Oiling A Singer Featherweight: Comprehensive Tutorial Guide to Oil a Singer 221 Sewing Machine

The most comprehensive tutorial for how and where to oil your Singer Featherweight 221 sewing machine. Carmon Henry takes you step-by-step, showing you each and every oiling point, which have been made very easy to see, compare and recognize on your own Featherweight. Be sure to visit our website where you can download the accompanying color-coded oiling chart:
singer-featherweight.com/blog...

[@womensarmycorpsveteran2904]

I have 2 featherweights and my granny taught me to oil and maintain it. Plus I still have the original manual. The one thing you forgot to mention that granny was very stern about is that after you’ve oiled your machine you MUST use some scrap fabric and sew for a bit on it before doing anything else because, trust me on this, you will get oil on that scrap and its better to get it on the scrap than the project you are working on. My 72 year old featherweight is still sewing like the day it was made.

[@lydiaverrett2562]

you are so right, although i have heard Carmon say that before on his FB site. but thanks for the tip for those who don't know. i always do!

[@judyjones5892]

This was one of the best videos I’ve seen in my entire life. It was a stroke of genius to indicate the oiling points with bright paint instead of other videos that point to some indistinguishable point. Thank you so much!

[@ETHRON1]

Thank you for your videos and for your store. My wife has 3 fws...a 1933 1953 and a repop. This was a big help and saved us alot of money. We bought your maintenance kits.

[@Tipperary757]

Your son is brilliant! I love the orange paint designation.

[@janarnell2342]

Your tutorials are so great! Thanks so much.

[@SewAndTellwithDori]

Excellent tutorial on oiling a featherweight!!! So happy I found your website and KZbin tutorials! I've got 2 featherweights that I need to ensure that they are completely cleaned and oiled before I start using them on a regular basis. Painting the oiling points with orange paint was a very helpful visual. Thank you for a great video!

[@sallyb8919]

I’m a “new” owner of a 221k, your tutorials are so helpful. Thank you so much.

[@featherweightshop]

Congratulations on your "new" machine and your kind word 😍

[@drmichaelelinski6992]

You make a great point about not using that old, antique, Singer oil that come with vintage machines, where the oil is separating and turning colors. It seems obvious NOT to use that old oil, but people often do.

[@cindys1395]

You guys rock! Thanks so much for all the work you do to keep our little gem's running!

[@rsfields1]

Great video! Thank you for being so clear and concise!

[@lrdnvdv]

i love the ideea with the orange paint! best video i'e ever seen about oiling

[@lulugraphics]

Your tutorials are just great, nice and slow and easy to follow. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

[@944gemma]

Wow. I guess I’ll have this video with me when I oil my sweet little Featherweight. Thank you so much for posting.

[@joandicoio3055]

Thanks so much, Carmen! Just oiled for the first time my featherweight. Great, concise, targeted video - appreciate the repeat and slow motion!

[@kaydefreese7586]

Thank you for this clear video on how to oil the featherweight.

[@nicholeyoung1806]

Thank you for such a great video. Looking forward to watching many more of your tutorials. Love the orange paint idea.

[@tinaelmills]

Thank you! I am a brand new beginner (i just bought my 1951 featherweight) and your video was very easy to follow. :)

[@nancycogar3864]

Thank you, I went to the tutorial and I think I can do it on my own.. "FINGERS CROSSED"! I love both of my Featherweight's. I am currently waiting for grease that you sell to really clean and grease all of my vintage machines. I'm glad that I found your sight. Have a good day.

[@pamalacathey6377]

Thank you so much for the easy and concise instructions. I have some work to do. Tho I have not used my featherweight very much, I was ignorant of how to care for it. It has a long history and I am about to pass it on to my daughter and am so glad I found your site. Thank you. pam

[@123gorainy]

Thank you for this excellent tutorial. I just unboxed one I inherited from an aunt, and I have no idea where to start. This is a good place!

[@kayradwanski1689]

What an excellent tutorial! And the orange dots are a brilliant idea! Thanks so much.

[@debhamer9644]

So nice to have a video ❤

[@debbiegoad5907]

Thank you so much for a great video for oiling!! Much easier than trying to see the points in my instruction manual. My FW now purrs like a kitten!

[@wannabealuna]

Thank you for the informative video of very useful and important information. Wish I had known all this when I bought mine.

[@lisahope8039]

Carmen, you make it look so easy, and after I oiled my featherweight....IT WAS! Thank you, for such a a clear and specific video, without unnecessary chit chat, on point on this one topic. On to the rest of my maintenance. Love you guys....keep the tuts coming, wish I could attend one of your classes, I live in the NY/CT Area.

[@lydiaverrett2562]

i could not even think about working on my FW without the help and confidence of Carmon.

[@lulugraphics]

I agree about the unnecessary chitchat, it’s much more helpful to me to just get the specific information I need and not get distracted by unrelated verbiage.

[@semco72057]

I appreciate you all showing us how to lubricate the sewing machine and I will need this information when getting ready to use it.

[@patriciaanderson9246]

Great tutorial!

[@karencollins2205]

Thank you! I just got this little baby and she's running so much more quietly.

[@priscillacummings4780]

SO helpful! Thank you

[@joeschmidhofer2674]

You’re a hero Carmen

[@COTINHAify]

Very good explanation. Thanks for Brazil!

[@barbarahamrick3990]

Fantastic Video! Thank you very much.

[@snakefollower]

A very helpful video. Thank you.

[@darlamontoya7857]

Very clear and concise video tutorial. Thank you. It's a pleasure learning from your videos and doing business with you.

[@AudreyAL6]

great video Thanks

[@catherinebrown3453]

Very helpful. Thank you

[@susant5722]

Ug! Every 8 hours! Excellent video for directions

[@judithaustin4193]

Thank you very much!

[@christennacarr2917]

Very well explained

[@melbabowen4389]

THANK YOU !!!!!

[@krisseale7736]

Thank you! I almost used the old oil I found in the case with the sewing machine!

[@claudiaforrest6669]

Keeper video! Thank you!

[@beyondtherabbithole]

I really love your tutorials. I have a featherweight and a 201. I love that some of the accessories are interchangeable. Would you ever consider doing an oiling video for a 201? I have the Manuel but the pictures are crazy tiny and I'm afraid I may be missing some spots.

[@morenagomes7607]

Excelente!👏🧵

[@joseantonionunezchacin8907]

Thank you so much also

[@carbidejones5076]

pretty good

[@W4ABN]

I opened my machine I recently bought and found a bunch of silver grease on the gears. A blob at one part that looks like it had settled from not being used. About to clean it up. Thanks for the tutorial. Really helpful.

[@W4ABN]

Thought I'd follow up with a question. I got a bunch of dark spots, I'm guessing is from old oil, on the machine. It's especially bad behind the face plate. Is kerosene the preferred method to clean it up or could other cleaners be used. I might have some break-free clp on hand but wanted to see if anything else is good to clean up the dark spots.

[@argusfleibeit1165]

Yikes!! My Mom didn't know, and neither did I until now. This poor thing has been chugging away all these years. I think we had it in to get fixed about three times. Guess I'd better get me a new bottle of oil and get going. Thanks!!

[@katherinelaw462]

Wish I’d seen this beforehand, can one over oil a machine?

[@Bebegirl88]

Can you do a video on where to oil a 301 and 301A?

[@willablake9284]

I recently was blessed by finding 2 featherweights ! I’ve been waiting almost 4 years ! Well my questions are easy I would like to get grease,lubricant,cleaner &. Wax. Can you help me with best kind and deals? Also best affordable thread and needles? Thank you so much for you videos! Very easy to follow. I’ve had mine a lil over a week.A 1948 221-1 June18, 1948 & a 1950 221-1;June 1,1950. Kinda fun fact my birthday is June 1, 1954 !

[@featherweightshop]

Good questions to ask! Head over to our Featherweight Schoolhouse, and under Maintenance and Tutorials and Routine Servicing (as well as many other categories) for all the tutorials to get started and product recommendations available in our online shop: Happy to help! singer-featherweight.com.

[@karser6456]

h-e-l-p..off topic but you may be "the man"..i'm looking for a vintage table top machine that has the narrowest free arm, with zigzag capability as well - can you advise ? I am checking the singer 222K machine but prices are through the roof for that one, I was told the free arm is 2" wide, is there anything narrower than a 2" arm ?Brgds

[@irenegarcia7903]

This is great! Do you have any tutorials on how to deal with rusting on the machine?

[@featherweightshop]

The Singer Featherweight is made of aluminum, so there won't be any actual rust on the machine itself. Check out the Featherweight Schoolhouse for our blog post on the Featherweight model versus other old Singers.

[@PatriseHenkel]

I've recently unpacked an AK featherweight that was handed down to me, and have reviewd several of your helpful videos. This machine is dirty with oily dust, and I havent looked 'under the hood' too much. As far as cleaning with kerosene goes, would mineral spirits work as well? how pristine should the insides be? Also, the thread spindle is loose causing the spool to wobble badly. This seems broken. Where can I learn more about that part? thank you!!

[@PatriseHenkel]

thank you SO MUCH!!@@featherweightshop

[@willablake9284]

Patrise Arts what reply did you get for this?

[@PatriseHenkel]

Willa Blake it’s been a while & I don’t recall, and I wonder where the answer went? But I do remember that the wobbly spool is a common issue, and easily fixed with a fabric disc of some kind. They make them at TFS

[@kimzimek3989]

Can you please show any differences in oiling the white machines? Thanks!

[@featherweightshop]

Hi! We are so happy you like the video. On our Featherweight Schoolhouse there is a page dedicated to the white Featherweight with the differences in machine and oiling areas. Happy to help! singer-featherweight.com/blogs/schoolhouse/

[@kristathompson-fancyflosss9200]

Which of the four screwdrivers are you using in this video.?

[@featherweightshop]

Thank you so much for your message! Follow the link below for more information and to contact us directly with questions about the Singer Featherweight - happy to help! :) singer-featherweight.com/pages/contact-us

[@mikedonato222]

My mom sewing machine I’m trying to get oil my mom already set she had case please help me

[@ImGinaMarie]

I went to the link you referred to and didn't see any download for "how to oil" the machine.

[@featherweightshop]

Hello! Follow the link in the video description above and the pdf to download is on that page. (we just double-checked) ;) Thanks for asking!

[@GiGistitches]

It seems the website has been updated since this video was uploaded. I cannot find the download that you mentioned. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

[@featherweightshop]

Hi! We just checked and it's there on the page that is linked. 😊

[@featherweightshop]

However, the most comprehensive guide for maintenance and oiling is available here: singer-featherweight.com/products/book-singer-featherweight-221-maintenance-service-handbook

[@ShowandTellknitting]

Do you oil the tension pin?

[@featherweightshop]

The oiling tutorial here in the video or our Featherweight Maintenance Handbook will have all the oiling points needed. singer-featherweight.com/products/book-singer-featherweight-221-maintenance-service-handbook

[@kathleenandreoli1416]

Went to the website. Could not find the download.

[@featherweightshop]

Hi! It's a link to click and download, found on the Oiling tutorial page.

[@helenmatthews4038]

Where can l find a long screw driver and an oil can with along spout

[@featherweightshop]

Hi! On our website those items are all available.

[@nancycogar3864]

I have 2 Featherweight machines and I don't think that we have anyone here in West Virginia that actually works on these machine. I think one of them needs the tension cleaned and put back together. I can clean, oil and grease them, but I don't know anything about the tension and one needs checked. Do you take machines out of state to work on them?

[@susanmunger3327]

How often do you have to oil them

[@apiecemaker1163]

Every 8 hours of use

[@albinocavewoman]

Ha! Your junk demo machine is in better shape than 1940 221 I just picked up. One person's trash and all that.