The boards on my 180 were replaced with used boards because it saved me $1800. Within 6 months the machine started to make a high pitch siren noise, but the loudness either increased or decreased as I moved the needle position. The store informed me that I needed to replace them again to get rid of the noise, but that it didn't affect the machine's performance in anyway. Less than a year later, my machine just stopped working. It just won't turn on. Any suggestions? It's only 10 years old.

SOURCE: Needle/Bobbin issues with Bernina Deco 600

Jim!

Perfect phrasing of the question, you have all the lingo/parts down pat!

First make sure your new needle is straight, then check to make sure it lines up in the center of the hole in the stitch plate.

There is basically a 1/2 sheet of papers (we use the fine waxy sticker backing paper as our guages don't fit well .1mm! ) distance between the hook and the needle.

Rotate your hook so that it is aligned with the needle in the center position, there should be 2mm between the top of the needle eye and the bottom edge of the hook.

SOURCE: My Bernina 1530 stitches are faulty - with loops

This is almost always indicative of an upper tension problem.
First, make sure you're using a good quality thread. If you're using thread that's not of European manufacture, you're probably filling your tension assemblies with little fuzzies. Coats and Clark Dual Duty is the most notorious thread for causing tension issues. If you have a bunch of this thread: throw it away or use it for hand sewing.
Turn your machine off, and use some canned air to blow out your upper tension assembly. (It looks like a couple of little cymbals inside the thread path.) Set your tension dial to 4.5.
When threading, right before you actually thread the needle itself, and with the presser foot up, "floss" the thread back and forth by holding the thread at the top by the spool with your right hand, and down by the needle with your left hand. This will ensure that you force the thread into the tension assembly.
Also ensure that your bobbin is oriented the right direction, but this would be a less common cause for your symptom.
If none of these fixes work, you probably need to have your tensions professionally calibrated.

-R

SOURCE: Bernina 830 stuck

You probably have a crack in the cam gear.

SOURCE: I was sewing with my

If the handwheel rotates and the bobbin winder functions OK but the needle bar is not going up and down and is just free to move, the probability is that the basting solenoid has tripped the needle bar drive and that there's some contamination build-up on the needle-bar drive hole so that it wont click back in on the upward stroke. You can try pushing the needle bar fully up into the head (dont force it), in the hope it'll click back in, but if it's in need of cleaning, it'll probably drop out again and anyway, its no solution if you are using a basting stitch. Have you been using a basting stitch - if so, this is the most likely reason. It's not too hard to remedy, but does require dismantling the machine to get at the needle bar drive in order to clean and lubricate it - not a job you can do yourself, I'm afraid, so it's probably off to the service engineer this time ... sorry !

SOURCE: Hi, i have an old bernette made in germany model

I work on a lot of old machines but there still good machines,, I would suggest to have it fixed,, but if possible don't take it to the same repair shop you did last time. some repair shops don't give old sewing machines the TLC that they need. I wish I was close to you & I'd be happy to check out the machine for you..
after 23 yrs. you deserve a new sewing machine, & having a new sewing machine to go with the old one is a good idea,, that way when one is down for maintenance you can use the other.