Originally Posted by
lovelyl
Okay, now I am freaked out. I purchased a tube of Singer lubricant (pink tube) and it was white. Thought the color was strange, but just figured they changed the formula but it was still meant for motors. I used it in my Featherweight motor a few weeks ago. Did I ruin the motor? Do I need to clean it out? Please tell me I didn't ruin my beautiful new baby....
I would clean it out. Assuming that you put it in on top of whatever was there, that should be all that's needed. If you cleaned all of the old grease out you may want to or have someone take the motor apart and clean it internally. I wish they'd label those tubes as not for use with motors if in fact they aren't any longer. I don't have any here to test so I can't really offer any further advice on it.
Originally Posted by
johnm
I did the same experiments a few years ago, albeit no toaster oven. I was more concerned with the ability of the lube to migrate out, at room temperature, from the dab that was placed upon paper. This would be similar to the lube crawling from its reservoir up the felt wick and to the bearing. SM motors are seldom run enough to generate much heat, and the capillary action (wicking) of the lube continues even when the Sm is not being used. Lubriplate white greases and lithium greases are composed of oil that is absorbed by a metallic soap. While they have almost no melting point, the oil will wick away from the grease. My tests found that both Singer motor lube and Vaseline melted at around 115 to 120 deg. F., no other greases tested has so low a melting point...I have never seen a sm motor with bad bearings or a scored motor shaft due to lack of lubrication, but then again, I have only messed with a few hundred of them. What I most often correct is excessive end play of the motor shaft. Most grease reservoirs are found bone dry, yet there is no damage to the motor. Additionally, I have never found motor brushes short enough to need replacing. Johnm
I have found the same thing about the spread rate. I think my singer lube in the lead tubes is the one that melts at a higher rate - but you're right - I don't know that I've seen any shafts or bearings damaged even with poor or non-existent lubrication. I have however found machines needing brushes changed. One was right down to the spring, one was past and ruined the commutator, another had brushes at about 1/16".
Originally Posted by
PhilGrmPa
While I'm curious and live near Philly I'm also, shall we say, CHEAP. $10+s/h for 10cc is a non-starter for me, especially since I bet I can find something suitable without 3 YEARS(!?!) of research. I know a few Mech Engineers who'll educate me WHILE they laugh about my newest compulsion. I've got a red&white tube of singer lube that came with the 15-91 I bought for $9 last week. Probably a used up metal tube somewhere too.
See? Why would I forego an entire machine and cabinet in favor of a tube-a-lube?
Altho it WOULD take up less space.
Well, cost was part of my reason for testing too.
Partly because that $10 tube of lube would likely end up being about $25cdn once it arrived in my hands. The only reason I've stopped using the old lead tubes is that every time I seem to touch one, the lube bursts out from the wrong end and there's a heck of a mess everywhere. Though, thinking about it more clearly (and not covered in motor lube) - perhaps I could just squeeze what comes out into a syringe....