How to lubricate a sewing machine?

Any equipment lasts longer and works more reliably if the owners provide it with proper care. This also applies to the sewing machine. It must be kept in order, as dirt constantly accumulates in it, but the machine should not dirty or tear the fabric. Ordinary engine oil can make life easier for both the dressmaker and her “assistant”. How to lubricate a sewing machine? We’ll talk about this now.

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Why do I need oil?

Instructions are attached to any new equipment, which describes in detail how to care for the unit. The instruction should be carefully stored - it is not known when it will be needed next time. Among other things, it indicates how to lubricate the sewing machine, but first you need to solve the question: is it necessary to lubricate it at all or can it be limited to cleaning?

Important! Some modern sewing devices do not need to be lubricated. For their manufacture, super-slip materials are used. There are no metal assemblies there, they were replaced by parts made of special plastics, which engine oil can very much harm. But do not hope that by buying this miracle of technology, you can save - such an assembly is very expensive, so even not all elite ateliers can afford such a luxury.

The rest of the machines need to be lubricated, because they have a lot of metal parts. Lubrication will allow:

• extend the life of your assistant;
• provide a more even and high-quality stitch, since the needle will not jam and move jerkily;
• a well-debugged and oiled machine does not tear the thread;
• the course becomes smooth, which allows even the most complex parts to be well stitched;
• after lubrication, all nodes are easily configured;
• the machine does not rattle and does not gnash - it works almost without noise.

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What else is in the instructions?

Regardless of whether you have an old machine or ultra-modern, the instructions always indicate:

• what oil to lubricate the sewing machine;
• what fabrics can be sewn on it;
• which needles are better to choose;
• what threads are suitable for different fabrics and for your machine.

Important! If you buy a new “seamstress” from a good manufacturer, you will most likely find a bottle of engine oil in the kit for it. It will last for a long time, and in the future it is better to buy just that.

As for fabrics and sewing accessories, we must not forget that the machine is a mechanical device, that is, designed for certain loads. For example, the antediluvian Singer or Podolsk can even sew denim in six to eight layers, and many modern machines with program control, if they do not have the function of working with coarse fabrics, will certainly fail from such treatment.

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How to clean a sewing machine?

Before greasing a Brother sewing machine or any other portable or full-size machine, you need to clean it. To do this, you will need:

• soft brush;
• stiff hair brush;
• rags;
• plastic bag.

You should clean the machine from dust if it has worked for a long time (for example, you sewed some large product), or, on the contrary, stood idle for a long time. And in fact, and in another case, the equipment must be serviced:

1. Remove tow and thread scraps from the shuttle compartment.
2. Clean the hook with a hard brush.
3. Use a soft brush to clean the upper thread tension mechanism and other places where dust tends to accumulate.
4. Wipe the body of the machine with a rag.

Important! If you haven’t sewed on the machine for a long time, you just need to wipe it before lubrication.

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Which components need to be lubricated?

When you first think about how to lubricate a Singer, Seagull, or any other sewing machine, decide which nodes need it. This is usually indicated in the instructions. But if suddenly there is no instruction, lubricate all metal parts where there are parts that are subject to friction.

Important! You can even process the grooves in the shuttle compartment - it will not make anyone worse, but the benefit can very well be.

You will need some free space. Keep in mind that on the table where you will tidy up your assistant, there should not be any valuable things that can be stained with machine oil. In addition to the table itself, you need:

• oilcloth or plastic film;
• narrow-blade screwdriver;
• napkins or a sheet of writing paper;
• white sheet or small box;
• rags without lint;
• felt-tip pen.

Important! Oilcloth and polyethylene are successfully replaced by old newspapers or an unnecessary rag. The main thing is not to stain the table, but how you achieve this is the tenth matter. As for the screwdriver, it should be small, but sturdy and comfortable.

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We disassemble the machine

Looking at your “iron seamstress”, you will immediately see a certain number of screws. It is necessary to unscrew everything if possible, and so that they do not get confused - put it on a white sheet of paper or in a box.

Important! It is best to mark the screws and the places where each one was removed from, for example, with numbers: hole No. 1 - screw No. 1, hole No. 2 - screw No. 2, etc. Writing on screws, of course, is inconvenient, so it is better to wrap each of them in a piece of paper with the same number.

Operating procedure:

1. Remove the casing from the needle bar by unscrewing the screw and pulling the casing itself up - to the side.
2. Put the machine on the table with its bottom towards you.
3. Unscrew and mark the screws on the cover, as well as the holes - you will see two shafts.
4. Pull the mode knob to the right and remove.
5. Loosen the screw of the side cover and remove it - the flywheel should remain in place.
6. Loosen the remaining screws.
7. Remove the fasteners located under the handle.
8. Lower the foot lifter handle.
9. Separate the halves of the plastic case from each other and remove one of them - now you can get to all the nodes, so the other half does not need to be removed.
10. Slide the hook holder to the sides.
11. Take out the shuttle and the ring.

Lubricate the machine

The sewing machine has many knots that will have to be processed through narrow holes. Therefore you need:

• machine oil;
• syringe.

The procedure for lubricating the sewing machine with high quality:

1. Place the disassembled machine as if you were about to sew.
2. Put a little oil into the syringe.
3. Slowly turn the flywheel counterclockwise.
4. Drip oil on all the parts that will begin to move - you need to drip where these parts touch and rub against each other. Plastic gears cannot be touched, they already have special grease, and engine oil will only damage them.
5. Lubricate the rubbing parts of the needle bar.
6. Remove excess with a lint-free cloth.
7. Connect the cord and check the course - it should be smooth and even.
8. Assemble the typewriter.
9. Let her stand for a couple of hours.
10. Work for ten minutes with a raised foot and without thread.
11. If drops of oil have leaked from some nodes, remove them.

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Old cars

If you find a treasure in the form of an old “Singer” or “Podolsk” in your grandmother’s attic, do not rush to call the antique shop. If you love needlework, such a find is a real treasure for you. The mere fact that it probably still works says a lot. And there’s simply nothing to break down there, so it’s easy enough to set up the machine, and you can work. Lubricating it is even easier than modern.

Option 1

At the manual machine you will find one or two latches with which the body is attached to the stand:

1. Move them and lift the case - you will see the insides in front of you, and you can easily find the nodes that need to be lubricated, that is, almost everything that moves.
2. For old cars, all the parts were made of metal, so just drop the oil where it touches, that's all. Moreover, you can easily penetrate both the shuttle mechanism and the needle bar nodes.

Option 2

If you have a foot machine, the order will be the same. The valves slide, the body turns over - you can drip. Only it will be necessary to lubricate the nodes of the drive mechanism.

Important! Old cars are less demanding on the quality of the oil, so any machine oil is suitable, but vegetable oils should not be used in this case either.

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What kind of oil can I use?

Buying special oil for sewing machines is not a problem, it can be done, for example, where goods for needlework are sold. But sometimes the question arises: how to lubricate a sewing machine, if there is no engine oil?

• To begin with - about what you can not use under any circumstances. Your assistant is strictly contraindicated in sunflower, olive and any other edible oil.
• But aerosol - is quite suitable. It is sprayed over all nodes. Surplus almost does not form, and if they are, they are removed with a rag.

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The main enemies of sewing machines

“Iron seamstress” is a great toiler, and her most important enemy is idleness. From this, the nodes rust, and sometimes even crumble. Therefore, the machine must be regularly sewn. Some parts are oxidized, and the machine after a long rest begins to tear the thread. When she works a little, everything returns to normal - the thread cleans the oxide from the bobbin case.

Helpful hints:

• Keep the machine in a dry place where normal temperature conditions are observed.
• When the machine is idle for a long time, it must be closed so that dust does not get into it - it is best to store it in a case.
• The machine, which stood for a long time, should be wiped, cleaned and lubricated before starting work, especially if it was in unsuitable conditions.
• Before starting sewing, place a new needle.

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How often do you need to lubricate the machine?

• A household sewing machine, as well as an overlock, if they are not used very often, should be lubricated about once every six months.
• If you work a lot, this can be done more often - once a week.
• In addition, it is imperative to service all nodes after any large product, especially if you sewed it from coarse or crumbling fabrics.

Important! You must carefully monitor the status of your “seamstress”. If she began to creak or tap, tear the thread or give jerks instead of a smooth run - it’s time to put her in order.

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Stock footage

It’s not so difficult to put in order home equipment for needlework, and the fact that it will make your work an order of magnitude easier when creating original things for your wardrobe and home is a definite plus that should not be neglected.