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Mom got hurt. Learnt how to service and time sewing machines
7 years ago
Noble Galactic's FA Journal
The last month has been stressful. Those who follow me on FB. Knows my mother fell and broke both her legs. So she has been in the hospital. So have been dealing with that.
With that, I have been asked to keep an eye from time to time on the house. They have 2 dogs that got to be let when no one is there. My mother is at the Hamilton hospital, instead of the Brantford one (40 mins away). mainly because of the dialysis machines. they have mobile ones there VS the ones that are here in Brantford. (Brantford hospital is shit)
My sewing machines have been giving me a lot of stress lately.... well at first anyway.
I have 4 sewing machines. 1 serger. 1 multi-stitch for embroidery. And 2 that I use for my fursuits seams. Since it is meant for heavy fabrics.
And I have 2, so if one goes down, I have a backup.
My machines needed to be serviced. there are NO LOCAL REPAIR PEOPLE for repairing sewing machines... which sucks balls.
I found a guy through Lens Mills, that services, and repairs machines. I thought GREAT. my sewing machines need to be timed in and cleaned. and I can send them in one by one to get done. (the guy is in Guelph, which is 1 hour from Brantford)
So I sent my serger in. Got that timed and cleaned. came to 180 dollars.
(That worked for ....1ish months before it didn't stitch right.... which I found odd because it worked well for 2 years... I send it into getting it fixed...to have it break again in a month).
One of my main machines was sent in, to get fixed and timed. right before my serger fucked up... after the repair was done to the serger.
(Its a 4 to 8 week repair time, unless parts are needed to be ordered).
During the wait. I am using my second machine. and it becomes untimed.
So Now I have no serger, I have no machine to sew with. I am panicking because I need to have stuff done for AC.
So I start looking up on youtube sewing machine repairs and alignment. And I can damn well tell u, it's insanely hard to find your own model while looking that shit up. lt alone a video that shows u how to properly time from start to finish.
I had to look at different models and makes and piece info together. I know basic info of a sewing machine, cleaning needs/do's/don'ts. but no one has ever shown me how to time one.
Shit needed to get done. So I started to try and time my machine myself. I first I stressed because I had no fucking idea what the hell I was doing. along with not have a proper video or someone showing me how to time and line up my exact machine... At one point I broke down and just started crying because it was that stressful. I was afraid of removing the wrong screw, or fucking with the wrong gears, making it worse, Or stripping the screws, etc. I also needed to get work done, and every hour that went by the more stressed I got.
I took a breather, worked on some paws and came back to it with a clear head. (that helped a huge lot)
My machine was skipping stitches and bunching up because the bobbin chamber was off. and the needle was not pulling up at the right moment. The height of the needle was fine, the tension was fine, the belt was fine, everything was fine, it was just the bobbin being off.
AFTER 2 FUCKING WEEKS of stressing over that, and not having a working machine, and trying to get my main machine to work, while working on other items. I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT. And I will say, after trying again, and again and again, to get my machines to work, trying so hard not to get angry with them. and then FINALLY getting it. I cried with tears of joy because it was such a relief to figure it out and have them working again. You have no idea.
This also means I can easily service my machines my self now. So I don't have to waste money on having someone else service them.
Now here's where I get pissed off.
My sewing machine repairman.....
My serger didn't make sense for the repairs that needed to be done to it.... Like I could see 3 or 4 of the repairs needed that he said.... but not the other repairs.
there was "7" things that needed to be fixed. the foot pedal, the bobbin casing, alignment crap, blah blah blah. Something seemed fishy when he was telling me what was wrong, and I had that feeling he was lying. And now that I know what i am doing.... i am 99.9% that at least 3 of those repairs, didn't need to be done.
And to top that off. After fixing my main machine and looking at my surger....it looks like some screws were loose that SHOULDN"T have been left loose.... I really hope he didn't purposely leave shit loose to get me to come back sooner. But that's the feel I was getting.
2 days later (and 3 days earlier from this Post), I get a call back about my main machine, with the repairs it needs. To go over what needs to be fixed. This time 9 things are wrong... and this time I know half of what he said, doesn't need to be done/is BS. The repair would come to 200 dollars this time.
fucking scamming little fucker... I just told him nicely to return my machine. (he's in Guelph, I wanted to get my machine back before I told him off, so he doesn't try something and end up losing my second machine somehow).
So I am gonna show u exactly what was wrong.
Machine fucking up stitches.
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282877_900.jpg
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282598_900.jpg
This is from the Bobbin chamber being off 2 MM from the needle. and the bobbin hook being to far behind.
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282217_900.jpg
This is the stitches AFTER the chamber was aligned and he hook timed correctly.
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....281972_900.jpg
This is one of my main machines (this one was the machine that was just timed recently)
This is my second main machines bobbin chamber area (has the second machine back now)
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282986_900.jpg
What was wrong with my first sewing machine was, that little hook on the spinny thing was too far behind and not catching the thread from the needle when the needle was coming down and going back up.
While at the same time. The ACTUAL metal chamber that spins the hook....er...lol was too far away from the needle. So when it went to catch the thread it would miss.
On the BROWN fleece linked above, u can actually see me timing each of those. The zigzag on the bottom side of the fabric is both parts being off timing and alinement. The top side, is the bottom chamber lined up, but the hook/looper is still not set.
And lastly on the WHITE fleece (linked above). its properly lined up and timed.
And after having my second machine back, that looks to be the only issue on this one too. POSSIBLY the height of the needle, but it doesn't look it.
So I am VERY happy I now know how to properly time my machines.
But I am pissed off I got ripped off from a repair guy.
$180 dollars on my serger, and 40 dollars on the deposit for my one of my main machines. The 40 down was none refundable)
With that, I have been asked to keep an eye from time to time on the house. They have 2 dogs that got to be let when no one is there. My mother is at the Hamilton hospital, instead of the Brantford one (40 mins away). mainly because of the dialysis machines. they have mobile ones there VS the ones that are here in Brantford. (Brantford hospital is shit)
My sewing machines have been giving me a lot of stress lately.... well at first anyway.
I have 4 sewing machines. 1 serger. 1 multi-stitch for embroidery. And 2 that I use for my fursuits seams. Since it is meant for heavy fabrics.
And I have 2, so if one goes down, I have a backup.
My machines needed to be serviced. there are NO LOCAL REPAIR PEOPLE for repairing sewing machines... which sucks balls.
I found a guy through Lens Mills, that services, and repairs machines. I thought GREAT. my sewing machines need to be timed in and cleaned. and I can send them in one by one to get done. (the guy is in Guelph, which is 1 hour from Brantford)
So I sent my serger in. Got that timed and cleaned. came to 180 dollars.
(That worked for ....1ish months before it didn't stitch right.... which I found odd because it worked well for 2 years... I send it into getting it fixed...to have it break again in a month).
One of my main machines was sent in, to get fixed and timed. right before my serger fucked up... after the repair was done to the serger.
(Its a 4 to 8 week repair time, unless parts are needed to be ordered).
During the wait. I am using my second machine. and it becomes untimed.
So Now I have no serger, I have no machine to sew with. I am panicking because I need to have stuff done for AC.
So I start looking up on youtube sewing machine repairs and alignment. And I can damn well tell u, it's insanely hard to find your own model while looking that shit up. lt alone a video that shows u how to properly time from start to finish.
I had to look at different models and makes and piece info together. I know basic info of a sewing machine, cleaning needs/do's/don'ts. but no one has ever shown me how to time one.
Shit needed to get done. So I started to try and time my machine myself. I first I stressed because I had no fucking idea what the hell I was doing. along with not have a proper video or someone showing me how to time and line up my exact machine... At one point I broke down and just started crying because it was that stressful. I was afraid of removing the wrong screw, or fucking with the wrong gears, making it worse, Or stripping the screws, etc. I also needed to get work done, and every hour that went by the more stressed I got.
I took a breather, worked on some paws and came back to it with a clear head. (that helped a huge lot)
My machine was skipping stitches and bunching up because the bobbin chamber was off. and the needle was not pulling up at the right moment. The height of the needle was fine, the tension was fine, the belt was fine, everything was fine, it was just the bobbin being off.
AFTER 2 FUCKING WEEKS of stressing over that, and not having a working machine, and trying to get my main machine to work, while working on other items. I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT. And I will say, after trying again, and again and again, to get my machines to work, trying so hard not to get angry with them. and then FINALLY getting it. I cried with tears of joy because it was such a relief to figure it out and have them working again. You have no idea.
This also means I can easily service my machines my self now. So I don't have to waste money on having someone else service them.
Now here's where I get pissed off.
My sewing machine repairman.....
My serger didn't make sense for the repairs that needed to be done to it.... Like I could see 3 or 4 of the repairs needed that he said.... but not the other repairs.
there was "7" things that needed to be fixed. the foot pedal, the bobbin casing, alignment crap, blah blah blah. Something seemed fishy when he was telling me what was wrong, and I had that feeling he was lying. And now that I know what i am doing.... i am 99.9% that at least 3 of those repairs, didn't need to be done.
And to top that off. After fixing my main machine and looking at my surger....it looks like some screws were loose that SHOULDN"T have been left loose.... I really hope he didn't purposely leave shit loose to get me to come back sooner. But that's the feel I was getting.
2 days later (and 3 days earlier from this Post), I get a call back about my main machine, with the repairs it needs. To go over what needs to be fixed. This time 9 things are wrong... and this time I know half of what he said, doesn't need to be done/is BS. The repair would come to 200 dollars this time.
fucking scamming little fucker... I just told him nicely to return my machine. (he's in Guelph, I wanted to get my machine back before I told him off, so he doesn't try something and end up losing my second machine somehow).
So I am gonna show u exactly what was wrong.
Machine fucking up stitches.
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282877_900.jpg
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282598_900.jpg
This is from the Bobbin chamber being off 2 MM from the needle. and the bobbin hook being to far behind.
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282217_900.jpg
This is the stitches AFTER the chamber was aligned and he hook timed correctly.
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....281972_900.jpg
This is one of my main machines (this one was the machine that was just timed recently)
This is my second main machines bobbin chamber area (has the second machine back now)
https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/nob.....282986_900.jpg
What was wrong with my first sewing machine was, that little hook on the spinny thing was too far behind and not catching the thread from the needle when the needle was coming down and going back up.
While at the same time. The ACTUAL metal chamber that spins the hook....er...lol was too far away from the needle. So when it went to catch the thread it would miss.
On the BROWN fleece linked above, u can actually see me timing each of those. The zigzag on the bottom side of the fabric is both parts being off timing and alinement. The top side, is the bottom chamber lined up, but the hook/looper is still not set.
And lastly on the WHITE fleece (linked above). its properly lined up and timed.
And after having my second machine back, that looks to be the only issue on this one too. POSSIBLY the height of the needle, but it doesn't look it.
So I am VERY happy I now know how to properly time my machines.
But I am pissed off I got ripped off from a repair guy.
$180 dollars on my serger, and 40 dollars on the deposit for my one of my main machines. The 40 down was none refundable)
I am gonna tell Lens Mills what happened and have them go from there.
You know, Instead of centrifugal power to cut a hole in space-time, have you ever concidered doing...a jump to the left?
the biggest issue with any repair service is a reputable person(like car mechs)
I know a good one in newmarket :P
Timing and tension are the most issues at least when i was trying to fix one from a thrift store.
It also feels good to gain this new knowledge !!