Oiling your machine tin seem intimidating for the mechanically-challenged, but similar most things I'll comprehend here, it becomes quick in addition to slow the to a greater extent than yous do it. And yous should do it, hence that your machine volition final in addition to last. (It's also of import non to overdo it, which I'll comprehend below.) See that machine upward above? It's a 1937 model 221, the kickoff Featherweight I e'er fixed up, which I gave to a friend for her birthday. It runs similar a exceed in addition to I innovation for it to proceed doing hence through regular oiling.
These guidelines tin live applied to whatsoever machine, but I'm using a 221 hither because person specifically requested a 221 oiling demo.
Why to Oil
In a lot of world buildings you'll come across marble steps that receive got had a dip worn into their centers. Obviously marble is quite hard in addition to unyielding, but when 20 meg pairs of Nikes traipse upward in addition to downwards them, it eventually starts to wearable away.
The steel inward your machine is no different. Two pieces of metallic rubbing against each other over in addition to over volition eventually wearable some cloth away, reducing the precision in addition to effectiveness of that part. (I believe that's why I oft come across 15-91s in addition to 201-2s alongside screwed-up bobbin winding assemblies, though that in addition to its develop volition live covered inward a dissimilar entry.) But merely a drib of petroleum betwixt ii parts provides a metal-protecting cushion that greatly extends the life of the machine. That's why nosotros oil.
How Often to Oil
The full general dominion is to petroleum the machine subsequently every 8 hours of use. Make it a habit in addition to yous volition live thanked yesteryear subsequent generations who are able to operate the machine.
More is NOT better
When yous take heed the phrase "a well-oiled machine" that doesn't hateful the matter is drenched inward oil, it merely agency petroleum has been correctly applied inward all the right places, hence the machine runs smoothly. If yous over-oil a machine, yous run the opportunity of petroleum going someplace it's non supposed to go, similar on wiring insulation (which is bad news). All it takes is a unmarried drib to properly petroleum an area, which is why this side yesteryear side part's important.
The Delivery System
You demand a practiced delivery organisation for petroleum hence that yous tin acquire it to the right place. By "delivery system" I hateful the straw or nozzle. Here are 4 ways to deliver oil, which are non created equal:
- The White Diamond alongside telescoping "zoom spout" that I come across inward many NYC sewing machine repair shops
- Tri-Flow oil, around which I've placed a broccoli safe band hence I don't lose the included straw
- Singer All Purpose Machine Oil, available at Jo-Ann Fabrics in addition to other sewing furnish places
- a syringe, available from many chemists/pharmacies/medical furnish stores, that yous tin create total upward alongside petroleum yourself
Note their dissimilar tips:
Now here's a quick review of each:
White Diamond. I abhor this telescoping "zoom spout." At kickoff it sounded similar a practiced idea, but inward practise it's hard to use, particularly if you're clumsy. It's hard to acquire a unmarried drib out of it, it either gives me besides much or non enough. Squeezing the bottle produces inconsistent results. Even when I could acquire a unmarried drib out, the drops came out besides big to cleanly hitting the target. I've seen sewing machine repair guys operate this matter alongside the precision of a surgeon, but I'm no surgeon in addition to I'm writing this review for klutzes.
Tri-Flow Oil.
My favorite. The sewing machine forums are total of people extolling the virtues of this oil, which has Teflon inward it to increase its slipperiness, in addition to the straw is the best: It's slow to come across the fluid traveling downwards it hence yous tin predict when the drib volition come upward out, in addition to the drops are the smallest, which gives yous improve precision. At the bottom of this entry are some places where yous tin purchase it.Singer Oil. The nozzle hole seems tiny, but the drops come upward out huge, hence I oft create a mess. I also don't similar that it's non see-through, hence the drops tin come upward out unpredictably. With no straw or nozzle, it's impossible to acquire the petroleum into remote places inward the bottom of the machine, the bottle merely won't fit.
Syringe. I'd read reviews nearly the benefits of using syringes to acquire to hard-to-reach places, but inward practise I hardly e'er operate this thing. The Tri-Flow straw gets every house I demand to go. But if I had a alternative betwixt using this in addition to anything except the Tri-Flow, this would live it. You can't operate the "drop" method alongside the syringe, yous operate the "touch" method. See description below.
How to Oil
The "Drop" method. When servicing an petroleum hole, yous merely mash a drib out in addition to seat the straw hence the petroleum drib falls into the hole. (There's an occasional employment alongside this, covered below inward "Start Oiling.") If yous don't know what an petroleum hole is, don't worry, yous volition soon.
The "Touch" method. When oiling ii moving parts, yous tin endeavor the "drop" thing, but you'll discover sometimes there's no room to maneuver, hence yous do this next "touch" procedure. Unfortunately I failed at photographing this--it was impossible to petroleum alongside ane manus in addition to focus the photographic idiot box camera alongside the other manus in addition to fourth dimension everything perfectly to capture the shot. But here's what yous do:
You acquire the straw close the target dot in addition to angle it downwards, or gently mash the bottle, until a droplet is hanging off the halt of the straw. Then yous merely impact the droplet to the dot where yous desire the oil, in addition to it gets absorbed into that point. You receive got to come across it to empathise it. Oil doesn't piece of work similar gravity makes yous think it would, it touches the business office in addition to hence seems to automatically catamenia around it. That's why yous alone demand ane drib of oil. You drib the petroleum off at the entrance, hence to speak, in addition to and hence it finds its way around the store.
Where to Oil
The practiced intelligence is yous don't demand a diagram to refer to when oiling your machine. You mightiness the kickoff or minute time, but subsequently that it won't live necessary. Here's why:
Let's tell there's a bunch of flies inward my kitchen, in addition to I'm sending yous inward alongside a flyswatter to kill them. I could depict yous a map of my kitchen alongside detailed notes that tell "There's ii flies on exceed of the fridge, ane on either side of the sink, 3 yesteryear the fruit basket" etc. which is form of silly. Better that yous merely choke into the kitchen in addition to hitting anything that moves.
Similarly, expect at the relevant parts of your machine, seen below, in addition to plough the handwheel over to come across what moves. Any house where ii pieces of metallic are rubbing together, that's where yous set a drib of oil. There are a few places yous can't come across that however demand oil, in addition to Singer made those locations obvious yesteryear placing convenient petroleum holes there. So yous don't demand to memorize diagrams, merely operate your eyes.
I've taken the next photos every bit a reference, but frankly speaking they're to a greater extent than confusing than they're worth. Those photos volition speedily outlive their utility when yous larn to merely petroleum every business office where metallic moves on metal.
Prep Your Machine
All yous demand is your machine, a towel, some oil, in addition to practiced lighting. A flashlight volition assist for the bottom parts of the machine, but I prefer a swing-arm light hence I tin maintain both hands free.
Start Oiling
First expect for petroleum holes. On the 221, I unremarkably do these ii on the pillar first. (Use the towel to cushion your machine every bit yous house it on its side.)
I've seen a few 221s where these ii holes are clogged upward alongside old, gunky grease. If yous come across that the hole is clogged, accept a Q-Tip in addition to gyre it betwixt your fingertips to acquire inward pointy. Then stick it into the hole in addition to swizzle it clean. You'll oft convey it dorsum out covered inward nasty onetime grease.
Once the hole is clear, set a unmarried drib of petroleum inward each. Then I unremarkably give it xxx seconds to absorb where it's supposed to before I right the machine. (Yes, xxx seconds is in all probability overkill.)
Sometimes the droplet comes out besides big in addition to "sticks" to the hole similar a bubble instead of going downwards inside, similar this:
When this happens yous tin prick it alongside a pin to acquire inward lose tension in addition to autumn inside. (Don't live a genius similar I was the kickoff fourth dimension in addition to blow on it, or I promise you're wearing goggles.)
Now discover to a greater extent than petroleum holes. If yous don't know what ane looks like: If there's a hole inward your machine in addition to there's non a spool pin sticking out of it, it's for oil. On the exceed of the 221 nosotros come across four.
We also come across ane on the bobbin winding assembly.
Inspect the holes. If it's an "attic fresh" machine yous may discover onetime gunky grease clogging them. Do the Q-Tip flim-flam or carefully create clean them out alongside a pin, in addition to hence set a drib of petroleum inward each hole.
Then cheque out the panel alongside the spool pin on it. The screw that the ruby-red arrow points to? For convenience's sake, yous tin maintain that screw loose plenty hence that it holds the comprehend on yet however allows yous to pin it open.
Inside nosotros discover some other petroleum hole, in addition to ii spots indicated yesteryear arrows that should also acquire a drib of oil.
After oiling those, I accept the faceplate off alongside its unmarried screw.
As I said earlier, yous won't demand to memorize these photos, it's merely a reference. Turn the handwheel to acquire things moving, in addition to discover wherever ii parts of metallic rub against each other (arrows), in addition to hence acquire a drib inward in that location using the "drop" or "touch" method. Also expect for to a greater extent than petroleum holes (circles) in addition to set a drib inward each.
In the photograph above, I could non come across the petroleum hole inward the photograph below. Turning the handwheel reveals dissimilar petroleum holes.
More places where metallic rubs on metal.
After those points are done, I re-attach the faceplate in addition to flip the bed up. Looking underneath, I take the bobbin instance in addition to set a drib of petroleum on the claw race. If you're non certain precisely where to set it, merely expect for where metallic rubs on metal.
Turn the handwheel over a bunch of times to allow the petroleum circulate, in addition to hence set the machine on its side. Keep the bed flipped to the "up" seat to give it some support, in addition to don't forget to lean it on the towel to avoid scratches.
Unscrew the bottom cover. And yesteryear the way, when yous set it dorsum on, yous don't demand to choke nuts tightening the screw. The cover's non going to merely wing off, hence screw it unopen gently. On some of the 221s I come upward across, this matter is screwed unopen similar someone's life depended on it.
Now nosotros come across this.
Don't live intimidated, merely plough the handwheel in addition to expect for moving parts or petroleum holes. To assist yous recognize them, come across the arrows in addition to circles here.
Be careful alongside this ane indicated below, because it's rattling unopen to the wiring. Just house ane careful drib on the metal, nosotros don't desire a bunch of petroleum dripping on the wiring insulation. That volition eventually consume through it in addition to campaign potentially unsafe electrical problems.
After you've done these points, that's it, you're finished. Remember, merely ane drib of petroleum inward each location, live careful non to fall whatsoever on the wiring, in addition to yous can't choke wrong. Close the machine dorsum upward in addition to you're practiced to go.
Where to Buy Oil
Tri-Flow is the create of petroleum I recommend. All yous demand is the 2 oz. size, it volition final yous forever. If you're looking for it locally, cycle shops may bear it, that's where I got mine. If you're already ordering parts from Jenny at Sew-Classic, she carries it too; possibly yous tin operate it to boost upward your total in addition to acquire the costless shipping. If yous can't discover it close yous in addition to desire to gild it online, here's an Amazon link:
If yous gild it from the Amazon link, I acquire a tiny percentage. I set these links hither inward instance whatsoever of yous demand the production in addition to desire to back upward this spider web log inward the process. The cost is the same every bit it is on Amazon's normal site. But remember, yous don't receive got to purchase anything through this blog, hence experience costless to ignore those links.
By the way, some of yous may receive got noticed I did non petroleum the geared parts of the machine. Those parts acquire grease. I'll comprehend grease inward some other entry.
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