Bad advice, I think!
 

I went to a Singer dealer to pick up a tube of grease for my FWs and my 15-91. Of course, they were out of it. Their service guy went to the back and brought me a bottle of oil. He said to just put that in the grease pots and that's what they did when they serviced them. I told him, "No thanks", and left. Was he nuts or am I? I've never heard of anyone putting oil in the grease pots. Is this something new, or was he just trying to snow me?

If it's your Featherweight, I sure would NOT put oil in the grease pots. My 1948 Featherweight uses only grease in the grease pots and oil on the oiling spots.

Holy moly - I hope that isn't the norm for all sewing machine guys!! Unless turns out that is okay.

I am not sure but at least you aren't sorry later that you listened. I rather not than find out later and my machine isn't working.

Singer motors use the Singer Lube in the tube. The manuals call for it and actually say to NEVER use oil in the motors.

That's all I need to read. Sew-Classic has the Singer lube.

Joe

That sewing machine guy does NOT know what he's talking about, and I hope he hasn't ruined a bunch of perfectly good machines. I would talk to the owner (if he isn't it) armed with the manuals from each machine and say he's destroying machines and giving that business a bad reputation. People like that need to be stopped!

The thing to remember is the machines are not new, new information wouldn't typically crop up for them Singer isn't supporting them anymore so they're not innovating for them. The only changes are what people like us are doing, i.e. TriFlow works better than sewing machine oil for the non-motor maintenance required. Oil and grease are not interchangeable. They serve different purposes!

ArchaicArcane and J Miller are so right. Never use anything but lube grease on the moter. This guy does not have a clue what the heck he is talking about. Thank God you didn't listen to him.

Tri-Flow makes a sewing machine grease. They actually market it for sewing machines. I found it on Sew-Classic.com or you can find it at your local bicycle shop. Mine has to order it.

Dollyo,

Tri-Flow grease is not for motors though. It says that too in the notes and info on Sew Classic.

Joe

Thank you all. I thought I'd missed the memo, maybe! I ordered some grease from Sew-Classics and it should be here in a day or so. In the meantime, I'm just treadling away on my non-greasepot machines! I have also filed a complaint with Singer. It's scary to think that the owner of a Singer shop that's been in business for 40 years is dispensing such advice. Worse yet, he actually said he was putting that oil in the machines when he serviced them. I sure hope they investigate it! By the way, don't get your vintage Singer serviced in Savannah!!!!

Unfortunately, I have heard that before, but they are WRONG! Never put oil where you should put the lube. Have supplies on my website if you can't find it locally: www.thequiltgal.com.

That is so upsetting! These machines are so forgiving but there are limits....So glad you didn't take his advice.

This happened to me too---one shop owner who services Singers told me that Singer did not make the grease any longer and to just use the oil. The other shop owner in our area was quite disturbed that I was told that and ordered a tube for me---this was for my recently purchased featherweight. I emailed Singer and asked them what is the right way to care for my fw and reported the one shop owner. Well, after I left the 2nd shop, he called the first shop, since they know each other, and they got together and instructed each other on what to use on what machine. Now they both learned something and Hopefully I saved a lot of others from heartache. My rule, follow the directions in the manuals unless the manufacturer tells you otherwise.

Old Singer and new Singer are not the same companies
 

That is really, really sad. That guy has probably doomed dozens of machines to untimely demises.

As for filing the complaint with Singer, I think most people don't realize this: The current-day company called Singer has practically nothing to do with the Singer of old. The original Singer was broken up in the '80s and the brand-name was passed around between a couple of buyers, until a holding company finally bought it and start selling cheap, made-in-China plastic junk under the Singer name.

There is absolutely no connection between the modern-day "Singer" and the Singer Sewing Machine company that made the vintage machines we all love. The marketing people at the new Singer like to pretend it's been one continuously-operating company, but that's not the case. That's why, when you call the company now located in Tennessee to look up a serial number, they don't know any more than you do; they're looking at the same websites we are to look up a model number.

I bought it at Joann's in Lawton, ok 3 weeks ago. I was working on my singer 15-91 this week and was going to grease the pots on it. imagine my surprise when i finally got the screws off and found thick black grease in it.I guess some one needed to grease it before I bought it and this is what they used.

Consider using Marvel Miracle Oil, sold in Walmart, etc. It was developed as sewing machine oil. It works perfectly. The company couldn't make money in sewing machines so they sold it as a gas/oil additive. It works great and it's cheap!!!

Singer lube ! Thanks Joe! You may have just saved many a machine!