DonnaFreak

Howdy y'all. ☺

Last year for my birthday and Christmas combined, my husband bought me a Brother SC9500 sewing machine, and I LOVE it! It sews smooth, has over 90 stitches, and is very user friendly. Since I mostly use it just for when I need fancier stitches, I haven't oiled it yet. I have been using my featherweight for pretty much all of my piecing, but that will probably change now that my 8-year-old DGD has claimed it as her own. LOL!

So the other day, I pulled out my Brother because I was going to use the blanket stitch on it to do some machine applique on a baby quilt I'm making. I gave her a good cleaning, changed the needle, then pulled out my trusty manual to see where the oiling points were. Can you imagine my frustration when the manual informed me that this machine was specifically made to NOT be oiled by the owner/user?!?!? According to the manual, your supposed to take it in to a Brother service center to be oiled!

I have to say that I was shocked to see this! How on earth could a person who used this machine on a regular basis afford to take a machine in to be serviced every time it needs to be oiled??? What on earth we're they thinking?? Has anyone else run into this? If so...do you take yours in to be serviced every time it needs oiling, or do you just oil it yourself? If you do, how do you know where to oil without the manual giving you any directions? I'm just floored! 😕

Donna

Maureen NJ

I had a Viking machine, circa 1980. Loved that machine, unfortunately since last year the tension doesn't hold. That machine did not require oiling. I took it in to be serviced once. Never had a problem. Does it say how often it has to be serviced? Is it computerized where it tell you?

PaperPrincess

Many of the newer machines are 'sealed' so only a technician can oil them. Also, many of the parts that were all metal in older machines are now made from different materials and don't need to be oiled at all, and unlike the older machines that need to be oiled after 8 or 10 hours of use, they only need to be taken in for routine maintenance every 12-18 months. You don't take it in just to get it oiled, the techs do it as part of regular maintenance.

joyce888

I don't oil my Pfaff 4.0 either. I take it back to the dealer once a year for maintenance and tune up. I do a extensive cleaning with chenille stems and canned air.

Tartan

My Bernina 440 only needs oil in the bobbin area. A cute little oil can comes up on the screen when it is needed. I think most newer machines only get oil in the bobbin race.

ckcowl

As others have said until it needs service it doesn't need to be oiled. No need to be upset or frustrated about it.

wildyard

I agree, my new Janome machine also does not need routine oiling with frequent use. It really is not so you have to take it in often to get them to oil it. As said, new materials don't require the kind of oiling older machines did. But be sure to keep up the frequent lint cleaning! They sure do need that! Smiles and hugs!!!

GingerK

Joyce888 DO NOT USE CANNED AIR!! You will blow lint etc further into the innards of your machine!! It is better to get the little conversion kit so that you can use your vacuum to suck lint out of the machine. (sorry really didn't mean to yell.)

My Pfaff 5.0 and 2 Janomes also have no oiling instructions. Altho the Janome maintenance man did tell me I 'could' add a wee drop of oil to the center of bobbin area. There is a little thing that looks like a 'wick' and it really only takes a wee drop once and a while.

cashs_mom

I agree with everyone about the oiling. The newer machines are metals that don't require oiling. I've had 2 Bernina's over the last 20 years that I never oiled. Both machines had extensive use. All I did was take them once a year to the shop for a checkup and I never had any problems.

I did put a drop of oil on the bobbin casing (as per the manual) when I changed and cleaned the bobbin area. Relax. It will be fine.

MadQuilter

If it is a drop-in bobbin, you can put a TINY drop of oil into the metal part of the bobbin (the part that holds the shuttle). I usually put a dab on a cotton swab and run it around the center and I do that very rarely.