Question about cleaning old machine
 

I am cleaning a 500A that I got at a thrift store yesterday (I posted a pic). I seem to have forgotten everything I did when I cleaned up another old machine. I know I need to lube the gears, but is it safe to clean the gears underneath? If so, I would appreciate any advise on what to use to clean them. I have liquid wrench and evaporust from my previous cleaning project. The wheel feels like it sticks or binds on something when I move it. I have removed the bobbin case. I got a lot of great advise last time. Thanks for the help!

The best thing for you to do is download a manual. It tells you clearly which points and gears needs which type of oil or grease.

x2 on what Candace said...

For cleaning I use q-tips, long nosed tweezers, micro-vac, and cursing...

I have downloaded the manual and know what needs grease and what needs oil from experience with my 401. I was mostly wondering how aggressive I could be with actually cleaning the gears and if I could use a solution for cleaning

sew4nin,

Here a thread I did last year about refurbing a 500A.
{ http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t206634.html }

Joe

Wow, that is just what I need. I can't wait until I have time to go over everything. Thank you!

The binding feeling in a 500 or 400 series can be old grease gummed up on the big nylon gear on the balance wheel - pull that balance wheel off and re-grease it.

Might be thread or lint or (like my 404) old rusted and stuck lint in the bobbin case area or under the feed dogs.

The metal gears I usually found to be bone dry, not gummed up.

Cam stacks gum up and get stuck.

After you've oiled / cleaned / lubed all else, only then mess with the motor (you don't need to remove it):
Another cause might be the motor itself. It will be the top bearing in the motor. Place one scanty drop of sew mach oil on the shaft and let it run down in to the motor, then run the motor gently until it frees up. Just a little oil. You don't want to damage the motor by thinning out its grease too much. Just a drop to de-solidify the old grease.

I got service manuals & other manuals here at this site (see link), I believe (but I forget exactly where):
http://www.manualsoncd.com/Dir-dirbrowse-2.htm



What to use to clean varies, but here's mine:
WD40 to dissolve old oils b/c it's close to kerosene in composition
Tuff Stuff in a spray can w/ yellow lid. About $3 or $3.50 /can at Dollar General, auto parts, etc.
sewing machine oil to oil but I do also use TriFlo on the machines that are keepers
I used white lithium grease or red grease from the auto parts store on the 401/404/402/500/503 and the 15-91 and 201 potted motor worm gears. Price is right. You can also use Vaseline in place of the Singer grease, I have been told.

WD40 and white lithuim grease seem to have fallen outta favor w/ the sew machine crowd. They were hawt back in 1998-2000 so that's what I have on hand here.

I serviced a 401 Monday - took about 8 hours. It was pretty gummy.