Sewing Machine volume

We haven't discussed this aspect of choosing a sewing machine and it may be important to some of you. There are many SMs available now that have the noise level of a 'desperately needs oil' chainsaw. It may make no difference to you but I can not bear to be in the room with one of them - usually. Sometimes, always in July, I like to put Handel's Messiah on the cd player and blast at full volume until it vibrates the timbers. Sometimes, I enjoy our home so quiet that the only sound is the clock ticking. That varies. About 10 years ago, I brought home a SM that clattered more than a cranky two year-old badly needing a nap. Trust me. It was back at the dealers first thing the next morning. Just FWIW. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther
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I think that sometimes the mechanical machines are more noisy than the computerized ones.That may not be true across the board, but the Bernina 1008 is noisier than the 430 Aurora. It doesn't rise to the level of the Chain Saw example you gave, but it is a bit more noise than the computerized one. It has other charms that outweigh any annoyance factor, though.

John

Reply to
John

That has been my experience, too. My Elna Supermatic (vintage 1966) spent some time at my daughter's and later at my sister's. I've been sewing on newer Elna computerized machines -- first an Elna Club and now an Elna 6003 (Quilter's Dream). I recently got the Supermatic back, oiled it up, and sewed on it a bit. I also have an old Singer 401. Both are mechanical, both are noisier than my computerized machines, but not annoyingly so, at least not to me when I am using them.

Julia in MN

Reply to
Julia in MN

Reply to
Roberta

Very true. When I realised that my large Janome 6500 would *not* be easy to take to workshops etc, I decided to get one of their lower end machines to take 'for outings'. It is ever so much noisier than the

6500. Even with the walking foot on, it doesn't make too much noise - I love it. . In message , Polly Esther writes
Reply to
Patti

Reply to
Taria

I don't know if the definition of clatter =3D junk is applicable to any and all mechanical machines. I would hardly think that the Bernina

830-930, which are mechanical machines, could be considered junk. They are probably noisier than a modern computerized machine, but not junk by any stretch of the imagination. Nor is the 1008 Junk. Nor most of the Janome mechanical machines, junk. There are certainly some WalMart $49.99 special sewing machines, that are imported from off shore, that would likely qualify, but there are many well made mechanical machines which do a better job of sewing than some computerized machines. Like all generalities, including this one, it is overstated. I can attest to the fact that a certain Bernina 220 Activa, which I owned, was computerized, and was junk, if quiet. It was quiet, to a great extent, because it was being repaired all the time, and was not running. Even during the infrequent times that it was running quietly, it was not doing as good a job of sewing as my 1008, which I happily exchanged the Activa for, and have been very satisfied with it's somewhat noisier performance, but much better quality of design and sewing output.

John

John

Reply to
John

Polly, that's so true! My first sewing machine, purchased at a second-hand shop while I was in college, was an old Singer that just purred as it sewed. I stupidly traded that in on the machine from h***

-- it made enough noise to wake the dead! My Berninas (the current one and the two previous) and my featherweight are quiet -- the Bernina more so than the FW. It's a joy to sew on them!

Reply to
Sandy

I sort of agree with John. There used to be a tv show that featured sewing - clothing, crafts, embroidery. They were usually demonstrating the latest and greatest features of new sewing machines. Some of them were so noisy that earplugs should have been standard equipment. I'm sure those SMs were not junk, but Lord have mercy, they were loud. It was just a thought. If you're on a search for machine that you'll love, do consider whether you'll be comfortable with a SM that roars instead of purrs, might not matter - might be the Last Straw. Polly

"Sandy" Polly, that's so true! My first sewing machine, purchased at a

Reply to
Polly Esther

Reply to
Roberta

Howdy!

*snicker*

Way to go, Roberta.

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..."And when I start to come undone, stitch me together!"

R/Sandy

Reply to
Sandy Ellison

If anybody wants to get behind a commercial sewing machine, they will discover the meaning of the term noisy. Some of the machines I have used had motor noise that was constant, and loud from the clutch motor that drove that thing at 5500 spm. Now that is noisy. If it is gear driven it is going to be noisy, and there is no way around that. But boy do those thing make beautiful music to my ears when the step out at high speed. Gotta love all that power at your command. Nothing subtle there. The four wheel drive of sewing.

John

Reply to
John

I'm not as much into a quiet machine as I am into a machine that 'purrs'....give me a machine that hums like a Ferrari :) and I'm a happy camper; if it sounds clanky, well then my 'mechanic' side kicks in and I have to then figure out wha tis wrong LOL

If the machine is not new, clatter may just mean it needs a good cleaning/oiling/lubbing. Especially if it is an all-mechanical machine. And, some machines have very tight tolerances, so even a little bit of stray thread hung up behind or around the bobbin case will create a racket. Vertical bobbin machines seem a little more sensitive to this for example my Viking 6570 and my Featherweights.

-Irene

Reply to
IMS

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