Sometimes people will find out that I service sewing machines and tell me that they do their own servicing.
I always ask them how involved they get, and at least 9 times out of 10 they’ll tell me they brush out (or blow out – and I usually tell them that’s not recommended) the lint, and oil where it says to in the owner’s manual.
Believe it or not, when a sewing machine repair shop does a cleaning and tune-up for you, they do more than that. Inside your machine there are a lot more places to oil and clean and adjust than what the owner will typically see. The dirt and grime we find can be just unreal. You should have seen the face on owner of this machine when I showed her this photo of the inside of her machine. She knew it was a little dusty, but she never imagined this was hidden behind the panels – click on this one to see the grunge in its full glory.
If you take a good look here, you’ll notice something else too. There are a lot of places that look like they could use some oil that you never get to see. Over the years, a machine that doesn’t get a visit to the sewing machine spa will run those spots out of the factory applied oil and start to wear prematurely.
Even if you don’t take it in all the time, take your machine in periodically so we (your Old sewing machine Guy / gal) can make sure your baby is healthy internally.
Today’s Post title brought to you by: The letter G and Olivia Newton John – A little more love
Yeah… You’ve really gotta open machines right up to get at all the built up gunk. It’s amazing the places that stray threads and bits of lint build up. Not to mention metal on metal points that require oil that can be hard to get at.
Getting a machine serviced by someone experienced is definitely worth it. At for people who’d rather sew than fix.
In fairness, I totally get wanting to sew, not just be covered in little cuts and sewing machine oil. 😉 I have those days too.
I really try to let people know I’m not out to just make a buck, I want their machine to last a long time. There’s a lot of friction and wear that especially a high speed machine like a serger will suffer if not opened up and properly oiled and “defuzzed”. Even lower speed machines.
I so frequently hear “My manual says that my machine doesn’t need to be oiled, so I don’t take it in for service”. ARGH! Not the same thing! Doesn’t need to be user oiled != not serviced!