If you use a sewing machine, you’d be aware of the problems you face, and one of those includes freezing the sewing machine. The leading causes of the sewers of your sewing machine getting freeze are the accumulation of dust and dirt and the lint inside the machine, which causes the freezing. However, sometimes even the assembly of hook and bobbin may also cause the freezing. So once the machine gets frozen, you will not operate and move its handwheel until you unfreeze it.
In this article, we will be providing you with tips on how to unfreeze a sewing machine so that you can keep sewing without any hassle and disturbances. If you want to learn about how to unfreeze a sewing machine, you must first figure out where the root of the problem is. This is the reason why you must start by removing the bobbin and inspecting it.
Unfreeze a sewing machine
If you want to unfreeze the sewing machine, you need to first find where the problem area and for that, you can start with the bobbin by checking and removing it. If the bobbin seems clear to you, it could then be the dirt or dust in other machine parts that may be causing the machine to freeze. You need first to remove the machine side and top covers to check it thoroughly. You can also consider lubricating the machine thoroughly so that all the areas move smoothly.
Steps to unfreeze a sewing machine
There must not be any doubt or hard understanding that a sewing machine requires proper maintenance to function accurately. When the sewing machine is not in use for a long time, the grease and oil in the machine may get mixed with dirt and dust and becomes gummy and dry, which will eventually lead to the freezing of the machine. To avoid freezing, you must get your machine repaired as soon as it gets damaged to use it frequently. You can also follow the below steps to make your machine functional and unfreeze it in the right way.
Step 1 – Remove the bobbin
You may already know that the bobbin is that cylindrical part of the sewing machine responsible for holding the thread. So you must first remove the bobbin by pulling it out and cleaning it with a brush.
Next, you need to use your fingers, slide the needle plate cover, and pull out the bobbin case. The bobbin case is a smaller part of the machine that supports the bobbin in the sewing machine. It is a must for the bobbin case to be cleaned adequately with a vacuum cleaner or brush. There may be times when the bobbin case is out of place, but even after that, you are not able to turn the handwheel properly, and this is the reason why you must make sure that the bobbin case is fixed correctly after cleaning. In similar ways, if the needle is fallen or broken in the shuttle area, then it would be difficult for you to turn the wheel, and if a thing like this happens, then you must remove the broken needles.
Try to turn the wheel once the bobbin case is cleaned and then put it back in place. After this is done and the wheel starts to move freely then this means that it could be the the debris in the bobbin case that caused the machine to freeze, but if it is still not moving, then you need to check step 2.
Step 2 – Removal of the machine covers
If your machine is still in a freeze position even after removing the bobbin, you need to remove the cover for further investigation. You can start by removing the side, bottom, and top covers of the machine. The cover removal of any sewing machine is more accessible as they are all screwed to the machine. All you need to do is to unscrew the screws with a screwdriver. In fact, some machines come with a top handle, which makes it much easier to remove the top cover, and if you have any doubt or issue, then you can refer to the instruction manual for removing the covers.
Now once all the covers of your machine are removed, blow the machine with an air compressor. This will also blow out the dust or any thread stuck inside the machine. If you find thread entangled at any parts, you can try to remove it by hand and also do not forget to inspect it thoroughly to make sure it is free from any dust.
Next, you need to check the oil in the areas that require lubrication and instruction manual. However, while lubricating, give special attention to the areas where two metals are joined. Do not forget to clean the area thoroughly off all dirt before lubricating. Check the wheel, and if the issue still persists, then check step 3.
Step 3 – Look for the other parts
If the machine is still in a frozen situation, then it is now time to check the tensioner, drive mechanisms, and pulley assemblies. These are those machine parts in the sewing machine that are used to maintain the right tension and function properly. After this, clean the machine thoroughly and look whether you can turn the wheel smoothly.
Just in case the lubricant residue in the parts like these is too stubborn, then you might need to get some solvent or sometimes heat to clean the parts. To clean it thoroughly, you may sometimes even need to soak the part in the solvent for a few hours.
But just in case none of the above steps are working on unfreezing the sewing machine, you will undoubtedly be required for technical assistance or may have to replace the sewing machine itself. You can also contact the nearest customer service center for help, depending on the brand of the sewing machine. Unfreezing a sewing machine may not take much time, but you may also end up spending hours depending on the type of problem.
Takeaway
How to unfreeze a sewing machine might seem relatively easy because we summarized in three steps, but you must keep in mind that it is a time-taking process and can take a couple of hours to get the work done. All depending on the nature of the problem you are dealing with, it is strongly recommended for you to take time out from your regular schedule to prepare for the worst and get your hands dirty. Once the machine is repaired, make sure that your sewing machine is well maintained and lubricated to put it to use even after the regular intervals just to make sure that it functions properly. Just in case your machine isn’t used for a long time interval or has been exposed to the environmental factors that could be damaging, it might get frozen again or, in the worst case, may not be repaired.