A Brother sewing machine is one of the best with a very long life span; which can only be actualized with the right maintenance. One important aspect of maintenance is the servicing of the machine.
According to Brother’s authorized service center, a brother’s sewing machine is meant to be serviced every 500 hours by cleaning and oiling the machine especially when you make use of the machine 2 – 3 hours per day for consistent users, the unique brand of sewing machine should be serviced every 300 hours.
However, apart from this, the servicing of your sewing machine depends on more factors including,
1. The Purpose Of Use Of The Machine
What you use the machine for is a great determinant of how often you service it. If your machine is for sewing heavy fabrics or for quilting purposes, then your sewing machine needs to be serviced always to get rid of lint in the machine and fix other issues that might have resulted from the heavy use of the machine.
However, if your machine undergoes minor maintenance, you might not need to service it as frequently as you will service an unmaintained sewing machine. Also, get your machine serviced if you have left it without use for a few months.
2. The Sound Of Your Machine
The way your machine sounds is important to how it functions. Once your machine starts making unnecessary noise or the stitches start jumping due to tension issues, then, your machine needs thorough servicing.
3. Your Machine’s Age
An old brother machine needs more servicing than a newly bought brother machine due to the wearing out of the parts of the old machine which will need to be more lubricated than the new ones.
How Do I Service My Brother’s Sewing Machine?
Brothers’ authorized service center encourages that the sewing machine should be serviced only by them and this you can do by locating one in or around your locality.
However, you can service it yourself as long as the machine does not have power cords, tension, or belt issues
How To Service Brothers Sewing Machine Myself?
Brothers’ sewing machines are very easy to service as long as they are not major issues by following a video tutorial provided by the service center through your mail.
Step One: Get Rid Of The Lints
The lines in the machine need to be removed before you start to oil the machine. Carefully remove the needle, with the foot before removing the needle plate, then, remove the lint(pieces of threads and fabrics), and pieces of broken needles. Clean any form of dust there using a brush to scrub the upper tension adjuster and the feed dog sections.
Check the needle for blunt or bent signs and replace it immediately if the needle is faulty, do a quick check on the foot to see if it is balanced and is yet to wear out but if there is any sign of it wearing out, change immediately.
The needle plate is also important, replace it if there is any sign of holes in the needle plate as you might not be able to sew some fabrics on it due to the holes.
After you have done all the necessary changes, put the needle plate back in its place, before putting the foot. Do not put the needle back in its place yet as it might injure you while you are servicing the other parts of your brother’s sewing machine.
Step Two: Move To The Bobin Section
Depending on where your bobbin is placed, remove the bobbin case, the bobbin from its case, and remove the bobbin case holder. Blow off any dust or remove lint found at the section; this you have to do carefully with a brush as blowing off with any form of mechanism can result in the dirt going deeper into the machine thereby, causing further damage.
Check the bobbin case holder for any rough surface, and clean it with a clean cloth or brush, once the rough surface is now smooth, that shows the bobbin case holder is still good, if otherwise, the bobbin case holder needs to be changed.
Move to the bobbin case to see if the bobbin is held tightly by the case, if it is not, adjust it using a screw to adjust at the side where you will find a tiny screw called the tension screw.
Then, check the bobbin for any bent edges and replace them if such is found, if otherwise, clean the bobbin, the bobbin case, and the bobbin case holder properly before replacing them carefully.
Put the bobbin case holder back into its place, holding it with the ring and clipping it back, making sure the clips are holding it tightly, before putting the bobbin back into the bobbin case and before pinning back on the bobbin case holder.
Step Three: Lubrication
Lubricate any part that moves in the machine by applying a drop of machine oil on the joints and bearings of the part to make sure the stiff parts move freely. Repeat this process until the stiff parts start moving well.
Do not apply too much oil to these parts as excess oil could cause more damage and make sure to wipe off excess oil if there is.
Step Four: Lubricate The Foot Pedal
The foot pedal needs to be lubricated but you might not need machine oil to get that one, apply any other lubricating oil to the pedal making sure it does not reach the electric section of the pedal.
After you have done this, the machine should be restored back but if it is not, take it to Brother’s authorized service center or contact a professional for thorough servicing.
Want something more pictorial? The video below will be of great resource:
What Is Done By A Professional While Servicing My Brother’s Sewing Machine?
The Authorized service center does a lot more than the few things you do on your premises but they do not exclude it. Here is a list of a few things a professional does with your sewing machine;
- Remove the lint, dust, stiff grease, and stuck threads from the hand wheels.
- Check the bobbin case section, and the feed dogs section, checking the feed dog height and alignment.
- Check the top tension disks, timing belts, or motor belts.
- Check if the motor is running well.
- Check the joints and bearings of the shafts.
- Adjust and lubricate all parts
- Check the electrical connection
- Replace the needle with a universal size and finally, test the machine by sewing a piece of fabric on it to ensure the machine is running smoothly with a balanced tension and fine stitches.
What Should I Take Along While Taking My Brother’s Sewing Machine For Service?
The service center or professional will not provide you with the following things so there is a need to take them along with you with your sewing machine. They are;
- Foot pedal control
- Power cord
- Bobbin and bobbin’s case
- Standard foot
How Much Do Servicing Brothers Sewing Machines Cost?
It depends on how deep the service is and who is servicing it. However, the price range is between $90 to $100.Do well to call, and make complaints over the phone before taking it to any Brothers authorized service center so as to have an estimated cost of what you are going to be paying.
Before making the call, do well to write down the model number, and the serial number of your sewing machine coupled with the issues as they will ask extensive questions from you.
How Long Will It Take To Service Brothers Sewing Machines?
At the authorized center, thorough servicing does not take more than 48 hours(2 days). However, if your sewing machine parts need replacement, it might take a long time as they have to contact you before replacing them, as they do not want to shock you with the bill.
How Often Do I Need To Service My Brother’s Embroidery Machine?
Brothers authorized service center, recommends that embroidery machines should be thoroughly serviced after 1500 hours of use at their warehouse.
However, you can service it yourself or with the help of a professional by following a video tutorial provided by the service center but make sure the machine parts you will be using are made by brothers.
Conclusion
Taking your sewing machine for serving every 300 or 500 hours of use might not be feasible for you as you need to put your wallet into consideration too.
The best thing to do is to maintain your sewing machine yourself by cleaning and lubricating it regularly and take it to the authorized service center once a year or once in two years for thorough service especially when the sound of the machine has changed.