Kent with his Gold Star Certification.
Kent's Hints

Allow me to share some things about sewing machines that might help you.

Surge Protectors

I recommend a good quality surge protector for your sewing machine. But that's
not all, even better is a line conditioner. A line conditioner will bring a low voltage
system up to 110 volts and clamp a surge. A low volt condition is called brown.
Brown outs can be just as harmful to electronics as power spikes. Surge
protectors clamp voltage spikes and are rated by joules, the more joules the
better, the closer the lightening is to your electronics, the more joules you need to
suppress the spike. If it gets hit directly, there's nothing that can  clamp it, so you
really can't overbuy when it comes to protection. Although I've never needed it, all
my surge protectors/line conditioners I've bought came with an insurance policy
that if anything ever was damaged by lightening that was plugged into them. I've
seen policies range anywhere from $5000-$50,000. Additionally, many electric
companies offer whole house surge protection for a small monthly fee added to
your electric bill, which might be worth checking into it.

How Often should I service my sewing machine?

I get that question a lot. The answer lies in 2 factors, time and usage. You have to
be the judge of whether or not your machines need to be serviced. I'll try to give
you some ideas to help you keep your beloved equipment in top running condition.

Heavy user? If you use your machine every day, you are a heavy user. You
should be able to perform basic lint removal, feed dog, bobbin case, hook area
and needle bar area cleanings daily. If you have a more complex machine like
most newer top quality brands, they aren't made to be disassembled and oiled by
the user, they need someone experienced to take the machine apart. Now, just
because the owners manual doesn't show you where to oil the machine doesn't
mean the machine does not use oil. All sewing machines use oil. However the
newer machines of today use special bearings, called sintered bushings that hold
oil and don't need daily oiling, however, with time and use that oil dissipates and
needs to be replenished. Heavy users need to have their machine serviced at
least every six months. If you are that person , You really don't need me to tell you
that because you already are in more often because issues are arising more
frequently due to heavy use.

What's a closet machine? It's a machine that spends all it's time in the closet. Is
that your machine? If so, the oil in the machine still needs to be replenished even
though the machine is not being used. At the very bare minimum every three
years, Machines that aren't frequently used and are not kept serviced, can seize
up and cease working. Many times the damage is irreversible, or very time
consuming (read expensive) to reverse.

Most sewers fall somewhere between a heavy user and a closet machine owner.
The average sewer should probably have their machine serviced annually to keep
their machine in top working order. A dirty machine can experience excessive
wear. A machine with too little lubrication also will begin to stitch poorly and wear
out prematurely.

How about my embroidery unit, should it be serviced too? Actually, embroidery
units are said by manufacturers to not need regular servicing. Now if your
embroidery unit has a specific problem, we need to address it. But after you have
250 hours of embroidery on an embroidery unit, I recommend having it serviced. I
do readjust the belt tensions that loosen with use and the gears get dry and need
lubrication as well as clean out lint, thread and other foreign material that does
work it's way into the embroidery unit..

Please feel free to email me if you have a question about your machine's
needs.

(more hints to be added)
Sewing Machine Servicing
Quilting by Vonnie    122 East Choctaw Ave.       McAlester, OK      74501                  
                   918-420-5041               
  e-mail Shop
We service all brands and models of machines.

Kent Sechrest is our full time Lead technician. He works in Enid most of
the time, but is in Newkirk every 1st and 3rd Tuesday, and in McAlester
and Wichita on Thursdays. Please call Newkirk, McAlester, or Wichita
for an appointment.

We also Sharpen Scissors.

We are very thankful to have Kent Sechrest serving with us repairing
and servicing machines that need a little bit of care. Kent is the former
owner of Stillwater Sewing & Vacuum, the Viking dealership in Stillwater.
He attended the “Flag Ship” Gold Star Training becoming one of only
less than 60 technicians achieving this certification. Having completed
the rigorous service training and intensive written and machine repair
examinations required, Kent became a member of the prestigious
Viking Gold Star Service Program on April 13th, 2005. He is the only
Gold Star certified technician in Oklahoma. Needles and Notions will
now be able to provide the highest level of sewing machine service in
the country and is the only authorized Husqvarna Viking dealer in
Northwest Oklahoma. He is fully qualified to service all brands and
models of machines and brings 19 years of sewing machine service
with him.

Additionally, during Pfaff Convention in San Francisco August 2006,
Kent passed Pfaff's rigorous testing to become a  Pfaff "Technical
Advantage" Certified technician. Technical Advantage is Pfaff's Highest
Service Certification. He achieved this by taking written tests by
diagnosing and repairing intentionally altered machines, proving he can
provide the highest level of service.

Kent is an excellent tech and we are very pleased to have him serving
with us.

For more information stop by or call us at 918-420-5041.





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Kent's Hints

Allow me to share some things about sewing machines that might help
you.

Updates

Check your update. These are the current computerized machines
software versions: We will update your machine for you at no charge.

Husqvarna Viking:

Quilt Designer (no longer updated) 1.11
Quilt Designer II/ Designer II/ESS 1.52
Designer 1/ESS/USB 2.22
Designer SE/SE LE 12501 (added 2/1/2008)
2056/2054 02.01.26 / 22.02.2006
2058 03.01.05
2140/2144/2170 01.05.07
Creative Vision 12270  (added 1/26/2008)



We are very thankful to have Kent Sechrest serving with us repairing
and servicing machines that need a little bit of care. Kent is the former
owner of Stillwater Sewing & Vacuum, the Viking dealership in Stillwater.
He attended the “Flag Ship” Gold Star Training becoming one of only
less than 60 technicians achieving this certification. Having completed
the rigorous service training and intensive written and machine repair
examinations required, Kent became a member of the prestigious
Viking Gold Star Service Program on April 13th, 2005. He is the only
Gold Star certified technician in Oklahoma. Needles and Notions will
now be able to provide the highest level of sewing machine service in
the country and is the only authorized Husqvarna Viking dealer in
Northwest Oklahoma. He is fully qualified to service all brands and
models of machines and brings 19 years of sewing machine service
with him.

Additionally, during Pfaff Convention in San Francisco August 2006,
Kent passed Pfaff's rigorous testing to become a  Pfaff "Technical
Advantage" Certified technician. Technical Advantage is Pfaff's Highest
Service Certification. He achieved this by taking written tests by
diagnosing and repairing intentionally altered machines, proving he can
provide the highest level of service.

Kent is an excellent tech and we are very pleased to have him serving
with us.