How do I unjam the gears in my bernina 830?

If the touchscreen on your Bernina 830 sewing machine is not calibrated, it may be difficult to access the Service program soft keys. However, you may still be able to access the Service program using the following steps:

1. Turn off your Bernina 830 sewing machine.
2. Hold down the Reverse button and the Needle up/down button simultaneously.
3. While holding down these buttons, turn on the sewing machine.
4. Continue to hold down the Reverse and Needle up/down buttons until the Service program screen appears.
5. Once you are in the Service program, you can navigate using the numbered soft keys that appear on the screen.

As for attaching a keyboard, it is not possible to directly connect a keyboard to the Bernina 830 sewing machine. However, some users have had success using a USB to Serial adapter to connect a keyboard to their sewing machine. This method may require additional software and configuration to work properly, and it is not officially supported by Bernina.

After three years idle, your Bernina probably needs lubrication.

Which Bernina 830 are you referring to? (Yeah, it was crazy of Bernina to use the same numbers to identify different models...). There is the old Bernina 830 Record and the new computerized Bernina 830.

Have you tried rethreading the machine? If so, be sure to ALWAYS RAISE the presser foot. Verify the thread path is correct.

The feed dog control is the knob at the very bottom front, right side of the machine. If the feed dogs are not dropping, most likely the machine needs a thorough cleaning and OILING! I use Tri-Flow Synthetic Lube.

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Bernina 930 Record Oil Diagram

How do unjam the gears in my bernina 830

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Most likely because your machine has not been serviced (oiled & cleaned) in a long time and the old oil has turned to glue and seized. This is probably the most common problem with mechanical sewing machines. A mechanical sewing machine should be regularly maintained..ie every 40 hours of sewing use or at least every six months when not in use. You may want to take it to a Bernina service technician. Ask for a bottle of Bernina oil for CB hook machines and ask if they will show you how to oil it.

My machine Bernina 830 does not run

Bernina 830 won zig zag won buttonhole no decorative stitch

Bernina 930 Record oiling diagram

Questions Answers for Bernina seized Sewing Machines

I have resurrected several older Berninas with lots of patience and elbow grease. Here's how:

Wheel on right side that controls the needle up and down is very tight...

Bernina 830 Record oiling points:

Is it a new 830 computerized model or the older 830 Record mechanical?

If it is the 830 Record, it needs oiling--1-2 drops of good quality sewing machine oil (specifically concentrate on the stitch selector lever and oil the metal parts that move against other metal parts) Do NOT oil the cams, plastic gears, any rubber parts, ie belts, bobbin winder wheel.
Bernina 530 through 830 Record Oiling Diagram

try these links for help and a manual

BERNINA Support Machine and Accessories Finders and Software Support...

Bernina 830 Instruction Manual


Bernina Sewing Machine Manuals Instruction Manuals

Bernina Record 830 Sewing machine instruction manual

Do not force the dials, or they could break. I have resurrected some older Berninas whose knobs were totally frozen. The dials usually get stiff when the oil is drying out. Be sure you are cleaning and oiling your Bernina 830 on a regular basis. Use only NEW good quality oil (not 3-in-1, WD-40, or cooking oil). Only one or two drops in each spot per your manual. To help loosen things, direct hot air from a handheld hairdryer into the interior of the machine (direct it toward the buttonhole mechanism). See if that helps loosen things. You should perform regular maintenance on your machine every 40 hours of use or every six months if not in use.

If the dial is still sticky, slowly rotate the dial and study how the mechanics work in the machine and apply a drop or two of oil to the places where metal rubs against metal.
Hope this helps.
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Carol--glad you were able to get it operating again. Using +40 yr old oil is probably not the best choice. If the oil is dark yellow or brown, you should discard it as it will eventually become gunky too. You can pick up a fresh bottle from a Bernina dealer--be sure to tell them that you have an oldie (but goodie) Bernina 830 Record to get the correct oil. You can get the dispenser with the long spout to get into hard-to-reach spots. There are other oils you can use (can't remember the specs right now), so unless you want to do some research, Bernina oil will do just fine. (You can join the Yahoo Group for BerninaThirtySomethings where there is a ton of suggestions on oiling, operating, maintaining, and using your wonderful 30-Something vintage machine. There is also a long conversation about types of oil to use.)

If it seems your machine is kind of sticky (difficult to turn the handwheel, or the motor seems to strain to get things moving, etc.), then a good suggestion is to put a drop of oil on every moving metal-to-metal joint. (Slowly rotate the handwheel, the dials, and levers and watch where things move.) Do NOT oil the two plastic gears or the metal cams!!! And, use only 1-2 drops of oil. Be sure to get the 4 or 5 oil holes on the needle take-up mechanism (they look like rotating knuckles) and adding a drop where the needle bar rubs would help. Look for a couple of other oil holes just to the right of the cams that help keep the stitch selector operating, and don't skip the oil hole on the right near the handwheel. Be sure to get the oil holes in the bobbin area (there's usually one on the far back behind the bobbin mechanism next to the case that is difficult to see, and also one on the far right that helps the feed dogs. Once you've hit all the moving joints, you can hand rotate the handwheel to get things distributed. Then try sewing slowly. You should notice your machine runs much quieter and smoother now. Such a happy sound!!!

Once things are moving well, you probably won't need to oil the individual moving joints again unless you notice things are getting a bit sticky again. Too much oil is not a good thing too, so don't over-oil!!!

Cleaning the bobbin area and putting a drop of oil in each oil hole and the hook race is probably sufficient to keep your machine regularly maintained. (The manual does not show all the oil holes, so you might have to look for them. Once you are able to recognize them, they are relatively easy to locate --be sure to rotate the handwheel as some oil holes are not always visible.) Some machines have a red dot to help you locate the oil holes, but sometimes not all of them are marked. (The picture below will help you locate the oiling spots.)

Be sure to run your sewing machine on some scrap fabric after oiling to make sure you don't stain your nice project!

Enjoy your lovely machine! Treat her well (oiling and cleaning), and she will treat you well for many years!

Hi Rose Mary,

I'm assuming you are talking about the original Bernina 830 (their newest machine is also an 830!)

If you've not had your machine professionally serviced in awhile, it could be as simple as a good, thorough cleaning and adjusting. Your machine should be professionally serviced about every 1-2 years....not a bargain service that blows out the dust and puts oil on the hook, but a service that checks all the gears for wear, adjustments, hook timing, feed timing, grease for the gears (if required), removes lint build-up deep in the machine - very thorough.

There are various gears in the 830 that control these functions. It sounds as if one of the gears may be either broken or jammed. Unfortunately, unless you are trained in machine repair, this isn't something you should attempt. When gears are replaced or adjusted, generally the timing of the machine must be reset as well.

We would recommend that you take your Bernina to your nearest authorized Bernina dealer (they'll be trained on your specific machine and have easy access to any parts that may be needed).

If you do not know a dealer in your area, you can search on the Bernina website.

The original Bernina 830 was one of the greatest models Bernina has made and is well worth putting the money into keeping it running. Great machine!

Hope this helps narrow down what may be happening.

Happy stitching,
Kim & Linnette
www.sewingexpressions.com