Findlay's Help Center

What are your store hours?

We are open Tuesday - Friday 10:00am - 5:30pm & Saturdays 10:00am - 5:00pm. We are closed all major holidays.
Where are you located?

We are located in Kamloops, B.C. Canada at 251 Tranquille rd right across from Surplus Herbys! You will see murals on the side of our building showing the life of a cowboy.
Do you ship out items?

Yes we do! We ship bags, belts, filters, sewing notions, needle, threads and more all the time. Send us an email or give us a call to let us know what it is you need along with your name and mailing address. We will contact you back with a quote including shipping that you can pay online or over the phone. We will only take payment over the phone for purchases under $100.
Do you do any alterations or repairs?

Unfortunately we do not have the time to do so! We do have names and numbers for a variety of lovely people who do sew for clients. Here we sell the equipment needed and teach lessons.
Do you do house calls?

Unfortunately we do not have any technicians for house calls at this time. If you are having an issue with a central vacuum or need any sewing machine or vacuum repair please give us a call and we will do our best to help you over the phone. If it needs a technician to look at your machine you will have to bring it into the shop to be fixed.
Do you sell fabric?

Yes we do! Kaitlynn opened up her own little shop in our store called Friendly Fabrics. You will find an assortment of eco-friendly fabric perfect for sewing clothing and some home decor. If you would like to see what fabrics she carries take a look at her website here www.friendlyfabrics.net
Return Policy

We offer a 30 day return policy for a credit or refund for UNOPENED and UNUSED products with the original receipt. If the product is opened and has been used, within the 30 days we will offer a FULL credit towards something else, or a refund with a 25% restocking fee. This fee goes towards cleaning and sanitizing the machine along with changing the warranty information. If the item is claimed defective in any way we will have to open an investigation report with our technician as well as the company before issuing a refund to confirm the defect. If the product cannot be sanitized properly and repackaged, such as vacuum bags and filters, we cannot process a refund.
What brands do you sell?

We sell a variety of products and brands, almost too many to count! Here is a full list of what brands and companies we deal with. Vacuums we sell & do warranty work for: Miele MVAC Beam Airstream Numatic Vacuum parts & accessories: We can get a variety of parts that will fit different brands. Some of the companies we deal with use the same parts as other brands and manufacturers. However, there are some brands and models that we unfortunately cannot get any parts for as they are discontinued, or the companies have restricted their sales. If you are unsure please give us a call and we will do our best to help you! Sewing machines we sell & do warranty work for: Bernina Bernette Brother Sewing parts & accessories We can get a variety of parts that will fit different brands. Some of the companies we deal with use the same parts as other brands and manufacturers. However, there are some brands and models that we unfortunately cannot get any parts for as they are discontinued, or the companies have restricted their sales. If you are unsure please give us a call and we will do our best to help you! Thread brands we carry: Mettler Wonderfil Marathon Brother embroidery threads Patterns we sell: Jalie Linda Macphee Thread & Theory Closet Core Sewaholic Other: We sometimes have some fun products we love that are not quite related to vacuums or sewing machines. We carry Tru-Earth laundry strips as well as their disinfectant spray strips and wool dryer balls. Miele Laundry detergent Did you know we have fabric here?! Kaitlynn opened up her own little shop in our store called Friendly Fabrics. You will find an assortment of eco-friendly fabric perfect for sewing clothing and some home decor. If you would like to see what fabrics she carries take a look at her website here www.friendlyfabrics.net
Machine Maintenance Agreement

Machines purchased at our store January 2023 and forward are eligible for 50% off the first maintenance within 1 year of purchase. If you did not do so at the store, please fill out this form and send it in.
My vacuum is making a loud noise, what could be the issue?

If it is making a loud noise in the powerhead it could be an issue with the brush roller & belt. If the noise is coming from the cannister it could be a motor issue. A loud high pitch noise usually indicates a plug or air leak. If you are unable to resolve the noise in your vacuum please bring it in and our technician will take a look at it for you as soon as he is able!
My vacuum has a burning smell, what could be the issue?

Burning smells can mean a variety of things; a broken belt, overheating motor from clogged filters, brush roller bearings seizing and melting, loose electrical connections between the hose and powerhead burning, or even just a tired motor at the end of its life. Sometimes it can be hard to locate these issues. Our experienced technician is happy to help! Bring your vacuum in and he will take a look at it as soon as he is able.
My vacuum has no suction, what could be the issue?

There is a huge variety of things that can cause loss of suction in a vacuum. Most common one is that somewhere in the vacuum it is plugged. Filters that need changing can also cause loss of suction. Air leaks in hoses and cannisters are less common but possible, especially if you have pets that love to chew! Other issues could lead to a burned out motor. If you cannot find the cause of your loss of suction give us a call, we can try to help trouble shoot over the phone. If it cannot be resolved over the phone bring it on in and our technician will take a look at it as soon as he is able to.
My vacuum brush roller is not spinning or picking anything up, what could be the issue?

Usually your belt. It is also common for the brush roller to seize from a build up of carpet fibers and hair wrapped around the end bearings. Easy fix is to change the belt and make sure the brush roller is spinning properly. If you are still having issues bring it on by and our technician will take a look at it as soon as he is able to.
My sewing machine is making a loud noise, what could be the issue?

A variety of things can cause a sewing machine to make a loud noise. Most common is the machine is crying out for oil. All sewing machines need lubrication. They are well lubricated at the factory however after a while those oils need to be replaced, especially if it has been sitting for a while. Some newer models do not give oiling instructions as the places that need lubrication are only able to be accessed by a technician once the covers are off. Other common reasons for loud noises are caught thread inside the machine, bits of broken needles stuck inside, lint build up around moving parts, and broken or damaged gears & parts. Motors can also make loud noises as they get older. We have not seen too many that need replacing however it is a possibility. If you are not sure what is going on with your machine bring it on in and our technician will take a look at it as soon as he is able to!
My machine is skipping stitches, what could be the issue?

Skipping stitches is a complaint we hear quite often. What it comes down to is the needle and tip of the hook are not meeting in the right place for the needle to deliver the thread to the hook. Why? Could be multiple possibilities! The thread could be pulling tight and bending the needle out of place. The needle itself could be the issue, being the wrong type of needle for what you are trying to sew, wrong needle for your machine, or even bent, dull, or broken. The needle could also be placed in your machine incorrectly, not pushed up all the way or put in the wrong direction. It is also very common for the timing to be out on your machine. This happens when the machine needle bar stalls and the bottom shaft continues to move. Adjusting timing is something that is done by a technician internally. If you are still having issues feel free to bring it by and we will take a look at it as soon as we are able!
My sewing tension is not great / Thread all bunching up underneath. What could be the issue?

Tension can be tricky. It is a balance of pull from the upper and lower thread path. If your thread is bunching up all underneath looking like a birds nest under your fabric the thread upper or lower has ZERO tension. If this issue is happening clear your machine of any thread, make sure your upper tension disk is clear of any caught lint/thread, and rethread top and bottom. Make sure to follow your instructions in the manual ensuring the thread is properly in the upper and lower tension disk. If your tension issue is not as severe, but maybe showing the bottom thread on top or top thread on bottom a bit more than you like it is usually a simple adjustment. Upper thread is normally at 4, keep that as a base setting for you to adjust from. Higher number pulls the bottom thread to the top, lower number pulls the upper thread to the bottom. The tension on the bobbin case is set from factory. Some machines do include instructions on adjusting bobbin tension in their manual as their models have bobbin cases that can be adjusted. If it does not show this adjustment in the manual do not touch any screws! The tension screws are tiny and hold tiny parts that can fall out of place. Bobbin tension adjustment overall can be tricky. We always suggest it to be adjusted by a technician especially if you are not comfortable with doing so. If you need to do adjustments always adjust the upper tension first after doing a re-thread check! If you are still having issues bring it on in and we will be happy to help as soon as we are able!