Sewing machine check-up--Sew News Library

Sewing machine check-up

The old adage,
"An ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure"
is as applicable to sewing machines
as it is to people and cars

Do It-Yourself Maintenance
Annual Maintenance
Pre-Panic Checklist
If It Still Doesn't Work

Sewing Machine Check-up

By Susan Voigt-Reising

When it comes to your beloved (mechanical or computerized) sewing companion, preventative care is the key to a long and productive life.

The following tips from Brian Hossler, sucessful sewing machine technician, will help you take care of your own conventional sewing machine--and know when it's time for a professional's help.

Do It-Yourself Maintenance

Follow these guidelines to help ensure your machine continues to perform at its highest potential:

Know how to properly use your machine. Really read your machine's manual. Establish a relationship with your dealer and/or a qualified service technician. He or she should be your partner in your machine's care.

If you don't have a machine manual, ask a local dealer of the same machine brand to order one for you. If your machine was purchased second-hand, this is a good time to get to know your local dealer. Note: To find the dealer nearest you, look in your local Yellow Pages under "Sewing Machines--Dealers."

For machines that require oil: Consult your machine manual for details on when and where to oil them. Do not use any machine lubricant that contains water or is not extremely lightweight. One lubricant often recommended by machine technicians is Tri-Flo™, available in both aerosol and non-aerosol forms.

For machines designed to be non-oiled (computerized machines and some others): Never oil them yourself. However, don't be afraid if your qualified service technician uses a little on movable parts only.

To remove dirt and lint, avoid compressed air unless all covers have been removed from the machine; it can blow contaminants back into important mechanisms, creating serious problems. Instead, use a mini-vac attachment to vacuum the dirt out, or loosen it with your machine's brush, then vacuum it out. Also, it's best not to blow human air into the machine; its moisture may cause problems over time.

To protect your machine from power surges, lightning and bad wiring, purchase and use a high-quality computer grade surge protector. Expect to pay about $30 for a good one, or more for one that comes with insurance to cover any damage your electronics incur while plugged into the surge protector. This investment could save you up to $1,000 on replacement circuit boards if your machine was, for example, struck by lightning. Note: Having a surge protector on your whole house is not enough; you also should have an individual one for your machine.

To protect yourself from harm, always turn off your machine before performing any maintenance. Before you do anything beyond normal user maintenance, call your service technician and ask for advice. A good one will take a few minutes to help you on the phone and will be honest about what you should and should not attempt.

If you use your machine only sporadically, run it at full throttle for a couple of minutes each month--whether or not you intend to work on a project.

Annual Maintenance

Once a year, take your machine to your dealer or a reputable service technician for a tune-up. If your machine is not under warranty and you're concerned about the cost of a tune-up, check around for specials--again, only at reputable dealers or service organizations. When you do take it for service, be sure all of the following items applicable to your machine will be checked:

* Upper and lower main shaft play
* Shuttle gear mesh
* Belt tension
* Zigzag movement of needle
* Needle position
* Needle-to-hook clearance
* Needle-to-hook timing
* Feed timing
* Hook cover clearance
* Feed teeth height
* Upper and lower thread tension
* Motor operation
* Stitch quality

Pre-Panic Checklist

What if your machine is acting strangely--skipped stitches, thread breakage, knotting, etc.? Before rushing your machine to "the hospital," run through this checklist:

1. Do I understand how my machine works? If not, refer to the machine manual.

2. Is my machine cleaned and (if applicable) oiled? If not, clean and/or oil it as described earlier under "Do-It-Yourself Maintenance" section.

3. Have I changed my needle lately? If a needle is dulled or burred, it can impede the progress of the thread and cause thread breakage and/or skipped stitches.

4. If I have changed my needle, is it inserted correctly and is it the right type and size? If a needle is inserted backwards or not fully inserted or if it isn't the type required by your machine or the size required by your project, you can damage your machine. Always check this carefully before you begin to sew.

5. Is my machine threaded correctly? If in doubt, rethread it completely, including the bobbin, making sure the thread is engaged properly in any tension disks or springs.

6. Am I using quality thread? Poor thread quality can cause lint or "fuzz" to build up in the needle, resulting in poor stitch quality. When stitch quality counts, use high quality thread.

7. Does my bobbin tension require adjustment? Many machine manuals address this process. If yours doesn't, consult your dealer or service technician (when you're in for routine business or maintenance is a good time). This can be a delicate process, so if you're not sure, don't do it yourself.

8. Does my upper tension require adjustment? This is a less delicate process; simply remember where you started and return to that setting if you don't see improvement. Refer to you machine's manual for guidance.

9. Is my presser foot pressure appropriate for my what I'm sewing? If not, adjust it accordingly, again referring to your machine's manual for guidance.

If It Still Doesn't Work

If you've tried everything and your machine still isn't functioning properly (clicks, squeaks or makes other unusual noises, is sluggish, or the thread knots up under the switch plate), it's time to consult a service technician. Here's how to handle your service and repair:

Know if your machine is under warranty. If so, know what is covered by the warranty (parts only or parts and labor) and for how long and be sure to have the warranty and payment receipt with you when you take the machine in for maintenance.

If you machine is not under warranty, call your dealer or a service technician and inquire about their basic tune-up price, plus the per-hour labor charge for other service and repair. If you're concerned about price, shop around, but only to on-site service shops known for quality.

Take your machine to the dealer or service organization of your choice. Show them what is going wrong.

Leave the machine with the technician and agree on a time frame for him or her to call you with an estimate. If you have any questions or concerns after you receive the estimate, ask questions until you're satisfied, or visit the shop again to see exactly what's wrong. The estimate should be what you actually pay. If the technician finds more problems during the initial repair, he or she should call you before performing any additional work not reported in the estimate.

Allow a few days for service that does not require parts or up to two weeks for service that does.

If your machine doesn’t work well after service, call immediately and arrange to bring it back to the shop. Some problems can be masked by others or are intermittent, so don't immediately assume you're the victim of poor service. However, if the original problem has not been solved, any additional service should be performed at no additional charge.

If one service technician tells you your machine can't be fixed, get a second opinion.

Make an appointment to pick up the machine and ask the technician to go over with you what he or she did.


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