getting a sewing machine serviced

**professor~yaffle**

Hi,
I've got a question for people who have a sewing machine. Recently I've noticed mine is playing up a bit and I think it could do with being serviced. I got it second hand a while ago, and the previous owner hadn't used it in ages. The trouble is I don't have a car so getting it to a sewing machine repairer might prove tricky.

Does anyone know, do places that service sewing machines come round to your place or do you have to get the machine to them? I don't even know how many places there are these days that actually do this kind of work, I imagine not that many. (Do people these days even use a sewing machine? I know we were taught to sew at school but that was a few decades ago)

Also, any idea roughly how much it would cost me?

Thankyou

poledancer49

I live in Northamptonshire and my Mum needed her sewing machine serviced. Found a local shop who also sold refurbished ones through an internet search engine. Thinks it was about £40? You may have to consider getting a taxi or asking a friend for a lift should you find a shop nearby? Good luck.

jackyann

Quite a few people who service sewing machines will collect & deliver - I guess they charge more, but maybe not as much as a taxi. I recently paid £60 for my overlocker to be collected, service, returned.

Have you got the manual? You can usually service a simple sewing machine yourself, and there are some useful videos on Youtube. However, you may feel nervous about this, or your machine may be too complex (I wouldn't service my overlocker, but I do my simple old machine)

**professor~yaffle**

I do still have the manual. I could try oiling it again, not sure how often you're supposed to oil them, but it's been a few months now since I last did it.

When I sew, the back of the stitching often seems to get all knotted up. I'll see if oiling and cleaning it helps. thanks

Willowpop

**professor~yaffle** wrote: »

When I sew, the back of the stitching often seems to get all knotted up. I'll see if oiling and cleaning it helps. thanks

That's exactly what my old machine does..if you find a solution then please let me know.

**professor~yaffle**

will do I'm wondering it it's the upper tension.

Lilyplonk

........... very often the causing of tangling underneath the stitching.

Try putting the 'foot' down and seeing if you can pull the thread through from the needle. If it runs through easily, without any resistance at all, then it may very well be the upper tension that needs adjusting.

thriftwizard

That does indeed sound like an upper tension problem. One first thing to look for, before adjusting anything (although the upper tension should be tweaked with every change of fabric, thread & needle for optimum sewing) is that you are threading the machine correctly - for many years, I was having mine serviced at 6 month intervals but it just kept doing this. Eventually I got fed with with people muttering about re-grinding the shuttle race, and got a very ancient book out of the library. The first instruction was, "Check that the customer is threading the machine correctly," and of course, I hadn't been - half the time, the thread wasn't running between the tension disks.

Another easy fix is to unscrew & remove the plate under the needle, brush out the feed dogs (it's amazing how much gunge gets in there; it's often completely solid) and run your hoover over them too. If the dogs can't come up far enough to grip & move the fabric, things will get in a horrible tangle underneath, and it's so easy to sort out. And you do need to oil, with proper sewing or light machine oil (not 3in1 or WD40, which isn't even oil) after every couple of hours of stitching or thereabouts; it's amazing how much sweeter they run after a drop of the golden stuff.

There are plenty of SM mechanics out there, but do ask other local stitchers who they'd recommend; we have two around here, who advertise heavily, who are complete rip-off merchants & will tell you that any machine over about 20 years should just be scrapped, but they'll take pity on you & offer you a part-exchange deal on a brand new one. A week or two later you'll see one just like your old one on Ebay for rather a lot of money... but there are also two really good mechanics who don't advertise much (they don't need to) who are real magicians & seem to be able to sort anything out, quickly, easily & relatively inexpensively. I normally pay £60 for a good deep service including an electrical overhaul, which is good value when you consider that the sort of machine I normally use (I make stuff for sale) starts at £600 new. I know it costs less elsewhere, though - we're in one of the priciest parts of the country.

Or look online (plenty of good advice out there!) or in your local library, and do what you can yourself!

gibson123

Before spending a lot of money give it a good cleaning and oiling. And try fine-tuning the tension. Here's a useful article http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4731/preventive-sewing-machine-maintenance

Honey_Bear

Fantastically helpful thread. thanks OP and particularly ThriftWizard.

I've had my machine serviced by someone I found through the small ads locally but it took me years to find him. I even asked theatre professionals about a freelance engineer and they either couldn't or wouldn't suggest anyone. Eventually I trawled through the small ads, and to be honest, I think most people can spot someone who's a rip off merchant. My guy collected our two machines, serviced them, delivered them and charged £27.50 per machine. Bargain. (He also told me to never, ever let mine go, as it would sew carpet it's such a workhorse. It was my 18th birthday present from my parents and I was about 50 at the time! It's still going strong.)

Regarding the under fabric tangle, I know it's a tension problem, but I just can't solve it either. I find that if I put the fabric in place, lower the foot and hold both threads so that they can't be drawn back into the sewing, once the first inch is completed, the problem's solved. I know I'm threading the machine correctly, but I'll follow all of the advice on this thread and try anything to solve this problem, because clearly I'm doing something wrong.

**professor~yaffle**

I had one bad experience with a local sewing machine man who tried charging me £60-something for a £30 replacement foot pedal. (I expect an independent trader to make a bit of profit, but surely not double the price!) So I was a bit wary after that. I will try cleaning the machine but I'm not sure what to do about the upper tension as it's already low, I think it's on about 0 - 1.