doodlebug Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 i was just wondering...what specific type of oil do you use for the wicks and bobbin? I\'m not happy with the brand i\'m using. It seems to complete dissipate with the little heat i get in my bobbin...i feel it should at least last longer than a hour. I just bought it not to long ago, it\'s not aged (it\'s still clear) and i bought it cause i liked the LONG spout. *shrug* i did a search on oil and nothing came up. what\'s your opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 I use the oil that came with my machine. You can order it from APQS I think. It is a machine oil. What makes you think it is not working well enough. Are you quilting 100 MPI for that hour? Have excess amount of lint? Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted March 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 no, i just feel that i\'m constantly having to oil my bobbin. i don\'t think i quilt that fast. i use my SR. i use the sound to let me know, also, i have thread issues if it\'s not oiled (weird stitch quality, etc. i oil and they disappear.) is it "normal" to have to oil every hour or so? i rememeber seeing somewhere that every 2 to 3 hours is recommended...*sigh* maybe i\'m being picky.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 No I oil maybe 4-6 bobbins?? As the bobbins gets low it will start making more noise because the weight of the bobbin has changed,(I think) not because of needing oil. However, you can hear when the hook does need oiling. But that is a different sound to me. You are just being careful. But I should think you don\'t need to oil that often. That is just my thought for what they are worth. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted March 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 myrna, your thoughts are INvaluable. hmm, i\'ll listen a little more carefully, with my factory fresh machine, i could be mistaking the new sounds. i am having to "relearn" my machine. thanks for the insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sams Mom Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Do you have to oil when you use cardboard bobbins? Seems as though the cardboard just absorbs it. Just curious since we\'re talking about oiling. Donna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 gosh, I oil between quilts After I unload a completed quilt I clean the machine and oil everything that needs it and go again. Maybe I should pay closer attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Hi, I use Zoom oil, with the long thin extendable oiler spout. You can search for "Zoom Oil" with Google, and it\'s also on eBay. You can\'t see it well in this picture, but this plastic bottle has another extendable thin spout inside the one you do see---and it is flexible and extends way out to reach down in the bobbin race on the machine. Also, rotate your bobbin race so that the dark metal "shelf" that goes around the race is situated down at the bottom of the bobbin race. It will act as a shelf to hold the oil until you can start the machine and lubricate the entire race. It\'s hard to explain, but turn the handwheel manually, and you will notice their is a small part that rotates and protrudes out aways---that is the \'shelf\'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Yes, your hook is in the correct position when you take your bobbin out. I too turn the fly wheel with my hand to "spread" the oil. Donna I use paper sided per wounds and have no problems. I can just hear when I need to put a drop of oil on the hook. If I have gotten a big drop in there I\'ll dab it with a tissue before putting the bobbin in then turn the flywheel. If I don\'t it soaks into the thread. I think that is the oil I have. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted March 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 that\'s the oil i use. (zoom)i air hose the bobbin area, then clean with a scrap of batt, i oil the bobbin housing, do needle up/down couple of times, then i wipe any excess off, then i stitch a little while off the side of the quilt to get any excess oil off the bobbin and thread, then return to quilting. i guess my reasoning behind my "complaint" is when i do this is breaks my "rythum" (sp?) and by the time i get it back, it sounds like it needs it again...or i need to change the bobbin... i was just hoping that there was like a sythntic oil that wouldn\'t break down as quickly with the friction heat in my bobbin. they have it for cars...natural to wonder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Hi Shannon, Well, I guess we are all doing about the same thing with the oiling. I oil every second bobbin. After every quilt I completely take off the needle base plate and remove the bobbin and clean everything with WD-40, and then re-Oil everything. I occasionally use canned air, but I primarily use my very small shop vac with crevice tool that is permanently attached down under my frame. I just park over by that side and vacuum out the lint and thread debris. Note: WD-40 is good for cleaning only---not permanently lubricating machines. If you find a good synthetic oil for sewing machines ---let us know. The only one I know of is "Tri-Flow", but I\'ve never used it on my long arm. But, maybe APQS can comment on this: http://www.triflowlubricants.com/Dry_Lubricant/dry.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted March 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 i\'m going to order the tri-flow lubricant for my bobbin assembly ONLY APQS said to NOT put it on your wicks. i will post with my opinion/results once i give it a try. i now return you to your regularly scheduled quilting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Shannon, You should be able to use any high quality sewing machine oil. I\'m on my second bottle of Singer sewing machine oil. The Zout spouts work great as well. I\'m surprised that you feel the need to oil the bobbin as frequently as you do--the machines can typically go a lot longer than 3-4 bobbins. Personally, I thoroughly clean and oil the bobbin between every quilt. My machine is 14 years old and has never been oiled more frequently than that. In fact, the most recent quilt off the frame was an insane project that had 70 hours of quilting in it with no bobbin oiling in between. (Extreme time to quilt without oiling, I know--but remember, I\'m the queen of lazy!) So, I guess I\'m trying to say, see if you can find a happy medium between my lazy oiling and over-oiling; maybe the synthetic oil will help. Keep us posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Dawn, thank you. I was beginning to think I was neglecting my ULT II (1997). I have always only oiled between quilts and the wicks get oil then as well, that is if they feel dry...if I brush my fingers over the wicks and I can see oil, I don\'t do it then I wait till the next quilt. Is this a correct way to do that, or should I be oiling even if there is a good amount showing? Also just wondering....The Singer Oil....doesn\'t that have grit in it? I once had a sewing machine repairman tell me that I should never use that or the 3 in 1 oils, because of grit. It was okay for the older machines 1920-1970\'s, but the more modern ones that they needed a smoother/cleaner oil. Just wondering your thoughts on that as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Bonnie. I do the same, If the top wicks are moist I don\'t oil. I find I don\'t need to very often. I have never oiled the wick on the side. I actually wipe it off once in awhile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted March 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 it\'s not that i feel the need to (i\'m lazy when it comes to oiling also) but since my machine has come home from its bumper to bumper from the factory ( i feel the need to insert this: i feel in NO way that APQS did anything to my machine to make it run negativity, nor do i hint at blame ) i have just noticed that every bobbin it seems to need oiling. this is why i feel this way: i notice that my threads are getting "sucked" into the grove my bobbin travels in, or my threads get REALLy tangled up in the bobbin assembly. i oil, problem goes away til next bobbin change. ??? *shrug* i\'ve had a Millie for 4 years now, so i feel like i have an general idea of what to do when. i also have a theory (oh boy) that maybe since i have a brand spankin\' new boobin assembly, that there may be a need for a breaking in period, or a self-machining time frame. SO, that being said, i\'m going to be patient (as i can be) and try to find an oil substitute that will get me thru this weird time. Myrna, have you scheduled that jump yet???? if you lived closer, i\'d go with. modestly of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 LOL still thinking about it. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 Shannon, That certainly is unusual! It\'s weird that the bobbin thread gets tangled into the assembly. Just curious, have you spoken with Amy at the factory about it? It would help us to diagnose if something might be amiss with a batch of hook assemblies we\'ve received, or if something is unique to your Millie. Perhaps she\'s encountered the problem before and has a solution. Bonnie, Guess you know more than me--I\'ve never paid that much attention--just needed a bottle of oil and picked up the first available. The bottle says "Singer Machine Oil. All-purpose, specially formulated for sewing/knitting machines, vacuum cleaners, computers, bicycle gears and more. Contains petroleum distillates." If it helps any, I\'ve only got about 1/4 of the bottle left, so I\'ve used it for quite a while without any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 Originally posted by DawnCavanaugh The bottle says "Singer Machine Oil. All-purpose, specially formulated for sewing/knitting machines, vacuum cleaners, computers, bicycle gears and more. Contains petroleum distillates." If it helps any, I\'ve only got about 1/4 of the bottle left, so I\'ve used it for quite a while without any problems. I would say with that testamony I won\'t even question if its good or not, if you were going to have problems it would have been years ago. So I won\'t even worry about it again......I have tons of Singer Oil because of the older machines, but always hesitated because of what he stated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 It\'s a sewing machine with sewing machine parts. Use what the factory sends, sewing machine oil. If there was better oil it would come with your machine. If the top wicks are dry to the touch 1 drop no more. The side wick will not need oil after the first oiling. Oil will drop from the top wicks onto that wick. I see many machines that are over oiled. If you see oil on your needle bar or around the light, you are over oiling. If the hook is dry the machine will have a distinctive rattle. I get many calls about a rattle in the bobbin area, oil always fixes this issue. I use Tri Flow for many things but not on sewing machines. (It probably wod not hurt the hook assembly but sewing machine oil works fine and it is cheap. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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