Industrial sewing machine service and repair.
Lockstitch, overlock, coverstitch, blindstitch, buttonhole, bartack and walking foot machines, serviced and repaired where they stand. We run a production floor ourselves, so we know what downtime costs.
A machine out of action on a production floor is not an inconvenience, it is a stopped line. That is the difference between industrial and domestic repair, and it is why industrial work is usually better done on site than in a workshop.
Machines we service
Single and twin needle lockstitch. Overlockers and sergers of every configuration. Coverstitch and flatlock. Blindstitch. Buttonhole and button attach. Bartack. Walking foot and compound feed for heavy cloth, webbing and leather. Post bed and cylinder arm. Cutting and pressing equipment alongside the sewing machines.
What a service covers
Strip down, clean and de-lint. Oil and grease to the correct points. Re-time the hook to the needle. Set tensions top and bobbin. Adjust feed dog height and timing, presser foot pressure and needle bar height. Check and set the knife on an overlocker. Replace worn needles and any parts that are at the end of their life. Then a test sew on your own cloth, at your own stitch length, because a machine that sews calico perfectly can still misbehave on four-ply denim.
Common faults and what they usually are
Skipped stitches are most often the wrong needle for the cloth, a blunt needle, or hook timing. Thread breaking is usually tension, a burr in the thread path, or a damaged needle plate. Fabric not feeding points at feed dog height, presser foot pressure or a worn dog. Noise and vibration generally mean a bearing, a belt or something needing oil. Most of these are inside the minimum call-out.
Servicing contracts
If you run a floor of machines, scheduled servicing works out considerably cheaper than emergency call-outs, and it stops the pattern where three machines fail in the same fortnight because none of them has been touched in two years. We can quote a regular visit covering every machine in the room.
Parts
We carry most common spares. Anything we do not hold generally arrives from our European parts partners within three to five working days, and we will tell you the cost before fitting.
Things people ask
Do you come to our factory?
Yes. Industrial machines bolted into a line are usually better repaired on site, and we carry tools and common parts to do it. Travel is £1.50 per mile beyond ten miles of Gravesend.
What types of industrial machine do you work on?
Lockstitch, overlock, coverstitch, blindstitch, buttonhole, bartack, walking foot, post bed and cylinder arm, plus cutting and pressing equipment. Fifteen years across industries from lingerie to fabric ducting.
Can you set a machine up for a specific fabric?
Yes, and it is worth asking. Needle, thread, tension, feed and presser pressure all change with the cloth. If you are moving onto a new fabric, have the machine set for it rather than fighting it.
Do you offer servicing contracts?
Yes. For a production floor a scheduled visit covering every machine is significantly cheaper than reacting to breakdowns.
How long does a service take per machine?
A straightforward service is usually within the hour. Re-timing or a worn hook takes longer. We tell you what we have found before doing extra work.
Can you get parts for older machines?
Usually. We hold common spares and use European parts partners for the rest, typically three to five working days.
Other things we make and mend
Tell us the make and the fault
Ring the studio and we will tell you what is likely involved before you travel.