They take regular oiling, and I still need the diagram from my manual to thread it, but it is a great machine for actually quilting your machine. It has a 10.5" harp space, so lots more room to move your quilt through. It is a high shank machine. I got an adapter for mine so I can use my 1/4" snap on quilting foot, or stitch in the ditch foot. It will also sew through anything. I made my denim purse that I carry. This machine sewed through 8 layers of denim like it was nothing. My regular machine couldn't do it.