MAINTENANCE SERIES #13: Clean But Dry! How to Oil Your Vintage Machine Before Sewing Anything!

[@ecay]

I love the way you explain how to do things and show things. I didn't know a lot about sewing machines before. I started watching your videos and a few others and I have come to really love the Kenmore line of sewing machines in my opinion they run rings around singer. They're capable of doing things that singer can't do. And are in my opinion easier to maintain. Don't get me wrong. Singer is a great sewing machine. I have several of them but my kenmore's are definitely my favorite. I have six of them. I even have the 3/4 size Kenmore that it looks like a mini 15

[@ecay]

I picked up a friend's singer sewing machine that she had that they bought 25 years ago and in the process of doing some research on I found out that the plastic gear in it likes to break and are getting to the age where they're starting to break. I gave her a sewing machine I had sitting around that wasn't using. I'm serviced. Ready to go. Showed her how to use it and I fixed hers up. Made it where it worked and gave it back to her and told her what was going on. Said it'll work until it catastrophically fails and that day will happen so she's going to use that one to teach her granddaughter to sew on. So they just don't make them like they used to. They're not meant to last

[@sueking6543]

Excellent. I oiled along with you. Mine is the 158.19312. Just got my Lily White in the mail this past week, and the super lube is arriving this week. Will put it on those gears up top. Thanks. ❤

[@ronalddevine9587]

I'm surprised that you didn't address the gear train for the hook (under the black screwed on shield.) I got brave a few years ago and decided to remove that panel. I was shocked at how much grease was not hitting the gears. I cleaned out the 50 year old grease, cleaned up, and put some Tri-Flo grease on the gears only. Any more and it just gets thrown off. Be sure to tell viewers about the gasket. Great video, great machine. 👍

[@kevinh5024]

These 158 Kenmores are really great. I have quite a few of them.

[@lisasovitsky1227]

I just got mine at my restore for free I used my employee gift certificate $50 Can’t wait to clean it and oil it❤! I did sew a few things on it at the store ! Testing it!!! It has the carrying case and book and button holer😊😊😊

[@Toscana1972]

Thanks for your video. I just acquired 2 Elna 62C ( a 1969 Super and a 1974 SU) and was able to get them sewing again. I lubricated anywhere I saw metal against metal, but was a bit concerned with oiling where metal was moving against plastic (vinyl?) gears (fortunately there are only a few on these Elnas). Should those points be oiled as well, or will the oil degrade the vinyl? I see you greased the worm type gear on the Kenmore. The Elna's have a similar piece. I put oil on that but should I have greased it instead? Should the oil be cleaned off and the worm gear then greased? I checked the manual but there was nothing mentioned. I think Elna only wanted anything other than basic oiling maintenance done by their service departments. Certainly they made it extremely difficult to get to the motors. I've not found a way to check the brushes and commutators without major dismantling the timing belt etc. Thanks for any info you might provide. I've enjoyed many of your wonderful videos on cleaning and restoring antique machines.

[@Amritadivya54]

Great information, but I had to stop half way through. I am getting a head ache from the strobe effect of your head light. Don't you have a lamp you can aim at the machine?

[@kevinh5024]

I assume this is a 158.1941?

[@elizabeth4053]

Hello. I’m a new subscriber to Thea Starr. She just got a 301. One of her subscribers mentioned your channel. I subscribed to you based on their positive comments. May I ask a favor as a new subbie to your channel? Can you please create a playlist for each machine, the 301 series, Touch and Sew, etc to make it easier to go to the right set of videos that you have created? 🍒🧁 Hello from Alaska 🙋🏻‍♀️🏔️💕❄️