Many sewing machine owners question the need to have regular professional sewing machine service. I have heard some tell me, “This machine is 40 years old and never been cleaned and it sews perfectly.” Often when I start to question them about the way their machine sews it becomes apparent that their machines are performing far less than perfectly.
A professional service on your sewing machine goes much further and deeper than most sewing machine owners are capable of achieving. There are places inside your machine that are not easily accessible and often require special tools or knowledge to access safely.
Keeping these parts of your machine free of lint, dust and old lubricants is an essential part of keeping your sewing machine operating in top condition. Knowing how to access these areas, how to properly clean and adjust the different mechanisms, and knowing which lubricants should be used are they hallmarks of a professional sewing machine service.
As an example, these are some of the things we have seen during routine service on sewing machines that were often thought to be operating correctly. Only when we opened the cases of the machines and looked inside did it become apparent that the machines were no doing the job they were intended to do.
One problem we see over and over is a buildup of debris, dirt and lint in and around the bobbin mechanism. Moste sewing machine owners will habitually clean the bobbin case, the bobbin and the area immediately around the bobbin carrier. There is much more to this mechanism than the bobbin case and bobbin.
In this picture on the right, you can see what we found in another customer’s machine when we pulled the needle plate from the arm of the machine. The inside of the bobbin carrier and the bobbin are relatively clean. However, when we got under the needle plate, we found a buildup of needle lint so tightly packed that the feed doors were actually pushing the needle plate up when they went to the top position.
The underside of the bobbin mechanism was equally dirty. We cleaned and oiled the entire area, adjusted the needle depth, the needle to hook clearance, and reset the timing on the machine. It then sewed perfectly again. One of the things we learned about this machine was that it had been serviced by another technician less than a year prior to our servicing the machine. This is not less than one years buildup of lint and debris. You must also be careful about the technician you choose to service your machine.
This machine was sluggish and didn’t sew ar full speed. Once we opened the head of the machine we found a buildup of lint, debris, and old lubricants. Once we cleaned the machine, removed the old caked up and thick lubricants, the machine sewed at normal speed. A few more adjustments and this customer’s sewing machine was ready to go back to work normally and provide years of faithful service.
There is much more to keeping a quality sewing machine running properly than the occasional cleaning of the bobbin and bobbin case. In most cases, only a trained technician has the knowledge, tools, and expertise to get deep inside your machine and clean these areas. Making the proper adjustments is beyond even the best seamstress to accomplish. In addition, in modern machines there is a array of electronics and nylon gears that require special care and lubrication.
We highly suggest that you bring your sewing machine in for a fully service appointment at least once a year, and perhaps more often if your machine is used regularly.
You can book your appointment with the Stitch Doctor today by calling 806 252 4471.