Vetteman61

I'm going to be taking the faceplate off of my Davis NVF and cleaning the internal pieces. I ordered a sonic cleaner and it just came in. After I clean these pieces should I cover them in sewing machine oil, or is it only necessary to only oil the areas that make contact with one another? I assume since they have a coating I won't need to use a rust inhibitor. I'll also be cleaning the faceplate.



Thank you,
Brandon

Mickey2

I never did a complete disassembly of my machines, but I have polished rods, bars and parts with a wax like quick-glo. It leaved a film of polish behind and did a very good job with out a sonic cleaner. It can be a good idea to have a film of wax or oil on steel parts, it cant prevent rust even years later. If the machine is stored in a dry, heated room it never rusts, but stored in places like a garage, loft, or cellar, rust can appear with just a bit of dampness in the air.

Vetteman61

OK, thanks. I wanted to make sure coating the parts with sewing machine oil wouldn't cause problems in the future.

Mickey2

When oiling old a newly required sewing machine, I tend to do it generously and as freqent as possible the first week or two. Most of the machines I have bought I have spend hours and days cleaning and tending too before then were up to sewing again.

Dried up oil and grime tend to flush out gradually with use and regular maintanance. A good quality oil should not cause much trouble if any in the long run. Any sewing machine oil tend to leave traces of it behind, over oiling easily happens, especially noticeable on the exterior of lighter colored machines. I have had cream, tan, and green machines (like Elna, Bernina and the two tone Singer models) very badly stained. It easily came of with a bit of cleaning, and it's like that with the interior too; any oil film left on the parts will darken a bit, sort of translucent brownish as time goes by, but it has never been a problem. Dried up grease on the other hand have required a bit more effort to dissolve and clean up, but still withing doable. I think of this as part of the maintanaces, as the years go by a machine may need a more thorough cleaning and tending too. If you go for a thorough DIY cleaning and service every couple of years or so, it will never be noticeable. Some purposely leave the film of old varnished oil on surface of parts, it doesn't do any harm and it protects.

Kelsie

Oh, what a pretty machine and a treadle too, I am envious. Enjoy your maintenance.