Quiltingboard Forums - Questions about my 301

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Questions about my 301

Hi Everyone! Well I am completely in love with my "new" 301 which I named Ginger. So much so that I put away my Baby Lock to be taken out only when i need fancy stitch features. I've replaced a binding, done clothing alterations and sewn two (soon to be three) mini quilts so far with her. Also, I took her to my very first quilting class ever (Cynthia England's Picture Piecing) It was great how easy to carry around she is.

I want to thank you all who helped me make the decision to purchase this fantastic and wonderful sewing machine!

There are two questions I have, most likely ignorant ones, but I hope someone can enlighten me:

My 301 did not come with her original manual, but the seller had one for me as a .pdf file. It looks like an earlier manual with the old style graphics and black cover. The manual instructs that the motor has to be periodically lubricated. But on my machine's motor there is no motor grease tube to be seen. So I am wondering if the later 301s have self lubricating motors like my daughter's Rocketeer does. Ginger is a 1961 sewing machine if I remember correctly.

The other thing that seems excessive to me is that the manual advises that if the sewing machine is used continuously that it should be oiled daily. Would that mean after each full day of sewing that Ginger needs to be oiled? I'm worried this is too much and I'll have oil flinging off onto everything else.

Thanks in advance for your help!

My, she is a pretty girl......I love my 301 too!
I am trying to send a picture of the maintainance from my book---hope it helps

Thanks for looking that up and posting the picture! :o Yup that is what my .pdf manual page looks like, except it has gray coloring around the diagram instead of green. The instructions are the same too. The problem is that Ginger's motor does not look like it has a motor grease tube, or even a place for one. That's why I wondered if the later motors were self lubricating, like the one on my daughter's Rocketeer.

If your motor doesn't have the grease tubes( a few of mine don't) then don't worry about it. The bearings may need attention, if it's extra loud, but all of my 301's have been good to go.

As for oiling and greasing. I do a major greasing of gears and lubing as the diagrams show when I get the machine. Then, I just put a little oil in the oil holes on the bed and top of the machine when I've sewed about 8 hours or so on it( I don't really keep track, just sort of guestimate). I also try to remember just a dot of oil in the hook race. The gears need grease, not oil. I use Triflow products, but Singer lubricant is fine if you have that. You do not need to open up the machine and oil all those areas every 8 hours. That's a once every 6 mos. to a year job, depending on use of course. Some may be able to go longer than that if not the machine isn't used frequently.

You shouldn't have oil flinging anywhere because you should be using it sparingly and not dousing the machine. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the valuable guidelines Candace! Much appreciated!
Ginger purrs when she runs now - it's a really nice sound so I reckon she must be "good to go" too.
She was sluggish and slow when she first arrived. I cleaned so much old gunk off of her innards. Someone had a long time ago put about a tablespoon of lubricant on each gear and it had flung all over and dried on top of the gears in big tacky blobs. There was plenty of evidence that they over oiled her too. After cleaning, I oiled and lubricated her gears as shown in the manual, being quite careful not to over do it. I was just worried that if I oiled her after every day of use that I would end up with too much oil on her. So I will do as you wrote and oil only some of the areas that often.
I sent my tube of Singer lubricant off with my daughter so am definitely going to buy the Triflow as the replacement. Everyone sure says good things about it.

WOW!!! She's a beauty!!!

I oil mine well after every finished quilt. That seems to be enough since she got over her initial dryness.

Congratulations on Ginger. I have one just like her. Her name is Brenda Lou and she has 2 little featherweight sisters. Suzy and Sally. Can't decide who I like sewing on more. But Brenda Lou is coming sewing with me on Monday, just so she can show off. Thanks for questioning about the oiling. I do have an original manual but the personal experiences were very helpful.

congrats on your 301! Sounds like you are putting her to good use! I have a black short bed like yours and also a 301 in the LBOW colors. I oil them like Candace says. How did you like Cynthia England's class? I have her book and tried some of her techniques, but haven't had the opportunity to take a class.

You each are so helpful and nice... Thank you! I appreciate your advice and comments and get a kick out of how you feel about your sewing machines. Cheryl you chose great names for yours!

Lucky Patsy - :) I'm tempted to get a LBOW 301 too, in fact almost did instead of Ginger. Both colors are so pretty.

I should have been more specific on the class. While the class was about Cynthia England's Picture Piecing book and technique, it was not taught by her. But i loved it - our instructor was so warm and patient and encouraging and fun. She really helped us each understand the concept better and had a little trick of her own that she developed to make it easier (I thought so at least) She teaches often at a LQS so I will be hoping to enroll with her for other classes again. I am now attempting to do Cynthia England's Rooster pattern, but for the first time ever do not have a recipient in mind.