Oiling Your Vintage/Retro Sewing Machine
11-24-2013, 07:33 AM
#1
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Oiling Your Vintage/Retro Sewing Machine
I have been repairing sewing machines for almost 30 years, and a lot of people ask me how to oil up a sewing machine. This is the most important thing you can do because, more than 90% of the sewing machines that I fix just needed to be lubed up and oiled. That's absolutely true.
So, ok. Obviously the best way to oil a machine is to put oil in all of the oiling holes, oil up all of the moving parts underneath, including the shuttle, and touch oil on all of the bearings, top and bottom. BUT, if you are in a hurry, don't have a manual to show you the places where to oil, or just want to do a "quickie," here is what you do.
Take the cover off of the bottom of the machine so that you can see all of the pieces and parts. Remove the bobbin and lightly step on the "go" pedal so that the machine begins to run. Take a can of spray lube, any lube will do as long as it is NOT silicone spray, and begin at the shuttle. Spray the entire bottom of the machine while moving from left to right. Just make one complete back and forth pass, with the machine still running, beginning at the shuttle and ending at the shuttle. That's it. Button up the bottom and move to the top.
Remove the top cover and, once again, make the machine run slowly. Start at the far left and spray back and forth arcross the top of the machine. Once done with that, open up the access door where the take-up lever is, and spray inside while the machine is still running. Wipe off all of the excess oil if it is dripping, feed some scrap material beneath the needle and over the feed dogs to soak up any leftover oil, and you are done.
Although this is really basic oiling at its simplest, if just this is done, your machine will keep on running and sewing for many years more than if this wasn't done at all. Of course, this isn't going to work on modern plasticized machines that are hermetically sealed and have limited access. But on metal retro or vintage machines where the top and the bottom can be unscrewed and removed, this is a dandy way to keep your machine up and running for the long haul.
Oh and, for you older Singer lovers, just remove the front and rear plates and blast away with lube. If you get some oil on the belt, wipe it off so that it doesn't slip. Wipe off any drippings and you are good to go.
So, ok. Obviously the best way to oil a machine is to put oil in all of the oiling holes, oil up all of the moving parts underneath, including the shuttle, and touch oil on all of the bearings, top and bottom. BUT, if you are in a hurry, don't have a manual to show you the places where to oil, or just want to do a "quickie," here is what you do.
Take the cover off of the bottom of the machine so that you can see all of the pieces and parts. Remove the bobbin and lightly step on the "go" pedal so that the machine begins to run. Take a can of spray lube, any lube will do as long as it is NOT silicone spray, and begin at the shuttle. Spray the entire bottom of the machine while moving from left to right. Just make one complete back and forth pass, with the machine still running, beginning at the shuttle and ending at the shuttle. That's it. Button up the bottom and move to the top.
Remove the top cover and, once again, make the machine run slowly. Start at the far left and spray back and forth arcross the top of the machine. Once done with that, open up the access door where the take-up lever is, and spray inside while the machine is still running. Wipe off all of the excess oil if it is dripping, feed some scrap material beneath the needle and over the feed dogs to soak up any leftover oil, and you are done.
Although this is really basic oiling at its simplest, if just this is done, your machine will keep on running and sewing for many years more than if this wasn't done at all. Of course, this isn't going to work on modern plasticized machines that are hermetically sealed and have limited access. But on metal retro or vintage machines where the top and the bottom can be unscrewed and removed, this is a dandy way to keep your machine up and running for the long haul.
Oh and, for you older Singer lovers, just remove the front and rear plates and blast away with lube. If you get some oil on the belt, wipe it off so that it doesn't slip. Wipe off any drippings and you are good to go.
11-24-2013, 09:18 AM
#4
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We have some very nice tutorials on Quilting Board - these are the best way to clean and service a sewing machine. Usually the machines do not need a lot of rough treatment unless you are planning to repaint them.
11-24-2013, 09:53 AM
#5
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Join Date: Feb 2012
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I haven't been repairing sewing machines for very long, but I have been maintaining all sorts of mechanical items from cars to fans to guns to tools for nearly 50 years. Spray lube has it's place, but not for general lubing of sewing machines or finely made mechanical devices.
I can see using a spray lube on a very very dry neglected sewing machine that will be cleaned thoroughly and properly lubed after it's freed up. But to hose a machine with a spray lube because you're in a hurry just makes a mess. Plus the excess just builds up everywhere and makes a machine that much harder to maintain down the road.
I've cleaned so many that have been amber with old oil and lube that I just can't do that.
And those that have been hosed with WD-40 are usually a disaster down the road. That stuff is not a lubricant per sea, but a water dispersant with some limited and temporary lubricating ingredients.
It takes so little time to properly oil a normal machine ( I agree with you about the current plastic wannabee machines ) that I just have to disagree ( politely of course ) with using an aerosol lube for a quicky lube.
On old sewing machines and many not so old, there is a rule of thumb .... if the hole isn't threaded - it's an oil hole. Oil it.
Joe
I can see using a spray lube on a very very dry neglected sewing machine that will be cleaned thoroughly and properly lubed after it's freed up. But to hose a machine with a spray lube because you're in a hurry just makes a mess. Plus the excess just builds up everywhere and makes a machine that much harder to maintain down the road.
I've cleaned so many that have been amber with old oil and lube that I just can't do that.
And those that have been hosed with WD-40 are usually a disaster down the road. That stuff is not a lubricant per sea, but a water dispersant with some limited and temporary lubricating ingredients.
It takes so little time to properly oil a normal machine ( I agree with you about the current plastic wannabee machines ) that I just have to disagree ( politely of course ) with using an aerosol lube for a quicky lube.
On old sewing machines and many not so old, there is a rule of thumb .... if the hole isn't threaded - it's an oil hole. Oil it.
Joe
11-24-2013, 10:06 AM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
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Originally Posted by J Miller
I haven't been repairing sewing machines for very long, but I have been maintaining all sorts of mechanical items from cars to fans to guns to tools for nearly 50 years. Spray lube has it's place, but not for general lubing of sewing machines or finely made mechanical devices.
I can see using a spray lube on a very very dry neglected sewing machine that will be cleaned thoroughly and properly lubed after it's freed up. But to hose a machine with a spray lube because you're in a hurry just makes a mess. Plus the excess just builds up everywhere and makes a machine that much harder to maintain down the road.
I've cleaned so many that have been amber with old oil and lube that I just can't do that.
And those that have been hosed with WD-40 are usually a disaster down the road. That stuff is not a lubricant per sea, but a water dispersant with some limited and temporary lubricating ingredients.
It takes so little time to properly oil a normal machine ( I agree with you about the current plastic wannabee machines ) that I just have to disagree ( politely of course ) with using an aerosol lube for a quicky lube.
On old sewing machines and many not so old, there is a rule of thumb .... if the hole isn't threaded - it's an oil hole. Oil it.
Joe
I can see using a spray lube on a very very dry neglected sewing machine that will be cleaned thoroughly and properly lubed after it's freed up. But to hose a machine with a spray lube because you're in a hurry just makes a mess. Plus the excess just builds up everywhere and makes a machine that much harder to maintain down the road.
I've cleaned so many that have been amber with old oil and lube that I just can't do that.
And those that have been hosed with WD-40 are usually a disaster down the road. That stuff is not a lubricant per sea, but a water dispersant with some limited and temporary lubricating ingredients.
It takes so little time to properly oil a normal machine ( I agree with you about the current plastic wannabee machines ) that I just have to disagree ( politely of course ) with using an aerosol lube for a quicky lube.
On old sewing machines and many not so old, there is a rule of thumb .... if the hole isn't threaded - it's an oil hole. Oil it.
Joe
11-24-2013, 10:15 AM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Illinois...near St. Louis
Posts: 392
I also agree with Joe....We spend HOURS cleaning old, yellow dried oil off of all the places it doesn't need to be. Put oil in the oil holes, oil anyplace metal parts rub together, & grease the gears. It's simple so, why make an oily mess of things with a spray?
11-24-2013, 10:33 AM
#9
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Centralia, WA, USA
Posts: 4,890
What Joe said.
The WD in WD-40 stands for water displacement. It isn't a substitute for proper oil. Most of my experience comes from restoring vintage woodworking machines. We don't use a lot of WD-40 or other spray lubes for for that either. If a machine is frozen, it may be of benefit to spray it down and walk away for a couple days to let the WD-40 do it's work but after the machine is freed up it's important to wipe the machine down well and oil it properly. Leaving the spray lube in the machine is just asking every bit of stray dust and lint to collect in your machine. You'll end up with an even bigger mess down the road. Also, I haven't had to deal with this yet but if your machine has plastic parts inside the worst thing you can do is oil them. It's been reported that some types of plastics used in these machines will swell or melt if exposed to oil.
There are also machines out there using cloth belts to drive them and you want to be careful around those as well.
Also, let's face it. If we're playing with these old machines there's a good chance we already have more than one that's running so time spent cleaning and oiling another one really isn't that critical. There's no need to rush it.
Rodney
The WD in WD-40 stands for water displacement. It isn't a substitute for proper oil. Most of my experience comes from restoring vintage woodworking machines. We don't use a lot of WD-40 or other spray lubes for for that either. If a machine is frozen, it may be of benefit to spray it down and walk away for a couple days to let the WD-40 do it's work but after the machine is freed up it's important to wipe the machine down well and oil it properly. Leaving the spray lube in the machine is just asking every bit of stray dust and lint to collect in your machine. You'll end up with an even bigger mess down the road. Also, I haven't had to deal with this yet but if your machine has plastic parts inside the worst thing you can do is oil them. It's been reported that some types of plastics used in these machines will swell or melt if exposed to oil.
There are also machines out there using cloth belts to drive them and you want to be careful around those as well.
Also, let's face it. If we're playing with these old machines there's a good chance we already have more than one that's running so time spent cleaning and oiling another one really isn't that critical. There's no need to rush it.
Rodney
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