Dishwasher anyone? LOL.

Engine degreaser just might have done the trick. Some brands has a squirt nozzle too. That is an idea to try.

Joe

"Worth it", Joe, did you really say that? After reading so many of these discussions with all the help you have provided, I decided "Worth" is an accumulation of lots of things, like:
1. Patience -- at least a ton is required before it's not worth it.
2. Elbow grease -- need more than that 5 gallons needed of kerosene.
3. Money -- no limit helps.
4. Parts -- this requires a number of similar machines because you can't disable any working ones you have.
5. Sincere appreciation of OSMs.

I'd say if you have at least two of the above, your machine is worth saving.

Keep up the good work, Joe!

have you used a disher? sounds likegood idea

And when you are done you will have an old black machine that only does a straight stitch and practically no one will want it anyway. Personally I would spend my time and money on something more worthwhile. To each their own! I don't think every old machine needs to be "saved". Scrap metal has many uses.

Yep, just like the other old black machines that only does straight stitches and I refurbed. I use them more than any of the ZZ machines I have, so at least one somebody wants them.

Joe

HA - I bet more than enough people use straight stitch 95% of the time anyway. Go figure.

Yes Miriam. I've always wanted a good straight stitch machine. I grew up using a Singer 66 crinkle machine and the only thing it wasn't good at was sewing knits due to no stretch stitches. My cousin always thinks the more stitches on the machine the better. Not me. Different strokes for different folks. I probably use the non-straight stitches on my computer machines 1% of the time. I find a zigzag useful and the hem stitch but other than that I don't use the fancy stitches much. I prefer hand embroidery to the machine embroidery any day. I don't own an embroidery machine and assume I never will. I also do not own a serger. I DO own many straight-stitch-only machines and enjoy each of their personalities!

If I ever need any embroidery work done by machine I'll hire someone to do it - should save me thousands of dollars and a lot of frustration unless I NEED a lot of machine embroidery for some reason.

Please, please, be careful breathing fumes from any solvents. Several of my friends who have had exposure to solvents have developed bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer and liver cancer. Physicians said it was from exposure to those solvents. A printer from Illinois had cancer from cleaning his printing presses. Don't know how much it takes, but please take precautions, gloves and respirators. Live is too short anyway.