I have a question about the FW motor.
#1
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Location: Oregon
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I finally have my FW "Olivia" sewing a good straight stitch.
Now I need to know how fast the machine should go. I have a Janome that is a year old and she sews very fast. Then I go use Olivia and she sews not as fast.
Also when I was in Idaho Falls I went into "Jones Sew and Vac" looking for some motor grease and the gal there that I talked to said their repair man was a Featherweight nut and knew a lot about them. Then he said he has featherweight shipped from all over the country. So I figured he was very knowledgeable. When I asked about the grease...he didn't have any tubes. But he said that regular oil is just fine. That sewing machine oil has come a long way and you only need to use a drop every 5 years.
Now the only thing stopping me from using my featherweight is I don't want to burn up the motor if I was given incorrect information and I need to purchase a tube of motor grease online.
What are your thoughts.
Now I need to know how fast the machine should go. I have a Janome that is a year old and she sews very fast. Then I go use Olivia and she sews not as fast.
![Smile](https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png)
Also when I was in Idaho Falls I went into "Jones Sew and Vac" looking for some motor grease and the gal there that I talked to said their repair man was a Featherweight nut and knew a lot about them. Then he said he has featherweight shipped from all over the country. So I figured he was very knowledgeable. When I asked about the grease...he didn't have any tubes. But he said that regular oil is just fine. That sewing machine oil has come a long way and you only need to use a drop every 5 years.
Now the only thing stopping me from using my featherweight is I don't want to burn up the motor if I was given incorrect information and I need to purchase a tube of motor grease online.
What are your thoughts.
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 3,992
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No, no, no, never oil the motor. Refer to the two links below.
http://www.featherweight221.com/fwrx/index.html
http://www.novamontgomery.com/featherweight-s.htm
Quote from the book, Featherweight 221, The Perfect Portable "Do not, under any circumstances, try to inject oil or anything similar into the motor's grease tubes. If you do, the oil will find its way onto the motor commutator or will saturate its brushes - they are made of carbon and must be kept bone dry for proper operation."
Order some Singer Motor Grease. Below are two links for you.
http://www.sew-classic.com/
http://www.april1930s.com/
http://www.featherweight221.com/fwrx/index.html
http://www.novamontgomery.com/featherweight-s.htm
Quote from the book, Featherweight 221, The Perfect Portable "Do not, under any circumstances, try to inject oil or anything similar into the motor's grease tubes. If you do, the oil will find its way onto the motor commutator or will saturate its brushes - they are made of carbon and must be kept bone dry for proper operation."
Order some Singer Motor Grease. Below are two links for you.
http://www.sew-classic.com/
http://www.april1930s.com/
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 9,319
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I wouldn't trust this guy with any other questions.
IMO, Featherweights are not the fastest machines. They have a small amperage motor. If you compare it to other machines, you may notice a difference, but it should sew fast enough that it doesn't irk you. They are zippy enough machines to satisfy many sewers. If it's bothering you, that means there's something that needs cleaning, repair or adjusting.
IMO, Featherweights are not the fastest machines. They have a small amperage motor. If you compare it to other machines, you may notice a difference, but it should sew fast enough that it doesn't irk you. They are zippy enough machines to satisfy many sewers. If it's bothering you, that means there's something that needs cleaning, repair or adjusting.
#6
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
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Sew-Classic is not currently listing Singer grease. There is two types of Singer grease.
The first, with the milky clear to amber grease that resembles petroleum jelly is for the motors.
The second, with the white grease is what Singer uses on their plastic gears. IT IS NOT FOR THE MOTORS.
You might hunt around for old stocks of Singer motor lube or you might do as some have said and use petroleum jelly as lube for the motors. I have read they are so close as to be indistinguishable. Although I do not speak from experience as I have a number of tubes of the Singer motor grease and use those on my Singer motors.
Joe
The first, with the milky clear to amber grease that resembles petroleum jelly is for the motors.
The second, with the white grease is what Singer uses on their plastic gears. IT IS NOT FOR THE MOTORS.
You might hunt around for old stocks of Singer motor lube or you might do as some have said and use petroleum jelly as lube for the motors. I have read they are so close as to be indistinguishable. Although I do not speak from experience as I have a number of tubes of the Singer motor grease and use those on my Singer motors.
Joe
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8,091
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Stick with Singer Motor lube or Petroleum Jelly.
Joe
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