Ask your dealer.

Gee, Glassquilt, I figured that your solution would be my last resort if no-one happened to know on this forum, I mean, I thought that was what this was for, you know, to be able to discuss and get informed or to inform, maybe that was a mistake. Theresa, thank you for an attempt to help. I will see if a vacuum will help though. That little brush that they give you with the machine is so useless, I was wondering if a pipe-cleaner would be a help.

A pipe cleaner is a good idea, I'd also recommend a can of compressed air. That's the stuff used to clean the inside of desktop computers and keyboards, works great on theses sensitive electronics, why not the inside of your sewing machine.

As fas your question about metallic fabric...I honestly don't know, but from a logic standpoint perhaps metallic fabric could be a long term detriment to the inner workings of a machine. A good cleaning after a project would be a agood idea. Glad I read this post as I'm about to start on a project with metallic Threads...I'll be cleaning regularly!

V.

V, unfortunately everyone says DO NOT use compressed air on an electronic machine because it forces dirt into the electronic workings and can ruin it. Yes, wouldn't it be great to be able to use it?? So unless this is a myth please don't do it. I will probably have to eventually ask the dealer but that's not an easy task with Viking, they are all over you in the customer service area when they are trying to sell you something but when it comes to technical stuff it's not the same story. Maybe I'll post this question on the sewing forum but I've noticed it's not updated very often.

If your machine was one off the good, old non-electrical ones like I grew up with, I'd be happy to share ideas but It's not. The metallic part/Viking makes me step back. We rented one of our stores to a sewing machine repair shop/sewing machine dealer. Got to hear lots of crazy stories about his repairs.

What I didn't realize was that Viking does not allow anyone who isn't a certified Viking technician to get parts to repair their machines. I don't know if the other brands work that way. So I can get it cleaned and checked by any sewing machine repair person but if it needs parts they can't get them. I have an old mechanical Kenmore that if I wanted to I could get to the inside myself but with this Viking I don't even know how to get in there and if I did I wouldn't know what to do with it. And when you call the dealer they don't know anything and have to relay all questions to the repair people they send the machines to.

It is all a big conspiracy!! Just like planned obsolesence!

I have a husqvarna, (is that part of the Viking family?) and my repair person, an independent shop, was able to get a part for it. Maybe Canada is different.

Good luck with whatever you do. Frustrating isn't it?

Theresa

I, too, had heard you weren't suppose to use compressed air, so I purchased a rocket blaster at the suggestion of my daughter. It is to arrive tomorrow. I'll let you know if it works. Rocket Blaster

I save bits of batting scraps to wipe down the bobbin area in my machine.

Bev, I looked at the rocket blaster..what would be different about it than compressed air?? They both will blow dust/lint/etc into the innards of a machine. I never do that! The vacuum is the best to use, then Q-tips for me.

The compressed air compresses the water vapor present, so you are putting some liquid into the machine. I understood that was the reason not to use it. Never thought about it blowing the dust further into the machine.