I don't know how to oil my machines, but would love to learn. I'm sure there are other mamas here in the same boat. Would one of you more experienced sewing divas (Scarlet? Allison? Anyone?) consider teaching us?

Oh oh oh! I need to learn, too!

I want to learn too!!!

Oh I really need to learn too! I'm ashamed to say my old Kenmore is squeaking! :eek:

Putting in my request too-just bought an old kenmore for $20 and the very nice woman gave me her mothers even older kenmore (heavy green metal thing) just to get it out of her garage. Both are in nice condition and came with little boxes of things I have yet to figure out but both have not been used in years. I bought sewing machine oil last night but when I took the "lid" off the green one I was like er-dont think so thanks.
Too many parts and no manual-I would love an oil along or even just basic instructions (like if it moves oil it?)

I got my machine used and have no manual, so I'm ashamed to say I haven't oiled mine, either :( I'll be anxiously awaiting some instructions, lol!

sorry, I just follow my manuals, I don't know how to do anyone else's machines.

To clean my serger - remove the needle plate, needles, and competely unthread (this is my super thoroughly cleaning). I have one of those vacuum attachments for cleaning small things. I use that to suck out all the lint (NEVER blow the lint, it just blows it back into the gears of your machine, bad, bad, bad!) Then, I oil any moving grears, anywhere that something has to slide through something else. Really, you can't over oil. Just use a drop or two though and don't put it anywhere that the thread runs through. Then, I take thick thread, like jeanstitch, put a few drops of alcohol on it and run it through each tension disc a few times. I think that is it.

For my machines, I do the same - remove needle, needle plate, bobbin casing. My bobbin casing then pops open and I clean and oil in there. Then I make sure the feed dogs are lint free.

Every few months dh unscrews the covers from the machines and cleans and oils the internal gears. Same thing, just put a drop of oil on everything that moves. You probably only need to do this one once a year if you aren't sewing a few hours a day like me.

Don't be afraid of your machine. You aren't going to break it by cleaning it. Just don't use any cleaners on it and don't take anything apart. Taking the cover off it okay, but don't remove anything on the inside, it throws off the timing.

Originally posted by arasmama
Don't be afraid of your machine. You aren't going to break it by cleaning it.

BwaHaHaHa! That's what you think! I was just going to post that the only time I ever cleaned my machine, I broke it, ROFL!

troubleshooting guide

http://www.sewingandvac.com/tshoot.htm

http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/textiles/index.htm

Thanks for the link from my "almost" alma mater.

I've always wanted to know and did ask not so long ago....
"Layout/Cutting
Use a "with nap" layout. Determine the direction of the pile you will use. You can cut with the pile running up or down, depending on the look you want. The color looks darker when the pile feels smoother toward the top of garment. Color looks lighter when nap feels smoother running toward the garment hem."

I did a poll and a large majority voted for smooth running down. I was the only vote for whichever way the pattern fits best and now I feel justified in my frugal use of fabrics LOL

cool site.. thanks saved in my favorites now:)

seems like this could potentially help a LOT of us out.... unless it's only me who has been abandoning My machines.

Tell me how often you clean and or oil your machines???



I personally just vacuumed out my serger for the first time---poor thing! I wish I had some oil for her shs is already acting like new again! My sewing machine is being cleaned and tuned up by the shop since its under warranty.

Oh, ugh! I really need to oil my babies this week! I try to blow out the serger every time I change threads, or after it sew something fuzzy. I really need to oil Lydia3 soon, but I hate to mess with her when she's behaving so well! ;)

I vaccuum out my serger when I switch threads or before, if needed. I have one of the little attachment thingies for my regular vaccuum, and I derive strange pleasure from using it *lol* I liked my can of air before I got this, but I really like that my vaccuum attachment is a non-consumable, yk?

I oil my machines when they start sounding not great.

How often should you change blades in your serger? I've had mine for about a year and half and I've never changed them ... is that bad?

My Babylock is still in the shop ... but it's finally ready so I just need to make the hr. drive to pick it up. :rolleyes: I really hope it's working well when I get it home. I think E. & I will head up there tomorrow to get it.

You shouldn't blow out your machines, especially the serger, it blows the fubbies (as we call them here) back into the motor and greatly reduces the life of your serger.

I clean my serger everytime I finish a wholesale order. I dust it out, vacuum it (with those little attachments) and oil anything that moves. When I clean it, I take off any of the outer casing that I can as well as the needle plate and get all the fubbies reachable. I also clean out the tension disks every few months. To do this, I use a thick thread (like jeanstitch or dmc), put a tiny bit of alcohol on it, then run it through the disk a few times.

For the sewing machine, I remove the needle plate and bobbin casing. I clean both of these. Then I get all the fubbies I can and put a drop of oil under the bobbin casing. I also open the top of the machine (on the machine that opens) and dust that part out.

Take good care of your machines! It greatly extends the life and means less visits to the dealer. Considering I use my machines way more than home machines were meant to be, they spend very little time in the shop.

I would LOVE to know where to get another blade for my serger and when it should be changed as well.... so ditto the above persons ? ;)

According to this book that I'm reading (and learning SO much from) "Owners Guide to Sewing Machines, Sergers and knitting machines" by Gale Grigg Hazen,

* Don't blow into your machine with your mouth (the saliva can attach to the dust causing globbies.
* Don't use pressureized air cans - the freon is low-temparature and can freeze up your gears/parts
* She suggests using a hair dryer - the force is light enough to safely blow the dust away and the heat helps warm up the oils which is a good thing aparently LOL.


Cleaning sewing machine - dip the brush your machine came with into some rubbing alchohol to remove lint, old oil and other buildup. Rip a piece of old cotton cloth and dip in the alchohol and thread between your tension disks to clean between the tension mechanism. Making sure your presser foot is up so your tension disks are separated. Do this every 6 months. Remove your needle plate and remove your bobbin race and clean in there with your brush & some alchohol. For oiling always use sewing machine oil. The most frequent place to oil is the bobbin race. The book says to oil wherever 2 pieces of metal come together and when the uptake is at it's highest point (you can find this by turning your handwheel). Lastly, look for burrs. Burrs can cause drag which can affect stitch quality and can throw off tension. Look on your needleplate which is most likely where burrs will be found. Crocus cloth is a very fine sand paper-like substance found in hardware stores. Rubbing this on the burrs should remove them.

Sergers need more oiling than sewing machines because they move faster. If you have the wick type of oil disperser in your serger you will need to oil this often - when your serger gets loud, it's telling you to oil it :) The hole at the top that your manual may tell you to "oil often" needs about 20 drops of oil once per month. The other lubricating holes may only need to be oiled every 3 months. Refer to your manual for oiling locations. Clean and look for burrs as mentioned above.

Just thought I'd tell you some things I learned in the book I've borrowed from the library. Allison's techniques sound great - I will be making a note of those too:)

where do I get this oil?

regarding cutting blade, my serger manual says if one strand of thread can be cut off in front or or at the rear of the knife, the knife is sharp enough. Also worn or blunt knives will cause the material to pucker or stitches to be uneven.

Depending on your brand, you may be able to find a local sewing machine shop store that can help you with a blade replacement (my stores service many different brands).

I was going to look tonight - Jo anns may sell it - or definitely your local sewing shoppe. Also - my book suggested not getting oil with additives.

Originally posted by arasmama
You shouldn't blow out your machines, especially the serger, it blows the fubbies (as we call them here) back into the motor and greatly reduces the life of your serger.



My machine shop told me the opposite... That is was okay to blow out your serger (air in a can), but that it wasn't a good idea for a sewing machine. If you think about it, all of the gears for a serger are exposed, so there's really no where for the fubbies (LOL) to get caught. In a sewing machine however, the gears are encased, so it's not a good idea.

Makes sense to me...

I am sure many methods work for many folks :D Anyways, you can't believe everything you read in a book - although I like this lady's logic and am learning so much about my machines.

Just wanted to whine that I couldn't find crocus cloth tonight. Oh well!

Originally posted by Pixie's~Mama
My machine shop told me the opposite... That is was okay to blow out your serger (air in a can), but that it wasn't a good idea for a sewing machine. If you think about it, all of the gears for a serger are exposed, so there's really no where for the fubbies (LOL) to get caught. In a sewing machine however, the gears are encased, so it's not a good idea.

Makes sense to me...

All the gears in my serger are not exposed. There are a ton back where even the long arm of my vacuum attachment cannot reach. The motor is where you don't want the fubbies. If I blow air into my serger, it pushes them right back to where I cannot even unscrew the casing and get to, plus right into the motor.

You have to consider where the information is coming from. They make money when you clog your gears and blow your motor ;)

Originally posted by arasmama


You have to consider where the information is coming from. They make money when you clog your gears and blow your motor ;)

LOL True, true! My serger is a peice though, so perhaps with the new machine I'll not use air. :D

ack, you are supposed to add oil once a month?? no wonder my poor serger has been thumping so much... :o
thanks for starting this thread!
-sarah