Sewing Machines

[S.A. Boggs]

My wife is a crafter and belongs to the local quilt guild. That being said, she has several sewing machines [8] that range from 50 years old to a modern electronic one. Before I retired she and a friend would travel about 150 miles round trip to get the machines cleaned, that plus the cost of cleaning. I never paid attention as I didn't have the time nor inclination to mess with them. Now it is the reversed, a few weeks ago my wife was given an old Singer machine that "won't run right" and my wife asked if I would tinker with it. I said that I would as she has let me work on hers. She has one machine that was running horrible and I "fixed" it to where it should like a well lubed Model 28 Thompson! All it needed was a good cleaning with compressed air and a dental pick to scrape out the dirt and years of old cloth residue. I relubed with Plastilube and Rem-oil then returned it to her. She was amazed at how quiet it was now and FASTER to operate. Some of the machines that she has been given are just in need of a good cleaning and lubing, others need repair. Some of the plastic parts that have metal connectors are turning to plastic dust due to age and friction. I have repaired them with gorilla glue and in severe times with JB Weld to get them operational. As the repairs are hidden she can't tell the difference and is pleased. She has a Guild meeting on Monday and the lady who gave me Wolf wants me to clean her machine and I agreed. I am afraid that if word gets around that I can "repair" old machines I will have a 2nd calling. What should I charge for this service, some are charging $25 an hour which seems steep to me.
Sam

[Clark Howard]

You might price each job according to the aggravation it causes. Each of these machines is attached to a lady, and it sometimes pays to be on good terms with a few little old ones. I would start locating reliable sources for parts and tech info. Regards, Clark

[Allen]

Uh, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. Personally I would not even think of charging the lady who gave you your dog. As for the rest, once you work on them they are "yours". Any future problems that may come up could result in "you didn't fix it right", "I need it right now" and blah, blah, blah. These are probably mostly your wife's friends and to me charging them would be touchy. If it were me I might service the machines in your wife's sewing group and tell them to keep a lid on it as far as telling others you could work on them unless you just love what you are doing here. As far as $ goes, it seems here where I live that other than auto repair the going rate is closer to $75-100 an hour for A/C, appliance, lawn mower repair and whatnot and the time starts the minute they leave the shop so you pay for their travel as well so if you charge they shouldn't complain about $25.

[clintonhater]

Seems fair to me, especially considering the few left to do this work. Until about 15 yrs ago, there was a wonderful Singer sewing center in a city 50 m. away that looked unchanged from the '50s. Should have guessed from the age of the man running it that it couldn't last, and it didn't--drove up one day and was crushed to find a "for lease" sign on the storefront. Just pray the stock of old parts he had didn't wind up in the dump.

The old machines are a marvel of beautifully-engineered mechanical complexity & meticulous construction, but were high maintenance--my '50s model Singer must have about 50 lube points. On the other hand, they last forever if properly maintained, which can't be said for all the computer-controlled, foreign-made machines today.

[Sunray]

$25 per hour is probably cheap. Depends on the machine though. Whole thing is entirely hand done and is a side line for most shops. Worse thing is that older machines have steel gears and new ones have plastic/synthetic.
Oh and a 50 year old sewing machine isn't old. One I have is a converted to electric treadle machine that my ma got from her ma. Be early 20th Century vintage.

[Vern Humphrey]

My wife is a crafter and belongs to the local quilt guild. That being said, she has several sewing machines [8] that range from 50 years old to a modern electronic one. Before I retired she and a friend would travel about 150 miles round trip to get the machines cleaned, that plus the cost of cleaning. I never paid attention as I didn't have the time nor inclination to mess with them. Now it is the reversed, a few weeks ago my wife was given an old Singer machine that "won't run right" and my wife asked if I would tinker with it. I said that I would as she has let me work on hers. She has one machine that was running horrible and I "fixed" it to where it should like a well lubed Model 28 Thompson! All it needed was a good cleaning with compressed air and a dental pick to scrape out the dirt and years of old cloth residue. I relubed with Plastilube and Rem-oil then returned it to her. She was amazed at how quiet it was now and FASTER to operate. Some of the machines that she has been given are just in need of a good cleaning and lubing, others need repair. Some of the plastic parts that have metal connectors are turning to plastic dust due to age and friction. I have repaired them with gorilla glue and in severe times with JB Weld to get them operational. As the repairs are hidden she can't tell the difference and is pleased. She has a Guild meeting on Monday and the lady who gave me Wolf wants me to clean her machine and I agreed. I am afraid that if word gets around that I can "repair" old machines I will have a 2nd calling. What should I charge for this service, some are charging $25 an hour which seems steep to me.
Sam

Cut it in half -- $12.50 an hour. In a while you'll have more business than you can handle, and you'll have to hire an apprentice.

[JB White]

Fixed it last.

That came to bite me when I used to do little side jobs for people out of my garage. Phone rang at 3am with a drunk screaming at me from outside a bar. "You fixed it only six months ago and now it won't start!". This after I told him he would need a new battery among other things before winter. He expected me to come out in the snow and get it going. HA!
Similar to the whinning neighbor who complained about a crack in the 3" thick walkway I helped him pour a few years earlier. The fact the gas company cracked it by driving a bobcat over the edge didn't even enter his mind. No, I didn't help him cut out the broken square and replace it. Not after he badmouthed me to the other neighbors first...who then called my attention to it. Nobody dared to help him after that.

Sam, choose your clients wisely.

[S.A. Boggs]

Let me restate, I fix my brides machine NO ONE ELSE'S. My wife's friend, who is also my friend as well as her husband want's her machine cleaned and lubricated. That I have agreed to do, all I plan on in the future is clean and lubrication. I am well aware about the problem of doing repair on someone's equipment...that I won't do. Listening to the women talk about their machines, cleaning and lubrication is indicated. Couple of them use WD-40 that their husband uses to clean and lubricate "stuff in the garage" so I know what to expect. I also have picked up problem firearms on the parts needed rack at the gun shop for cheap. Majority, especially .22's needed a good cleaning and lubrication. I have a full time job, keeping Wolf out of trouble!
Sam