LavenderBlue,
That's not out of the norm. What would be more inconvenient is the shafts and other moving parts wearing out because of a lack of oil. Sewing machines are precision made machines and most of the domestic ones do not have bearings. Bare shafts turn in bare bores with only a thin layer of oil between them. The top shaft, the bottoms shafts and all the articulating parts are basically metal to metal. Hense the need for oil. The gears at the top of the vertical shaft need grease and grease doesn't run off or fling off as fast.
I've read every 8 hours more than once. Oh and I have seen machines where the need for oiling was ignored. The machines are in bad shape.
I'd rather clean up an over oiled machine, than try to repair one worn out because of a lack of oil.
Joe