My Bernina 830 LE...and other things

[Wendy P.]

Just brought my 820 home from the service center at G Street Fabrics. Lew is a treasure. He explained the many parts that needed to be replaced. Apparently, despite annual service (plus periodic repair visits), my other technician did not install all the improved parts Bernina offered in past years. Lew did!

Lew also explained how he adjusted the tension and found that my bobbin tension spring had been damaged. I suspect this damage has been there quite awhile because of the tension problems I've had.The tension problems are resolved; I can get a nice looking stitch now!

So - many thanks Betty Jo and Renata for the encouragement to try someone new. Lew has my loyalty due to the quality of his service! However, I feel compelled to add that my previous bills were regularly $100 higher than his and I had to wait 2 months for that pleasure. If I do purchase a new machine in the future - quality of service will be a major factor!

Happy Quilting!
Wendy

[Betty J.]

Oh me oh my, my wonderful Bernina 830 LE is sick and has to go to the machine vet. You can read all about it on my blog post here, but trust me when I say it is major. :sick: :S inch: :blink: :huh:
I am cleaning and oiling my two backup machines...a reliable old Bernina 1230, and my little B350 that I use mostly for taking along with me to sewing events. But make no mistake, it is a crisis for me. It makes me admire people who do fantastic things without such machines, but I have come to rely on mine.
I am thinking of adding a sit down longarm to my store of machines to take some of the stitching burden off of my main machine. It might, in the long run, prove to be not only the best route for my quilting work, but also the cheapest route since it would make my main machine last longer. I quilt a lot. Anyway, I guess I don't have much of a question with this note, but since I have so many friends here I thought I'd let you know about this. I have about 9 million stitches on my 830 and have had it for four and a half years. I'm not sure whether it is dead yet or if it can reasonably be repaired. I don't know how much sewing Bernina plans on for their big machines. That's about what I would put on a machine in ten or more years if I were using it as I did before I retired, and if I were using it just to make clothing, it would probably be about what I would put on a machine in fifteen years or so. I sew a lot now.

[Betty J.]

I am dancing the happy dance. My tech at G Street Fabrics must really have a magic wand. While I hung around the shop for a couple of hours, he took my machine apart, identified the problem (somehow it had gotten everything pulled completely out of timing, and a piece nearly off)...he found a hard clump of thread, which was the color thread I was using when it went berserk. He put it back together, oiled and cleaned and retimed it. It is stitching beautifully now and he says it is still in wonderful shape. He also said it is a pleasure to work on my machines because I keep them cleaned and oiled. So thank the Lord and sing His praise, and thank Lew and Mei Ling and G Street and all my friends who supported me while I was so upset about this....now I can really consider getting a sit down longarm sooner rather than later. I just have to make a place for it in my home. Have a great day everyone! :lol: :silly: :cheer:

[Nancy R.]

Glad it turned out so well!

[Renata L.]

Really great news, BJ, thanks for the update!

[Judith A.]

I am so happy to hear the good news about your beloved Bernina!!!

[Geneva C.]

Yay!!!!

geneva

[Betty J.]

The end of the story: I brought Gibbs home and set him up in his table, and finished the top for my Hoffman Challenge quilt. He sews like a dream. Then yesterday morning I ordered a sit down longarm...the Bernina Q20. I am currently engaged in preparing a space for the new machine, which is supposed to come sometime in mid June. They bring it to my home, set it up, and then come here for a day of teaching me to use it and to service it. I'm so excited. It is my hope that it will not only move my quilting a higher level, but will help me to complete quilts faster. I also am planning on using it for free motion embroidery. It has one of the best, if not the best, stitch regulators around. :woohoo: :side: :silly: :lol: :cheer: :woohoo:

[Catherine S.]

Betty Jo, I am glad Gibbs is behaving himself. WOW! A Bernina Q20! I think you will be having Christmas in June. I will be waiting to see what wonderful things you create now. Have lots of fun!

[Anne B.]

You go girl!! So glad everything has worked out for you, nothing so devastating as a beloved machine on the Fritz, (ok, maybe not, but each time one on my beloved Pfaffs died, I felt like I lost a dear friend), enjoy your machines!

[Anne B.]

You go girl!! So glad everything has worked out for you, nothing so devastating as a beloved machine on the Fritz, okmaybe not, but each time one on my beloved Pfaffs died, I felt like I lost a dear friend, enjoy your machines!

[Betty J.]

Thanks everyone! You are such a supportive group of quilter friends. I am excited. :cheer:

[Wendy P.]

SewDreamy - Thank you for posting about your happy experience with G Street Fabrics service tech. My 820 experience has been rocky and now it needs repair (again). This usually means a 2 month wait for another LQS/Bernina dealer to get to it. It's definitely time to try someone else and G Street sounds promising! Online reviews are great. If Lew can get my baby working properly - I'll keep trying. If not - Bernina may be "Machina non grata" in my house soon....

(Yes, some of this was venting. Thanks for listening.)

Wendy

[Betty J.]

Wendy, So sorry you've had as bad time with your 820. I think if you talk to Lew and tell him something of the history of the machine and how frustrated you are, it may turn out well for you. Since writing the initial post about this, I have gotten my Bernina Q20 sitown longarm. I have seldom found a machine so wonderful, even among the Berninas. I know Bernina had a bad batch of 820s and 830s, but I was fortunate not to get one of those machines. I think it may be related to the bobbin area, and some people have finally gotten theirs fixed after a bad start. I hope this works out for you. Lew is an exceptional tech guy and he will talk with you like you have a mind. LOL...best wishes.

[Wendy P.]

SewDreamy - Thank you for posting about your happy experience with G Street Fabrics service tech. My 820 experience has been rocky and now it needs repair (again). This usually means a 2 month wait for another LQS/Bernina dealer to get to it. It's definitely time to try someone else and G Street sounds promising! Online reviews are great. If Lew can get my baby working properly - I'll keep trying. If not - Bernina may be "Machina non grata" in my house soon....

(Yes, some of this was venting. Thanks for listening.)

Wendy