A machine is always a machine and you cannot expect when and what happens to it.
Luckily, the good thing is we know the specific causes which take down the machines.
There go no sewing machines that can never get hit with the issues.
But what causes a sewing machine to lock up is rare and hardly heard. And when it happens, you have severely neglected the sewing machine’s maintenance.
It is a mood-blaster when the sewing machine locks up the moment you sit in front of it to sew something. The problem even worsens when your money-making sewing machines malfunction causing you great financial loss.
Thank goodness this severe issue is evitable. We will tell you how!
What Causes a Sewing Machine to Lock Up
Well, there is no single cause there which seizes the sewing machine to come to a complete halt.
The common reason for the sewing machine locking up is fairly due to no cleaning.
As the sewing machine demands proper oiling to operate smoothly, this triggers the lint, dust, dirt, and debris to get stuck in the revolving parts.
That crusting up could jam the parts to where it would ultimately and slowly cause the sewing machine to freeze up.
Sewing Machine Jammed Wheel
The stuck sewing machine wheel could happen due to multiple causes. And when it is stuck, you can break off many other parts of the machine which could be expensive to replace.
Or the whole sewing machine would be replaced in the worst-case scenario.
First off, the continuous run of the machine could burn the wheel system down. So, intermittent breaks are necessary to keep it running cool as much as possible.
The common jammed sewing machine wheel could be happening due to the following;
- Thread tangling around the wheel unexpectedly
- Lint or dust building in and around the wheel
- Not oiling the wheel or other parts of the sewing machine regularly which interconnect with the sewing machine wheel
- Broken needle disturbing the machine to operate
- Running the machine for too long without taking breaks to cool it down
- Overfilled bobbin
- Pieces of fabrics sticking around the dog feed jamming it
- Improper thread tension be it tight or loose
- Bobbin’s case is extra tight
Wheel jammed means the sewing machine is of no use, so better check your wheel first before heading to the next phase of inspection.
Sewing the Fabric in Over-Capacity
The second common cause of the sewing machine locking up could be sewing the non-recommended fabric.
Although that may slow down the sewing rate the fact is the sewing machine should never deteriorate its sewing speed at all.
Many standard sewing machines are good to sew the standard and common fabric types like cotton, chiffon, satin, and such that are lightweight and easy to pierce.
Sewing Machine Motor Jammed
No way the sewers of today go with a manual sewing machine anymore. The convenience, luxury, and style; all lie within the motorized automatic sewing machines.
While it makes your work go super fast, the unforeseen issues are always here to hit any time — the motor getting frozen/jammed due to excessive use, high voltage, dust and lint building around, or going out of order just like that.
There is the possibility to fix the jammed motor by cleaning off the dust particles and lint until and unless the motor has not been fried/burnt out.
If the motor is actually burnt out or fried, there is no option other than to replace it with the new recommended one.
Sewing Machine Not Used for Years
Maybe you had the sewing machine bought when learning to sew, and do some home-based projects back in the time?
And suddenly you have lost interest in using it. Or all of a sudden you slipped your attention towards other busy businesses.
Yes, if the sewing machine was not used for years, that can certainly lock it and cease to operate.
Especially when the sewing machine was not properly covered, this can happen, and happen for sure.
The first thing is if you know you might not be using the sewing machine for some time, cover it with its dedicated cover, put up a box over it, or lay the sheet all around it to protect it from the dust.
Yes, dust is the first and major cause that ceases the sewing machine to operate.
Broken or Oversized Needle
And this may happen when you are learning to sew and use the sewing machine in your initial days. We do not see anyone repeating that even with a bit of experience.
The machine is not moving and you check everything mentioned above, then it is time to check on the needle if it is broken or oversized (using the one with a size that is not recommended.)
Replace the needle the moment you find it broken or use the wrong sized one.
No Proper Oiling
The maintenance involved with the sewing machine centers upon the proper oiling. There are many parts that need to be lied to, so you should not be dragging this task for too long.
For occasion use, just oil it before every use. And if you have been using the sewing machines almost every other day, make a ritual to oil the entire of it monthly or fortnightly.
How Do You Fix a Locked Up Sewing Machine?
Change what seems to be locking up the sewing machine. For the daily users, you may not skip checking the maintenance part, and properly oiling.
Keep the dust off and you will hardly require it to take towards the maintenance shop ever!
Conclusion!
Well, we believe what is covered down here is still incomplete. So, we do take what causes a sewing machine to lock up pretty severely.
For the small home-based sewing machine, the regular home-based cleanup procedure is kinda sufficient for such machines.
And the industrial-grade sewing machines should not get the privilege to open for your own good self. Ask us and see what we suggest otherwise.
Happy running the sewing machine! 🙂
