bearisgray

I have gotten braver with the mechanical yard sale onees. Actually, I have gotten to trusting DH more to clean and oiil them!

The other ones, just oil thoroughly and try to keepp the lint cleaned out.

By the way, some of the much older machines have sort of a wick like thing by the bobbin area that looks like it should be picked oout. Don' t.

Maybe some of the people that really know about these machines can tell us more about it

Scissor Queen

If you're oiling your bobbin case you're not getting oil to the place that needs it. It's the bobbin *race* that needs oiled. Take the bobbin case out and turn the hand wheel. You'll see a hook moving back and forth, the two surfaces that are moving against each other is what needs oiled. On computerized machines it's the only place that needs oiled and it only needs a couple of drops once a month or so for medium to heavy use.

Prism99

Aside from cleaning out the bobbin area (and oiling the race) on my Bernina and vintage machines, I always remove the needle plate (the plate through which the feed dogs protrude) and clean between and around the feed dogs.

Most computerized machines (maybe all?) have sealed components, so they don't require the type of oiling that vintage machines need (which is basically oiling every moving part).

terri bb

I take it apart as far down as I can, drop oil in the center, blow it all out with canned air, oil the two little holes on the needle bar on the inside of the flip cover, dust off the light, blow the inside clean, and wipe all the dust off the machine every fourth bobbin or so.

ckcowl

I follow the 'maintenance/cleaning' instructions in my owners manual for caring for my machine- what ever it tells me to open, clean, oil, do is what I do. your machine manual is a wealth of information to keep your machine happy for many years to come

quiltinghere

Machines don't scare me!

I open everything up, delint the lint, clean the dirty, oil and grease what needs to be lubricated, fix what needs to be fixed, and put it all back together!

GREAT FEELING when I can 'fix' a machine.

Nan - Indiana

merryamethyst

i open up everything i can with my older mechanical machines, remove the lint with clean longhandled paintbrushes, wipe clean with a soft cloth. i then turn the wheel, raise and lower foot, etc to check which parts move and oil them.

with my new computerized machines, i just remove the faceplate and clean the feed dogs and bobbin area. a drop of oil on the wick. these machines have quite a few sensors in there, and i wouldnt want to mess them up opening anything...

tessagin

I always follow the manual as far as cleaning and oiling. I did see the tiniest piece of lint that was not finger reachable or brush reachable but I had a piece of very thin jewelry wire and was able to reach it and pull it out. I do nothing more than the manual says. I also like to watch different videos for tips on cleaning. You Tube has a lot on cleaning!

AliKat

I go as far as I can. That means remove the throat plate, bobbin case, and bobbin assembly. I either do light cleaning by removing any lint/dust or get out the Dirt Devil and the sewing machine cleaning attachments I bought years ago at a LQS. I do NOT use compressed air on the lower portion of my machine.

When I clean the top portion of my everyday machines I completely cover the throat plate and do use compressed air. I don't want to blow anything into the bobbin area at all.

My FW, of course, I can clean all the way. One of my machine I can almost get everything by removing the machine casing, the other 2 I don't do much other than above. I oil those that need it.

tessagin

I never use canned air on either of my machines. Can blow lint into areas you don't want to be there.