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General Upholstery Questions and Comments => General Discussion => Topic started by: evanbever on May 09, 2014, 06:22:43 am

Title: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: evanbever on May 09, 2014, 06:22:43 am
I was told by my machine repair guy to oil my walking foot every time I use it, he also showed me some places to oil by lifting the machine head and oiling the moving parts. After he checked my machine out he oiled in all the places that he recommends,
and I noticed that my bobbin case was very oily, I'm concerned that by oiling the way he recommends I may end up getting a stain on the fabric, how often do you all oil your machines? I have a consew 206rb
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: sofadoc on May 09, 2014, 06:52:15 am
The bobbin case can get very dry and start making a metal-to-metal clanking sound.
I oil around it at least once a day. More often if I'm doing a lot of high speed sewing.
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi775.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy33%2Fsofadoc%2Fth_MOV00352.jpg&hash=ddc4f69e100553cc362c8b675f73d06d) (http://i775.photobucket.com/albums/yy33/sofadoc/MOV00352.mp4)

You might want to go easy on the oil when you're sewing some really delicate fabric that would stain easily, but I've never had a stain problem that was caused by too much oil on the bobbin case.
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: Grebo on May 09, 2014, 07:37:19 am
I oil it when it starts to make a noise.
Really old pfaff 545.

Or,  If I remember & have the time,  may be once a week give it a good clean & oil.

Suzi
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: MinUph on May 09, 2014, 09:09:31 am
Generally speaking "runs like a well oiled machine". Daily if you use it all day. Less if not. Oil on top is usually where you will get drips.
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: bobbin on May 09, 2014, 09:38:46 am
My Juki 1541 is a self-oiler but there are couple of places that require a kiss from the oil can every so often.  Ditto my Juki 9010 and overlock machine. 

I oil my blindstitch machine every time I use it (which isn't that often and that's why I make sure to give 'er a lube job).  Ditto my Singer 31-15, Nakajima 380.  I am a firm believer in oiling machinery.  You don't have to soak the machine in oil to see a benefit! but too many people think you have to see oil running down the needle bar or a film on/in the bobbin case to have "oiled" the machine.

I had an employer who was so flipped out about "oil stains" that I started oiling my machine when no one was around to "see me do it".  One little droplet every single morning... no one was the wiser and nothing was stained.  Machinery is expensive and is used daily.  Oil is cheap and used wisely will prolong the life of the machinery indefinitely (Singer 31-15 is over 80 yrs. old). 
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: Mike on May 09, 2014, 12:22:48 pm
I generaly oil all the spots every day and i oil rhe vo vin case every bobbin change right in the case a good squirt
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: Tejas on May 09, 2014, 12:23:28 pm
From another forum I've read that the self-lubrication design-point of some machines is at speeds that are higher than slow stitching that is possible with a servo-motor.
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: Mojo on May 09, 2014, 02:41:06 pm
My machines get a work out everyday. I oil them daily and add oil to the bobbin casing and hook several times a day.

When I bought my new Chandler I remember Bob Kovar telling me the one part on a machine that wears the quickest and gets the most abuse is the hook mechanism. He said to do exactly what Mike said - Oil the hook/bobbin every time you change a bobbin.

Chris
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: Darren Henry on May 10, 2014, 07:52:02 am
The original manuals for Singer111W155/consew 225,226/etc.. call for regular oiling every 8 hours. As Bobbin mentioned you don't need more than a couple of drops per oil point.I too oil before use if the machine hasn't been used in a few days.
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: Mojo on May 10, 2014, 08:24:30 am
One thing I forgot to mention is that I oil the machine at the end of the day. I then lay a rag on the machine deck and let the oil drip onto the rag. I remove the rag in the morning and start sewing. Most of the excess oil has run off by then.

Chris
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: evanbever on May 10, 2014, 07:43:57 pm
From everything you've all said it looks like the guy gave me the right information. Thanks
Title: Re: oiling walking foot machine
Post by: Judy_Boat on May 12, 2014, 02:26:17 pm
get a precision oiler so that you only put out a single drop at a time onto the bobbin case if you are worried about oil.

i use a self oiling machine that can leave an oil train on the material after you fill up the oil pan, so i do not think they are better in that regard. but at that shop i sew gym mat vinyl so it does not matter if oil gets on the material.