how often should i change my needle?

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Maybe.  Many machines today are self-lubricated.  (Their bearings are impregnated with lubricant).  Some are not.  And, some are partially self-lubricated.  It’s best to check with your machine manual.  (If you have no manual contact us and perhaps we can supply you with one).

In any case, even self-lubricated machines need replenishing of lubricants since these dry out with time and use.

Self-lubricated machines are best left to qualified technicians to lubricate as some or all of the covers have to be removed and this can be complicated. It is also easy to lubricate the wrong parts or apply too much or too little to them.  Before lubricating your machine, be sure it is absolutely clean.  Use only quality sewing machine lubricants, not general-purpose oils, and certainly not vegetable oils!

We use only the best synthetic lubricants.  We are pleased to make our Exclusive Sewing Machine Doctor Oil available to our customers, in a fine-tipped squeeze bottle, with a child-proof cap. 

As a rule non self-lubricated machines should be lubricated with every eight hours of use.

Many industrial sewing machines and sergers have a lubrication bath or tank.  The levels of these should be kept between the high and low marks.  The oil should be kept fresh and clean using only quality industrial sewing machine oil.

 Customers that have had their machine tuned up (a complete in-depth cleaning, lubricating, examination of the entire machine condition and adjusting of the tensions) often comment that it has never run so well.  Then they ask, “How often should I have my machine tuned up?”  The answer largely depends on how much the machine is being used, what type of fabrics and thread are being used, how clean you keep it and the experience of the sewer.  If you are a regular sewer, that is, your sewing habits and frequency are fairly consistent, when you bring your machine in for a tune-up tell your mechanic how long it has been since your last one.  After examining it he or she should be able to arrive at a reasonable time frame for the next tuning/cleaning. A rule of thumb may be one to two times a year for frequent high use sewers and every year or two for moderate sewers. 

The owner of the machine in this picture had been doing a pretty good job of cleaning where she was able to.  Little did she know how much of the thread and fabric lint escaped her reach!

Machines left dormant for an extended period of time may also need to be tuned up before using them since many machines tend to stiffen or seize up with lack of use.  While it’s important for you to keep your machine clean and free of lint dust, and to lubricate, it is often difficult to access very important parts that need cleaning and lubrication.  Therefore, having a qualified technician tune up your machine is very important.  Do this before it becomes an emergency.