Wicks

[Sheagatzi]

Which is the wick that  leads the oil down to the hopper foot/plate?    clearly, when I did my 'maintenance' a few days ago, I put a drop too much on. (one drop was too much, I guess)  Witnessed a drip drop onto my quilt while I was in motion.      Baking soda helped though (thank you forums!)

 

Also, when the wick is said to be 'wet' when you test it, does that mean a wetter shiny slick on your finger,  or a drier, barely there shine from the wick. 

 

I'm scared of over or under doing it.   (I have visions of  my 81 honda civic ceasing because I forgot to oil it way back in the day.  LOL )

 

 

 

[RitaR]

I don't know which wick it is, but I only add oil when there is just a wee bit showing on my

fingers.

 

I think you probably did run it after oiling, with no thread??  We run it for probably 2-3 min.

away from the quilt,  or if the quilt is so large I only have about a foot clear of the leader,

to do things with

the head, We put a piece of plastic over the quilt..

 

Just one drop shouldn't be too much.  I think they said the one on the side doesn't need

oiling.. we should both check the manual on which ones they say to oil.  I always forget. 

 

I hope Dawn or someone else will  yell at me if I'm wrong with the above.  

 

Rita

[Tamarack]

I was over oiling when I first got my Millie so now only put a drop on each top wick about once or twice a month.  I had oil drip from the LED lights area onto a quilt once and opened up the side cover on the fly wheel and the bottom area was covered in oil. Whoops!  I was oiling it way too much.

I have never oiled the side wick as it is always wet.

My test for seeing if it needs oiling is to just touch it gently with my finger and if I see any shine on my finger its good, if my finger is dry then I oil.

[RunningThreads]

I'm like Kathy,  no oil at all on finger then it gets one drop.  The wicks are all at least an inch long so even if it is dry at the top there is still oil down further  where it needs to be.  The first bottle of oil that came with the machine lasted about four years.

 

Nigel

[cmkeindl1]

When Mark was in SLC and I went down there once - he said put your hand on top and touch the wick(s) if there is "any" oil you are o.k. he said we tend to over-oil.  Depending on use, I don't oil very often at all.  Although I clean out the bobbin area every quilt?!  Anyone else?

[Sheagatzi]

It's so dry here that I'm paranoid that they need oil.   So -  even the slightest sheen -  leave it alone?

 

Thanks for the advice everyone!!!

 

Kathy = thanks for the tip re opening up the side panel.  Will do that today.  

[DawnCavanaugh]

Andrea,

 

If you've got oil on a finger when you touch the wick, you don't need to add more. There's at least an additional inch of wick below the top of the machine that's still saturated with oil, so you're good. If you don't use the machine for several weeks, however, and the wicks feel dry, it's a good idea to take off that side plate and add a drop or two of oil directly into the "oiling hole" where each wick is depositing oil. If you turn the fly wheel by hand with that side plate off, you'll be able to see the oiling holes appear.

[Laurajerri]

Just completed putting together my Freedom. Now, should I oil, or was that done at factory before shipping? It seems dry to the touch at the top wicks. Thanks from this newbie.

[RunningThreads]

Welcome Laurajerri

It should have been done at the factory.  If you touch the wicks and get absolutely no oil on your finger then add one drop and check again in a few days. They hold a fair bit of oil so don't think if the wick is dry at the top the machine is starving for oil.  That bottle of oil that came with your machine should last for a couple of years.  If you over oil the wicks eventually the oil will seep out the side covers and land on a customers quilt.  I think I oil the wicks less than once a month. 

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Nigel