Every warranty part we've replaced since early 2023 goes into a log, and that log now has about 180 entries. Patterns show up quickly. A small number of parts cause most of the "my machine stopped working" calls. Some are inexpensive and worth keeping in your sewing room. Others are expensive boards that are covered under warranty, and it doesn't make sense for you to buy them ahead of time.
Keep These on Hand
If losing a few days on your machine would cost you a client quilt or a deadline, these are the parts to keep on your shelf:
- Extra bobbin cases. They're inexpensive, easy to damage and easy to swap. A spare also lets you rule the bobbin case in or out quickly when tension acts up.
- Take-up springs. They're small, they wear out, and they're easy to lose during cleaning. A spare saves you a trip or a wait for shipping.
- Pro-Stitcher communication cable. This is one of the most common failures in our warranty log, and it doesn't cost much to keep a spare. When it goes bad you'll see intermittent errors, a tablet that stops charging or a Pro-Stitcher that stops responding. A spare cable turns that into a five-minute swap.
- Encoder cables. On the Amara and most other current machines, the encoders use detachable cables with a plug like a headphone jack. They're inexpensive, easy to damage, and among the most common replacements in our log. Older machines use ribbon-style encoder cables. If an older machine is critical to your business, keep one of those on hand too.
- A hook and basket, if you have your own timing kit. The hook and basket is a wear item and normally isn't covered under warranty. It needs regular oiling, and it can be damaged by user error. If you've been trained to time your machine, a spare hook and basket can get you stitching again the same day. If you haven't, leave it to us or learn it through MOTT.
Leave the Expensive Boards to Us
The parts that show up most in our warranty log are electronic boards. The worst offenders are the Pro-Stitcher control board and the Pro-Stitcher power/USB hub board, followed by encoders, the Infinity front interface board and the Amara controller board. These are expensive, and while your machine is under warranty they're covered. There's no reason to tie up your money in parts you'll probably never need.
What matters is how fast you can get the part. MK Quilts keeps its own inventory of these boards and cables so we can ship them out right away. You don't wait on a manufacturer's turnaround. This service is available to MK Quilts machine owners and MOTT members.
- Standard shipping is on us for the first 12 months of ownership. That's well beyond Handi Quilter's standard 90-day warranty.
- Need it tomorrow? We can ship UPS overnight for an additional cost, which is usually under $100 for small parts.
Getting the Fastest Turnaround
When something fails, call us with your machine's serial number and a description of what you're seeing. We'll work out which part you need before anything ships. That way you get the right part the first time, and the warranty paperwork is handled on our end.
The Bottom Line
Keep the cheap wear parts on hand, and let us keep the expensive ones on our shelf. Between the two, a part failure doesn't have to mean a week without your machine.