Hydraulic fluid for sewing machine oil??

[lc]

Hey guys and gals ..I need help with an oiling problem.

I ran out of sewing machine oil for my Juki.
The last time my guy went to the sewing dealer he gave him the size of a small pop bottle full for just under 20 bucks.

This time when he went in the guy said he was out of it right now but to just go pick up Hydraulic clear fluid ..and this is what he said he always uses ..I don't know how much that stuff is..did I get ripped off ?

My main question here is it safe., or is there somewhere else I can order some proper oil,
I don't have a good reputable dealer near here other than this guy. And he is a schemer .

[sofadoc]

In a pinch, you could use 3-in-1 oil. Most hardware stores have that. Air compressor/pneumatic tool oil works fine, but any splatters might stain fabrics. I think Andrew sells some recommended for both. And I remember him saying that he has some pretty reasonable rates into Canada.
The last gallon of clear sewing machine oil that I bought cost $26.

You Canadians have it rough with your higher prices and ridiculous shipping rates from the US.

I don't have a good reputable dealer near here other than this guy. And he is a schemer .

Sounds like a contradiction in terms to me ;) ;)

[ahkahn]

Yes, we do carry a special machine oil.  We call it DuOil.  It is a non-detergent oil that works great in sewing machines and air tools.  It will not gum up or get cruddy over time.  It is actually a special oil made specifically for precision machines, such as jet turbines.

8 oz. runs $2.00/bottle, and a quart is $6.25.  We also sell in gallons for $25.00.  

-Andrew

[lc]

Thank you Andrew
I tried to see if Dickerts in London had a website but it seems they only have a phone #.
I will try to get a hold of them tomorrow.
So I  am guessing no one heard of using this hydraulic fluid this guy is talking about ??

[lamx]

  Any oil is probably better than none. I have never heard of clear hydraulic fluid, all I have seen is bright red and I certainly wouldn't want that getting on my fabric.  My understanding is that 3-in-1 oil is 3 parts kerosene and 1 part oil - good for loosening stuck parts but probably not the best choice for lubricating a sewing machine. 
  Before all the knowledge became available on the internet, I used 10W30 motor oil to lubricate my machines. After I changed oil in my car, I tipped the 5 bottles up and let those last few drops drip into a container overnight. In the morning, I had enough oil to lubricate my machines several times. I have had one of those machines for over 40 years and am still using it with no repairs needed in that time.
  I have experimented with lots of different lubricants - Tri-Flow, silicon spray, baby oil, WD-40, and many brands of "super lubricants" and have not found anything that works as well as plain, old, sewing machine oil.
  Now that the internet is here and I am sooo much smarter, I use only sewing machine oil but if I were in a bind, I think I would go to the dollar store or the drug store and buy a bottle of white mineral oil.  It's about the same viscosity as sewing machine oil and shouldn't stain if it gets on the work.

Ed

[Mojo]

Elsie:

You can get sewing machine oil at WalMart. They sell it in small bottles which are normally hanging on a display in the sewing section.

I have used Mobil 1 before but prefer sewing machine oil. I need to order a gallon from Bob Kovar. Actually I will be seeing him in June and plan on getting some oil then. In the meantime I have been getting it at WalMart. They sell the Singer brand oil.

Chris

[sofadoc]

My understanding is that 3-in-1 oil is 3 parts kerosene and 1 part oil - good for loosening stuck parts but probably not the best choice for lubricating a sewing machine. 

I'm sure that you're right. But my grandmother used it exclusively for over 40 years on her industrial Singers. I don't remember those machines ever breaking down. As a kid, I remember that the can of 3-in-1 had 3 pictures on it. A bicycle, a door hinge, and a sewing machine.

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

$25 for a gallon of oil?  Really?  http://store.keysew.com/sewing-parts-and-accessories/stainless-sewing-oil

[Mojo]

$25 for a gallon of oil?  Really?  http://store.keysew.com/sewing-parts-and-accessories/stainless-sewing-oil

LOL......... I got the same quote from Bob - $ 19.95.

Andrew, you need to go back and beat on your suppliers and nail them down to give you better pricing so you can give us better pricing. :) Actually, your the first fabric supplier I have ever heard of that sells welt feet and machine oil.

On another note, speaking of a gallon of oil, I cannot wait to see what happens to gas prices in the next few weeks with some of the major refineries shutting down for a spell. My coach is due for an oil change which my son is doing for me. It holds 22 qts of oil. It also has three fuel filters, a $ 100 air filter and about half a dozen other filters scattered around the coach. The transmission fluid is
$ 39 per gallon.

$ 19.95 for a gal of sewing machine oil seems like peanuts to me after pouring money into that bottomless pit called a coach. :)

Chris

[sofadoc]

$25 for a gallon of oil?  Really?  http://store.keysew.com/sewing-parts-and-accessories/stainless-sewing-oil

Yeah, but Andrew's oil also does pneumatic tools and jet engines! :D It'll probably do bicycles and door hinges as well. It's truly a modern miracle! :o

BTW, the $26 that I paid for a gallon was off a supply truck. So no extra for shipping.

[Mojo]

I will be seeing Bob Kovar at this shop in May and not only am I going to get a gallon of oil I am also going to grind a dinner out of the old fart as well. Nothing I love more then sticking a well deserving person with a dinner tab.

God knows these machine dealers have the cash and can afford lunches and dinners for us poor stitchers. Bob and Greg have more money then God. I have seen their name on the Forbes richest Americans list. :)

Chris

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

I will be seeing Bob Kovar at this shop in May and not only am I going to get a gallon of oil I am also going to grind a dinner out of the old fart as well. Nothing I love more then sticking a well deserving person with a dinner tab.

God knows these machine dealers have the cash and can afford lunches and dinners for us poor stitchers. Bob and Greg have more money then God. I have seen their name on the Forbes richest Americans list. :)

Chris

Yup, $19.95 a pop put us on the Forbes cover!

[kodydog]

I looked up hydraulic fluid and found this

The original hydraulic fluid, dating back to the time of ancient Egypt, was water. Beginning in the 1920s, mineral oil began to be used more than water as a base stock due to its inherent lubrication properties and ability to be used at temperatures above the boiling point of water. Today most hydraulic fluids are based on mineral oil base stocks.

I never knew this but it goes along with what lamx said,

"Now that the internet is here and I am sooo much smarter, I use only sewing machine oil but if I were in a bind, I think I would go to the dollar store or the drug store and buy a bottle of white mineral oil.  It's about the same viscosity as sewing machine oil and shouldn't stain if it gets on the work".

[Mojo]

There was a member on here who used to use mineral oil. I forgot who it was. I have used compressor oil and mineral oil once in a jam when I couldn't get to the store to get machine oil.

I prefer using machine oil.

Chris

[Peppy]

We used to use 'sewing machine oil' which I thought was mineral oil till the mechanic guy told us to use transmission fluid. It's a dusty pink color and I'm sure it would stain fabric but we mostly use vinyl and Sunbrella so it's not been a problem the last couple years. It's slippery enough anyway. Anybody ever hear of using that?