Originally Posted by
jaciqltznok
I heard that once...so I opened a bottle, and left it sitting out for 3 months..it never evaporated!
Jacquie,
I agree with you - sewing machine oil does NOT evaporate.
I googled to see where this thought could possibly have come from and I could find a statement on the internet that oil evaporates BUT that statement was clarified by saying the oil pools or collects in low spots when the machine sits.
Just like in your car: When the car is running, the oil circulates. When the car is not running, the oil 'pools' in the oil pan. Did the oil in the car evaporate? No.
Sewing machines do not have an oil pan, sometimes they have a drip pan. On older machines when you take the drip pan off you will find all kinds of icky, black stuff which is the used oil that has dripped off the machine. This used oil gets its blackened color due to friction caused when the oiled machine runs and is actually finite metal shavings, lint and/or dust that has acumlated in the exposed oil.
Icky black oil remnants can harden with age due to all the impurities (shavings/dust/lint) it collected while in use. Is see this kind of stuff all the time when cleaning up my old Singers.
Shari