewing machines like to be clean, safe, and pretty.
Step four: After ever two hours of sewing, uncover the bobbin area. Remove the bobbin area cover. Remove the bobbin. Remove the bobbin carrier. If there is a bracket over the hook, remove it. Notice the hook moves along a groove called the race. Use canned air (upright only), sewing machine vacuum, or air compressor to remove all lint and debris from the bobbin area.
Five: With your bobbin and carrier still removed, use one drop of sewing machine oil and place it carefully on the hook race. This is the groove on which the hook moves. Make sure you use only pure clean sewing machine oil. Standard household oils like 3-in-1 contain paraffin and other substances that mess up your machine. The movement of the hook will spread the oil around the race. Now put everything back together and continue sewing.
Sixth, clean out the needle bar area. On some machines you will need to remove a cover or open a door. Frequently, threads will get wrapped around the levers in this area and cause problems. Using tweezers you can usually remove them without too much trouble. Like your bobbin area, you can blow it out and brush away any debris.
Seven: Place one drop of oil on joints between any metal to metal parts and one on the needle bar.
Now with this seven step home service, you have protected your sewing machine, maintained it in peak condition, prolonged the life or your machine, and saved a bundle on repairs. Check out a good repair course to learn even more about sewing machine repair.
Now consider this. Your sewing machine is like that luxury car in that it requires the same kind of care and maintenance. You would never go year after year on your car without changing the oil or cleaning off dirt and grime. The same should be true with your sewing machine. Considering that luxury sewing machines now cost between $9,000 and $12,000, they are too precious to neglect.
How often does your sewing machine need an oil change? If you are an average user or if you only use the sewing machine occasionally, have it professionally serviced once a year. You may decide to do your own sewing machine service after completing a comprehensive sewing machine repair course. If you use your sewing machine more heavily, have it serviced more often. Instead of calling it an oil change we call it a standard or full service on a sewing machine.
Embroidery machines should be serviced at least once a year or every one million stitches.
Think about how you sew. Do you sew on linty fabrics or use linty threads? Do you clean out your bobbin area frequently? Remember, the more abuse a machine takes, the more often you will need to service it.
A recent national survey of sewing machine repair shops revealed a wide range of charges. A standard tune up in more rural areas might run as low as $79.95, but in a city shop you might find prices starting at as much as $150.00. Repairs and parts are always extra.
You can pay the price and have a pro service your sewing machine every few months, or you could learn how to maintain it between tune ups yourself. You could take a sewing machine repair course and learn the ins and outs of sewing machine repair. Then every several months you could do your own sewing machine repair. Think of how much money you could save. Still, you can save by learning just how to maintain your machine at home.
You might really enjoy a sewing machine repair course. However, there are some things you can do right now to reduce your service costs. By properly maintaining your machine between tune ups, you can enjoy longer periods between shop visits and much less frustration.
Step one: Change your needle frequently. Change it every other project or every three to four sewing hours. The cost of needle is minor. Dont you deserve to sew with a new needle and save the headaches?
Step two: Use only quality threads. Avoid linty cotton covered polyester threads, hand quilting threads, and old threads. Use long fiber or long staple 100% polyester, cotton, or silk threads.
Three: Sewing machines are vulnerable to environmental exposure. Keep your sewing machine protected at all times from moisture, dirt, smoke, dust, temperature extremes, and direct sunlight. Sewing machines like to be clean, safe, and pretty.
Step four: After ever two hours of sewing, uncover the bobbin area. Remove the bobbin area cover. Remove the bobbin. Remove the bobbin carrier. If there is a bracket over the hook, remove it. Notice the hook moves along a groove called the race. Use canned air (upright only), sewing machine vacuum, or air compressor to remove all lint and debris from the bobbin area.
Five: With your bobbin and carrier still removed, use one drop of sewing machine oil and place it carefully on the hook race. This is the groove on which the hook moves. Make sure you use only pure clean sewing machine oil. Standard household oils like 3-in-1 contain paraffin and other substances that mess up your machine. The movement of the hook will spread the oil around the race. Now put everything back together and continue sewing.
Sixth, clean out the needle bar area. On some machines you will need to remove a cover or open a door. Frequently, threads will get wrapped around the levers in this area and cause problems. Using tweezers you can usually remove them without too much trouble. Like your bobbin area, you can blow it out and brush away any debris.
Seven: Place one drop of oil on joints between any metal to metal parts and one on the needle bar.
Now with this seven step home service, you have protected your sewing machine, maintained it in peak condition, prolonged the life or your machine, and saved a bundle on repairs. Check out a good repair course to learn even more about sewing machine repair.
About the Author:
Now learn more about repairing sewing machines from Dr. David Trumble's step by step sewing machine repair courses. Get your free copy of his beginner's course 7 Steps To Peak Performance For Your Sewing Machine.
