Sewing machine grease
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: oregon
Posts: 1,371
Sewing machine grease
Now,I'm really confused! What do you folks recommend for the gears? What do you recommend for the motor? Many sources say not to use Vaseline as it melts when it gets warm. There is a specialty grease that folks use on their racing bicycle gears...I do sew pretty fast...
#2
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
Metal Gears = Tri-Flow grease
Plastic Gears = Tri-Flow grease or Singer white gear grease ( that's what Singer is selling in the tubes now )
Singer Motors = Singer Motor Lube in the tube ( grease ) if you can get some. It's discontinued. Otherwise petroleum jelly.
Yes it melts and gets soft when it gets warm, that is the exact same thing the Singer motor lube does. It has to to flow to the bearings.
Other motors with grease pots = petroleum jelly or what ever the owners manual says to use. Many actually state to use petroleum jelly.
Motors with oil holes = Regular clear sewing machine oil.
Joe
Plastic Gears = Tri-Flow grease or Singer white gear grease ( that's what Singer is selling in the tubes now )
Singer Motors = Singer Motor Lube in the tube ( grease ) if you can get some. It's discontinued. Otherwise petroleum jelly.
Yes it melts and gets soft when it gets warm, that is the exact same thing the Singer motor lube does. It has to to flow to the bearings.
Other motors with grease pots = petroleum jelly or what ever the owners manual says to use. Many actually state to use petroleum jelly.
Motors with oil holes = Regular clear sewing machine oil.
Joe
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
As I said in another thread just a few days ago; that which makes Tri-Flow great for gears makes it unsuitable for motors. Being a synthetic grease it doesn't get soft when it gets hot. So it won't flow to the bearings when the motor gets warm.
Joe
Joe
#8
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Blue Mountains, Australia.
Posts: 152
Interestingly, not one vintage Singer manual that I've read mentions using grease on gears. They all clearly describe sewing machine oil only.
As for motors, after a lot of research, I'm definitely going to try Vaseline (I'm not recommending you do the same. That's your decision to make. )
Here's just one article I've come across:
http://archaicarcane.com/a-search-fo...e-replacement/
As for motors, after a lot of research, I'm definitely going to try Vaseline (I'm not recommending you do the same. That's your decision to make. )
Here's just one article I've come across:
http://archaicarcane.com/a-search-fo...e-replacement/
#9
Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Last edited by OurWorkbench; 06-16-2017 at 06:54 PM. Reason: correction
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2,890
Dalronix, you are not reading the same manuals I am. I'm working on a 401a right now. It clearly shows in the manual to use grease on the gears. It shows to use oil and the other moving parts.
bkay
You will notice the oil drops that indicate you put oil on the joints. The grease/lubricant tube is pointed to the gears in this page from the Singer 401 manual.
bkay
You will notice the oil drops that indicate you put oil on the joints. The grease/lubricant tube is pointed to the gears in this page from the Singer 401 manual.
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