It took DH's muscles to un-screw the center knob. And my sons helped me get the handwheel off. After trying to pull it off, we tried to pry it off with a screw driver, which didn't work. Then we finally positioned a screw driver on the inside metal casing, and smacked it with a hammer. That worked!
The "Before" picture is fuzzy, but you can see the red-ish, sticky, old oil. That is what old oil or the wrong kind of oil looks like, and it feels tacky to the touch. It's just like glue.
To remove the old, gummy oil, I put some WD-40 on it and scrubbed it with an old toothbrush. It didn't get all of it off, so I used a very fine sandpaper to get the rest off. The inside of the casing on the handwheel also needed scrubbing as did the center knob and the position ring.
So, what kind of oil should you use? Only "sewing machine oil." That doesn't include 3-in-1 oil, engine oil, olive oil, or FAX machine oil. And, as you can see, it doesn't include WD-40. We only use WD-40 to REMOVE the old oil.
Just found your blog and I've found it fascinating!
ReplyDeleteDo you mind me asking where you learnt to maintain sewing machines? (Although you're obviously going to say somewhere in the States .... whereas I'm in the UK).
I've been apprentice to a man who has been repairing sewing machines for at least 25 years, and who was a motorcycle mechanic before that. I've been doing hands-on training for about 3 years. I did get to go to Bernina University once. But, Powerpoint presentations and service manuals don't compare to hands-on experience.
ReplyDeleteI have a question...
ReplyDeleteI got an old Singer 457 and before using it, decided to clean it up and oil it. I used sewing machine oil wherever I could reach with the tip that I had, but I ended up using 3-in-1 for the places that I needed the telescoping tip. I don't know what the previous owner used, but there were a couple of brownish-looking spots in there.
Do I need to worry about cleaning the 3-in-1 out now, or will it be okay if I just be sure to use only the sewing machine oil from now on..?
Thanks for your help!
I would try to remove the 3-in-one oil, and the brownish spots. How we do that is to use WD-40. The problem with that is you need to remove most of the WD-40 or it will continue to break down the oil that’s there. At the shop, we remove the WD-40 with an air compressor and flannel rags. After it’s removed, then re-oil with a clear sewing machine oil. There are some great sewing machine oilers that have a long spout, and they’re not very expensive. They’re well worth their $4.50 price.
ReplyDeleteUgh... The morning after I posted my question, I found my machine had frozen. I'm in mourning... However, I do have a back up, which I cleaned and oiled (with sewing machine oil only!) and it seems to be happy. So, I can use it until I am able to revive the Singer.
DeleteThank you for your quick response! I love your blog!
3 in 1 oil is exactly the same as sewing machine oil there is no difference. It is the same as singer all-purpose machine oil is the same as 3 in 1 oil as well as other lubricating oils (they all lubricate, penetrates rust and cleans up old oil), only difference is that Singer sewing machine company doesn't want you to buy anything but their oil (it's called being proprietary so that they get your money not the 3 in 1 oil company).
DeleteHi Sharon,
DeleteI beg to differ. I’ve seen sewing machines that have been lubricated with 3 in 1 oil, and they get this layer of black residue. In my mind, the name says that it has 3 ingredients in 1 oil. Sewing machine oil is just clear mineral oil. Singer isn’t the only one who makes sewing machine oil. We don’t carry Singer oil in the store, we get the generic oil from Brewer.
My Wife has an old Elna... it was kinda working but she wanted me to service it... but I knew nothing about em and well I she said her mom just used to put sewing machine oil anywhere it it looked like she could put it... so I basically sprayed oil in holes (but not sewing machine oil )
ReplyDeleteNow the engine turns but nothing moves anymore...
*SIGH*
I see the error of my lazy approach... I normally research something before I do it...
Any suggestions?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteHello, I am glad I found your Blog. I have a 1913 RCA VICTROLA and I am in the process of cleaning off the old gunky oil and buildup. I was advised to use "sewing machine oil" NOT 3 in 1. I wanted to understand the difference. I've never even heard of sewing machine oil until last week. Now I know. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI found a great blog on the computer. A sewing machine mechanic's advice is to clean all the old oil (that shouldn't have been put there in the first place) as follows: (IPA is alcohol)
Delete***HOW TO PUT OUR LOCAL REPAIR MAN OUT OF BUSINESS***
> Service your own machine!!!
> Run the machine flat out with no thread and drip the IPA on the race etc
> and just listen to it speed up. Keep running it until it evaporates and,
> if it slows down significantly, repeat the process until all the "glue"
> has gone. Oil lightly. You can even disolve a little oil in some IPA and
> use it to wash it into the bearings etc. without getting too much oil
> around.
>
> ***A TIP THAT WILL COST YOU NOTHING AND SAVE YOU A LOT***
> Oil deteriorates when it is left still. I used to advisse my customers
> to get the machine out about every month or two and run it flat out for
> a few minutes. You will be amazed at how much difference it makes and
> how infrequently you need to have it serviced as it just won't get that
> sluggish feel.
I do like the idea of running your machine every month. That should help keep it from freezing up.
ReplyDeleteBut putting alcohol on the race won't do anything to remove the old oil. The gummed-up parts are the shafts and eccentrics.
WD-40 still does a much better job than the alcohol.
I just discovered your blog - it's fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI have a Rocketeer (singer 500) and it's the best machine I've ever owned. I can't get the handwheel undone and I REALLY don't want to mess it up. Is it just brute force I need to unscrew it, or am I missing something? I imagine I shouldn't have to undo the screw on the handwheel just to loosen it. Should I just buy two strap wrenches and go for it??
Oh, also I use gun oil (Balistol) on my knitting machines because it doesn't harden, or harm the plastic bits. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa,
ReplyDeleteThere’s a small screw on the inside knob on the handwheel, which you need to loosen. Then just brute force to turn that inner knob. If brute force doesn’t get in unloosened, try heat from a blow dryer. Then if you still can’t get it undone, strap wrenches are a great option. I’ve never seen or used gun oil. I did look it up on google, and it says it’s a cleaner as well as a lubricant, so I’d say no, don’t use it on your sewing machine. It sounds like it’s similar to WD-40, which is a great solvent, but not good for lubrication on a sewing machine. Only use clear sewing machine oil.
I hope you’re able to get your handwheel cleaned up.
I have a pfaff 1197 that seems to have seized up,if I undo the clutch that turns but nothing else?Have oiled it,left it sit but still doesn't move?
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteThe Pfaffs of that type are notorious for having a drive shaft that freezes up. It’s in the bottom, right side of the machine. If you can work WD-40 into it, you might be able to get it free. However, I’ve found that I usually have to release the collar on the shaft to get to the frozen spot.
Good Luck to you!
I really try to avoid the "kinetic wrench" method whenever possible, though I do enjoy a good smiting once in a while. You may find it helpful to use a gear puller combined with alcohol (the rubbing kind) or judicious application of Berryman B12 carb cleaner to soften the goo (be mindful of the plastics). And... I would think good synthetic oil would not do that.
ReplyDeleteHi, I know this is an older post, but I hope you still reply to it. I just got a Singer Touch & Sew 770. It was jammed, so I took the top and bottom off to have a look. Turned out that the bobbin case wasn't locked in, but what I found when I opened it up was that same dried up, crumbly, reddish lubrication. Since I don't know who last used the machine, I don't know how it was maintained. It didn't feel like the bottom had ever been removed before. I started by removing the old, dried up stuff. I felt like a dental hygienist removing plaque. The lubrication points in the manual didn't match up to the points on the machine, so I started googling, and found that a lot of people grease the gears with another product. Do you do that? If so, do you just grease the gears, or are there other places? The manual says nothing about that.
ReplyDeleteHi Marti,
DeleteSome Singer grease is bad news. It turns into something like rock hard wax. Just use clear "sewing machine" oil. You can use Tri-flow grease, but only when there are 2 metal gears grinding against each other. We don't put grease on plastic or nylon gears. There's also a Singer grease for Featherweight motors. But I really don't like to see that hard waxy stuff put in places that it shouldn't be. Sometimes I see it smeared all over in the take-up area. That will freeze-up a machine worse than old oil.
This stuff was hard and crumbly. I don't know how the machine was still working even though it was hard to turn the wheel and make a horrible racket when running. I did find videos with people using the Tri-flow grease on the worm gears, but I can't find any locally. That is supposed to be clear, but the stuff on here was either reddish to start with or turned with age.
DeleteYes, chisel it off and use clear oil or Tri-flo.
DeleteHi! So, it's a pandemic. Making masks and my SInger 2277 stopped moving. I've taken apart as much as I can but it feels like it needs lubricating around the handwheel. I can't get Singer oil or any kind of sewing machine oil before next week and I can't wait 7 days to start sewing again. I have various household oils including bike gear lubricant. What would be the next best choice? Pure mineral oil? 3-in-1 oil? Silicone-based WD40? Thanks for your help!
ReplyDeleteSame here, and thinking of using my hubby’s gun oil.
ReplyDeleteHere's what got mine working:
DeleteI took everything apart that I could - pulled the bobbin case out, took the left side shield off, took the presser plate off and opened everything that I could. I brushed out as much dust as I could and then used canned air, even around the hand wheel on the right. Then I used my husband's clipper oil, spritzing a little on the needle mechanism on the left, the bobbin mechanism on the bottom, and then - a bit tricky - the hand wheel on the right. I used the canned air to sort of push it in around the handwheel. That made a big difference and it started to turn again. I ran it without thread until it was back to full speed. I wiped any excess oil off and put it back together. Seems to be running well again. Fingers crossed that you have something similar that will help. My research said to use the lightest oil, like mineral oil, if sewing machine oil isn't available.
Good luck!
Hi Patti,
DeleteYour best substitute is Mineral oil. WD-40 is a solvent, not a lubricant, and anything grease is a bad idea.
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ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteClipper oil is the same as sewing machine oil! You did great!
DeleteGlad to hear! It smells a little funny, eucalyptus mint or something, but it did the trick. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks again!
Working on masks during pandemic and been gifted with a beautiful Elna 3230 which seems to work well even though it had sat unused for several years. Only problem is reverse stitching doesn’t work at all. Lever moves no problem, doesn’t seem loose or tight, & retracts back to up position when released, but since I’ve never had an Elna, not sure what to expect. Suggestions?
ReplyDeleteMy dear husband recently oiled two of my vintage sewing machines with 3 in 1 oil. What should I do now, re-oil them with sewing machine oil? I plan on using sewing machine oil from now on, but I am worried he did some damage.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll be alright. Just try to wipe off any 3 in 1 oil you can. Then re-oil.
DeleteWhen you say that there is a ring in the bobbin winder that wears out, you are not speaking of the tire are you? Where is the ring and what does it look like?
ReplyDeleteYes. Some call it a tire, some call it an o-ring.
DeleteI have an Elnita I think about 2004 model. Was working fine, recently oiled and then taken out to use. It started fine but then stopped completely. My husband and I have looked for YouTube suggestions, taken it completely apart. The whole case has to come off to get to most parts. There was old oil that had turned to think grease, I believe I have cleaned every part, got rid of the grease, oiled it but it still does not turn the needle. The bobbin release does work.
ReplyDeleteI am at a loss, close to packing it up and take it to a repair shop! It should not be this hard!!
Sometimes there's one spot that is frozen up, and it's hard to find. That's why we spray everything that moves with WD-40. It could be a dry bearing along a shaft or in the take-up area. You don't want to push the machine too hard, or you could burn up the motor. Is the handwheel hard to turn? That's your clue that something is still frozen-up.
DeleteIf it's not frozen-up, the motor could need attention. You could check the motor brushes and replace them if needed. And clean the commutator / armature with a fine sandpaper.
I hope you're able to get your machine sewing again.
Thank you for your kind response. We may have won the battle! We just got some movement! The motor is fine ( my husband is an electrician and he tested that) We have oiled and cleaned and tried to move the needle. Now that we have isolated the problem I think that we are fine but time will tell - after more oiling and moving the belt around and around.
ReplyDeleteEureka!! Perseverance won! After many many attempts to get the needle shaft moving it finally did and sews like a dream! Thank you so much. Liz
ReplyDeleteYay! Keep using it, or it might freeze up again.
DeleteAs you do please continue to emphasize to keep on trying to release the "gunk" perseverance works! Liz
ReplyDeleteWell, here I was so happy sewing but found that I was testing it out on a thicker cotton fabric that was folded. When I went to sew on thinner cotton just two layers the feed dogs did not seem to be moving the fabric along. I have moved the coupling knob to different positions. The pressure foot seems to be down. I am unable to raise the feed dogs so that the are able to "grab" the thinner fabric. Any suggestions would be gratefully received, Liz
ReplyDeleteI suspect the presser foot tension may be loosened. On most machines, that is located on the top, left of the machine. What kind of machine do you have?
DeleteElnita cannot find out much about this machine. Elna family I am sure
Deletehttps://stitchnerd.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/elna-elnita-255i-sewing-machine-a-review/
DeleteI cannot figure out presser foot action I keep changing it
Hi, I have an old Brother BM3700. It was working well but then it just stop working. When I try to move down the needle with the handwheel it goes down only partially (about half the way) and feels as if something is blocking its way down. I can move it up from there with the handwheel and go down again till the same previous point.
ReplyDeleteAny idea of what could be blocking its way down?
Hi! Thanks for addressing this topic. I *just* put 3 in 1 oil in my machine before waiting on a Facebook group for answer on whether it was ok to use. Agh. Patience.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, If I use Wd40, can I use canned air to blow it out afterwards? I don't have an air compressor... actually i do but its a pain to get it out and running, and I can easily get the air can from the store. My question is just if you think that's enough pressure to blast out the WD40?
Hi, I used olive oil in mine and now it's frozen and stuck, what can I put inside to unfreeze it
ReplyDelete