Here is the video that is a test of the lub. https://vimeo.com/channels/april1930s/143510151
I really would like to lub the motor of my old Singer as I haven't done it yet.

Yes, I've seen the video. In the video, they mentioned the need for a low temperature melting point and then they notably left out petroleum jelly that has the same melting point as the original Singer lube (the UK formula, I suspect because the US one seems to melt higher than 115F)

They and the other person selling a reformulated lube say not to use PJ but others who don't sell their own product - as well as smarter people than me - say PJ is fine.

Without testing the reproduction products personally, I can't give an opinion on them and I'm not purchasing them because the price landed in Canada will be between $35 and $40 per tube. It is worth noting though that many people have been using PJ for years as well as White motors with grease tubes calling for PJ.

The electrical motor shop told me today that unless the wicks are really different, there's fundamentally no difference between a Singer motor and a White motor as far as their requirements.

Because of your recommendations and petroleum jelly cheaper to use, I'll try that. How much should I use in my potted motor, and should I clean the old lubricant out?

In all honesty, I have trust issues which is why I see one thing that is blatantly untrue with a person - I automatically distrust anything else from the same person unless it can be proven otherwise. It MAY be fine. It might be a great product. I don't know at this point.

How much you use in your motor will be determined by the grease tubes. The best way to learn about that part is by following Rain's tutorial here: http://vssmb.blogspot.ca/2012/01/com...ted-motor.html

ETA: I just re-read part 19. (It's been a long time since I followed the posts but I've recommended then to people over the years) Add him to the list of people who recommend PJ. ;)

Steps 9 and 19 will be the relevant ones but I find the whole tutorial worth reading because you'll learn a ton about your motor. Far more than I want to type out here. ;) Ideally, I would clean out the lube and clean and inspect the worm gear and commutator, etc as Rain shows in the tutorial. It's the only way to guarantee a good result. Consider that there's a good chance there's still some of the original lube in there is up to the age of that motor - potentially over 70 years old.

The Singer Lube you just ordered - if it's white like what I showed on the previous page - should still be suitable for gears (though it's not my first choice of greases for gears either.)

DH brought up a good point as to a potential why as far as the US and UK formulas having different melting points:

"Back in the day", most UK countries would a lower average indoor temperature for most months than say Texas in the summer. In the years before AC, I bet in parts of Texas a tube of lube that melted at 115F might have been liquid in the tube. That would not be fun to try to get into a motor - especially a potted motor.

There might not be anything wrong at all, and if you say White motors always used pj, then I might too. My experimentation on greases have been from bicycle hubs, anything from non-geared, 3 speed to 9 speed. Some greases are gooey enough to make pedals noticeably harder to turn, which is something just the inner circle of mechanics talk about, though it's well known. I know the consistency of grease can matter a lot. When I use a suitable liquid oil in a hub they tend to run and shift even lighter; often much better. For bikes it's usually always low temperature, at least where I live. The exception is a few down hill conditions, but then it's the breaks causing the heat. Some tests even show less wear with oil than grease. However, motors need grease and oil is a side track in this regard. Before you made me aware of melting points and wicking abilty factors I was aiming for something with the added slipperyness of teflon, and a very smooth and soft feel.

Do you use the very soft PJ or the slightly more solid type? There seem to be two types when I buy it at the grocery store or drug store.

I also ordered new Singer All Purpose Machine Oil for oiling the parts on my machine. In your experience is this okay, or should I get oil that says "sewing machine oil" vs just "all purpose machine oil?"
This is the one I ordered
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Thank you guys so much! It's relieving to have people who have had the experience with old sewing machines help me wade through this stuff. :)

I'm not positive that Teflon won't clog the wicks, so I wouldn't use it in a wick situation. Tri-flow oil does leave a residue in my syringes that has to be shaken up and mixed in or it clogs the syringe. I don't know if that's the Teflon or the paraffin or some other additive though.

I'm really not a connoisseur of PJ. I bought probably my first batch of it in easily 15 years tonight and that's because I wanted squeeze tube for filling some syringes for my VM maintenance class next week. The 15 yr old tub isn't empty. Yeah, I'm lazy and I paid the surcharge for the laziness. ;) I think it might be worth trying to test to see how they melt comparatively and use the one that melts the most to your satisfaction.

That oil is probably fine. You're not looking to rehabilitate a stuck machine so Tri-flow isn't strictly necessary at this point. Tri-flow is my preferred oil but sewing machine oil is fine. The only thing you may not like about that bottle is that it might not be one of the ones with a straw so it may be messier.

If that's the case, get an oral syringe from your pharmacy (that's the one with the curved tip and no luer-lok for a needle on it) and put the oil in there to dispense it - Like the syringe Rain shows on his page about refilling the grease tubes. All I use these days are syringes for oiling and greasing machines - way more accurate except when I'm initially filing them. At that point, I should be behind a blast shield.

Ok, I'll just stick with the all purpose machine oil I ordered. Thanks so much!

I wonder if April 1930s lube is made by the same company as Nova Montgomery's?
{ http://www.novamontgomery.com/shop/S...t-x4312153.htm }

I've got a 15-91 that's in need of a major servicing and I need motor lube. I wonder who's I should try?

Joe