I just didn't have the $ at the time to leave it with her for her to service it. Was hoping it was something I could do myself with cleaning and oiling it. ??

Packed with grease?

I'm assuming the gears need to be packed with grease-to reduce friction. The grease dries out after a while.

Hmmm maybe Billy will have an idea? I've heard of ball bearings needing to be packed, but not gears.

Maybe you could call around to other shops (doesn't have to be anyone local) and ask what it entails and how much it costs.

I think that's it. I needed the same thing done to my wheels on my old car.

What kind of machine?

What kind of grease do I use? It's a 1947 Kenmore. Is there somewhere that I can find how to do this correctly?

Can you post a pic?

Same as your car needs grease in areas to run efficiently.
My machine has a whitish grease in areas. Not too much, enough to help it function correctly. Unless you know what you are doing, it does take a special grease and NOT the one your car uses. Oil is different and not to be used where the grease is.
Since it is 1947 Kenmore, teh gears are more than likely metal not teh hard plastic so many have today. If not done correctlly, you could really gunk up your machine.
Google it and see what you come up with or better yet, go to the Vintage section here and find out. Billy had a slight relapse in health this weekend, so may not answer. Charlee will.

of just the machine? I can't post any pictures....don't know why. I have a thread and have the picture posted on there from before. It doesn't show the bottom of the machine though if that is what you are meaning. The picture is the bronze colored one further down on the page. http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-125822-1.htm

that was my first thought as well

I would use white lithium grease.

Prayers and good thoughts going out for Billy...

use singer grease (lubricant) little dabs on the gears - not familiar with the machine but the top may come off and you'll be able to see the gears - just turn the wheel and put little dabs of grease around the gear teeth...
there may be gears on the bottom also - whereas you just do the same thing - little dabs of grease on the teeth..
then sewing machine oil on any thing else that has two metals rubbing together

usually walmart, joanns, hancocks, dime stores, have singer lubricant and sewing machine oil. the lubricant is generally in a little blue/white tube

On my Featherweights and older singers, the gears are exposed on the underside and they are very easy to grease. Clean the old off and a hair dryer will help by softening the old grease.

It is grease not oil and I would imagine that Singer or any other sewing machine brand would be acceptable. I would do some research and Google to see if you can't find more information. Maybe there is even a mainetnance manual for your machine.

I was very fortunate in being able to take a repair and maintenance class from an excellent man that had worked with manual sewing machines for many, many years. The class was inexpensive and one of the best investments I have ever made.

White lithium grease is the best. After time the Singer brand grease will get thick and gummy and could gum up the gears. The white lithium grease will not do this. There are a couple of yahoo groups dedicated to vintage machines that are friendly and are a plethora of information. One is called vintagesingers and the other is wefixit

You can do all that yourself. I fix up old thrift shop machines for a local non-profit. The "packed" means packed with grease.

A lot of the machines of your vintage came with semi-permanent grease, so it may not need any grease. If you do need it, it is called sewing machine grease, comes in a small tube, and is widely available on the notions wall of places such as JoAnn's and Walmart.

Take the screws off the top of your machine, if your machine has screws, so you can lift off the top. Put one drop of oil in any oil holes, plus one drop wherever you can see two parts moving against each other when you turn the wheel. Grease goes *only* on gears. Gears have teeth, so are easily identified. You will probably see some white or brown gunk on the gears; that is the old grease. It's usually okay to leave it there. I just add a little new grease.

Swing out the side door of the machine, on the left, and oil all areas where two metal parts move against each other.

For the bobbin area, I remove the bobbin case and the bobbin race. Usually there are a couple of little knobs you flip to the side to release the bobbin race. I use a small stiff brush to clean out that area. Before replacing the race, I place a tiny bit of oil on the outside of it and then run my finger around it so there is just a light film of oil on it. Replacing the race usually requires a little patience. It's not hard, but I always wish I had 3 hands when I do it.

Before replacing the race, remove the needle plate and vacuum out or use a tweezers to lift out any lint, especially around the feed dogs.

Don't blow into the machine or use sprayed air -- this can push lint deeper into the machine.

For some machines you need to take off the bottom and oil those moving parts too. I lay the machine on its side to do this.

That's about it!

Edit: Just saw Susan's comment about white lithium grease being better. Will have to seek that out!

I'm sure it is putting lubricant on the gears and oil on oil spots. You would have to take the top and bottom off to do that. It's a simple procedure on an old machine.

Yep, put grease on the gears, singer would be fine, not too much.

Grannymom and Zipit are right. Get Singer lubricant, it will be in a tube, you don't want to use oil...the gears move too fast and it will just fling the oil off. Open every part of your machine that you can and check for places that may need a bit of lubrication other than oil. Oil is generally for the "hinged" parts, you want the grease for the gears...

Do NOT use lithium grease! That stuff will harden up and be IMPOSSIBLE to remove...it causes problems in the long run... ask me, with my 201K how I know this? :(

diDitto for Billy

Thank you all for your help. :)

I use White Lithium grease on the metal gears of my FW. Just a little bit and then spread it on the gears with my fingers. I know you said yours is a Kenmore, but I would think you could use the same type of grease on it that is used on the FW, without harm. You might google Desk Dave's at the Featherweight and I site and get a number and call him to inquire, since Billy is under the weather at this time.
Prayers and Blessings to you and family Billy!!!

Not sure if this is the same thing, but on my featherweight there is a place to put grease in the motor. Most of the newer machines have everything encased so there is not need to grease them, but if my featherweight gets to making too much noise I give it a good oiling and put grease in the grease zerts and it quiets down. Mabe that is what she was talking about.

Not sure if this is the same thing, but on my featherweight there is a place to put grease in the motor. Most of the newer machines have everything encased so there is not need to grease them, but if my featherweight gets to making too much noise I give it a good oiling and put grease in the grease zerts and it quiets down. Mabe that is what she was talking about.

Not sure if this is the same thing, but on my featherweight there is a place to put grease in the motor. Most of the newer machines have everything encased so there is not need to grease them, but if my featherweight gets to making too much noise I give it a good oiling and put grease in the grease zerts and it quiets down. Mabe that is what she was talking about.

don't know why this posted 3X sorry

Maybe some new ballbearings?

Just an FYI. I went to a sewing machine shop looking for grease because our Walmart did not have any. The repairman told me he didn't have any but to use Vaseline - that is what he has used for years.

My interpretation of packing the gears is that if they are worn out through excess use, another coating of metal is put over them to either harden them or reshape the worn out cogs.

The grease would be to lubricate the gears. If its an old machine the grease dries out. I would clean and oil the machine myself. Then she just needs to do the gears.
If the gears aren't lubricated it could ruin your machine.

I agree.

Usually one "packs" bearings not gears, but lube is likely the medium.

Is there a local branch of the extention office of the state university anywhere close?---I took a class from Kansas State Extention Agent and she showed us how to mantain our machines---oiling greasing adjusting etc---yes it took axel grease for the gears---newer machines are sealed and you have to go to a service center---I can't do my Pffaf but still do my older Brother---hope this helps

THIS is the stuff...NOT an oil..it actually is a tube that says SINGER lubricant!

Try out this link:
http://www.ehow.com/how_112544_repai...g-machine.html

I have a singer 66 that has a grease chamber on it that needs to be packed with grease periodically.A tube slides out and you put grease in it. The grease is different than oil. It has gotten harder to buy the grease but I was able to buy some on ebay. Read your manual if you have one. They usually tell where to oil and grease them. If you don't have a manual try getting one on ebay. It is cheaper to maintain your machine yourself and not too hard to do. Good Luck.

Here are to more links to check out the first is to find out what kind of machine you have.
http://www.sewusa.com/Sewing_Machine...g_Machines.htm
The second link is a repair/maintenance link for Kenmore
Maintenance & Repair Help
http://www.sewusa.com/Sewing_Machine_Repair.htm

I hope this is of some help!!

My gears in my new Singer was "packed" and although it might be necessary - my gosh, was there a lint build-up in those gears when I took it apart - so dug out most of it -and of course it has not been replaced, but at least my machine is not bogging down - there is quite a bit of grease still there. I didn't remove it all.

Gears are the toothed wheels that make things go around. In the case of a sewing machine, the needle goes up and down. Not having enough lubricant can cause friction , which means wear and tear. Or even breakage. Not good. Always service machine or end up buying a new one.