Where and How to Lubricate a Singer Model 353/354 Sewing Machine

[@kathyfreeman3238]

I am 61 and I just took apart my genie and lubed it and put it all back together and it works wonderfully! One thing my husband helped me with that you didn't cover was the bobbin would not wind when trying to wind thread on the bobbin. The machine had been sitting for many years and the little rubber wheel wouldn't turn at all so he took it off and cleaned and moved it around with a dab of oil and woo-la it wound my bobbin! Yea. What a great machine!

[@andytubesewing1953]

Thanks for lubricating your Genie and getting the Bobbin Winder Friction RIng (rubber tire) to start spinning. I'm glad you figured it out. 5 hours ago you left a comment asking me to help you with the Bobbin Winder not turning. You left that comment on this video; kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJDKlKWEac9naaM I replied to your help request 2 hours ago about what you could do, including oiling the spindle. I gave you links to the playlist for this model and mention a couple videos that could help you, including this video for working on the bobbin winder system kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZikaYyVjLKfm9E In that video, starting at 16:35, I mention putting lube on the BW. Later, at 42:03 in the video, I show you where to put the oil on the spindle. You don't mention anything about that reply to your help request, so if you did not see it you are to be congratulated for getting the cover off and cleaning and oiling the BW. It sounds like you are good to go now with that very lovely Genie sewing machine. Congratulations, and thanks for watching my channel.

[@christinafidance340]

I just found one at Goodwill for $16!!! And it works! I just gotta live it up.

[@andytubesewing1953]

Wow! Just the used motor is worth that. A nice score, Christina.

[@textiletwink]

Thank you for these videos! Makes me so happy to think of all the beautiful machines you helped saving by sharing your knowledge.

[@textiletwink]

Now I'm off to try to save mine :)

[@andytubesewing1953]

Welcome 😊

[@andytubesewing1953]

@@textiletwink You can do it! 👍 No worries and one step at a time. Take care.

[@momofmia]

Thank you so much... I'm teaching myself how to clean and maintain machines... this helped so much. Working on a old singer that was made in Brazil

[@andytubesewing1953]

You're welcome. I'm glad you found my channel and thanks for commenting. Good Luck.

[@ef5594]

Very helpful video thanks so much for making!

[@andytubesewing1953]

Thanks for watching my channel. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy sewing.

[@lindastone8841]

Thank you my Singer genie has been in storage along with my singersimple. I need to do some sewing repairs, but was afraid to use the machines with oiling and cleaning them both. My genie is able to turn the wheel, but the simple is frozen. At least you have given my one working machine until I can pull the cash to take the simple to the shop.

[@andytubesewing1953]

Glad I could help!

[@annettehachey7909]

Oh my gosh, thank you so much for this video. I think you've inspired the name Joon for my machine when I get her. In reference to the movie, benny and joon hehe. I'm so looking forward to picking Joon up and doing a though cleaning and lubrication on her let alone starting my first project on that machine 🙂.

[@andytubesewing1953]

welcome, and I love the name you picked. You'll have her slick & shining and ready to sew before you know it.

[@labrat8876]

We're you able to fix the broken plastic on the upper right of behind the flowered panel?

[@andytubesewing1953]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hInbZ32vhZ6Xa7c

[@cynthiavasiento]

I’m so thankful to have found you! I have my Dad’s genie 354 and I absolutely adore it. I’m just learning to sew and have recently started using it again. I’m the exact same age as the Genie! I’m hoping to keep it in good order for my kids to use someday! Im struggling with fabric getting jammed when I sew multiple layers- almost like the presser foot isn’t allowing the layers to help it adjust. Any ideas for me? I’m purchasing oil today so I can try improving it that way.

[@andytubesewing1953]

Welcome to Andy Tube. I'm glad you found my channel. If you will be sewing layers of fabric on a regular basis it would be worth it for you to buy a "Walking Foot" or "Even Feed Foot". Normally the presser foot just pushes straight down while the feed dog drags fabric along under it. With multiple layers the fabric may not drag evenly, ie: the bottom layer moves better than the top layer and layers in between. An Even Feed foot moves in sync with the feed dog, so it pulls the fabric from the top and the bottom at the same time. Here is what I'm talking about: www.sewingpartsonline.com/walking-foot-singer-low-423242-s.aspx?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5rTppI6P6wIVYB-tBh37_QxcEAQYAyABEgJKyfD_BwE Here is a demo video made by SInger about it: www.sewingpartsonline.com/walking-foot-singer-low-423242-s.aspx?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5rTppI6P6wIVYB-tBh37_QxcEAQYAyABEgJKyfD_BwE The Genie sewing machine has a rare "auto" pressure presser bar that has a pre-set spring set-up by the factory. I found it possible to change that setting a little bit to make the pressure lower or higher. Here is my video about the presser bar system: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJ-Zh61mmauVY6c You can see it is not easily done so it would make sense to have the walking foot when needed and just change it out when not needed, leaving the presser bar system as set at the factory. BTW, here is my 20+ video playlist for the machine, in case you have other issues or questions in the future. Best of luck and thanks for watching my channel. ✨

[@cynthiavasiento]

Thank you so much!!!

[@andytubesewing1953]

Best of luck, Cynthia.

[@sarojchhatbar3211]

Sir your video so helpful & knowledge for me thanku. I have singer facilita swing Machine, not stichs coming on cloths so help me in video . Thanks

[@andytubesewing1953]

OK 👍 Welcome.

[@sphhyn]

Hallo Andy. Thank you for the very useful video. I recently bought a Singer Starlett on a yard sale for just 20€. It is very dirty inside but everything seems to be moving. I am in the process of cleaning. I tried sewing with it and have a Problem with the thread tension. The bottom thread has big loops. So the top thread tension is too loose?? The tension wheel moves and the Parts behind it move also. Do you have any idea what the problem might be? Thanks for reading :)

[@andytubesewing1953]

I think you are asking the right guy! I actually made 20+ videos about working on this model. Here is the playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLsCOZgzzaiKJvzcqn97Yh8lvx-tbdFl2p One of the videos is a very detailed tutorial of this strange little tension unit: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aavdcpeMqMRridk Since you said the machine is dirty maybe the tension unit just needs a good brushing out and cleaning using a soft strip of cloth dipped in alcohol and swabbed back and forth around the discs. Maybe it needs more. Congrats on finding a Starlet and thanks for watching my channel.

[@sphhyn]

Thanks for your super quick answer. I will clean the machine and see if it makes a difference. I will also check out your other Videos. Thank you so much for all this useful Information. I would never have tried to taken the covers off without your instruction. Even if I end up taking the machine to a repair shop, it saves a lot of money to be able to clean it myself and fix minor issues. BTW. The first problem I had with this machine was, that the capacitor in the foot pedal went up in smoke. Very scary! But the Internet knew the answer and my brother (an electrician) could replace the capacitor easily.

[@andytubesewing1953]

@@sphhyn sure you are welcome and you definitely can do cleaning and most of the maintenance on these vintage machines even though you have a Kenmore now many of my videos will show you common sense things for cleaning oiling tension and other items Best of luck to you and your crafting projects

[@sphhyn]

Andy Tube Quick Update: cleaning the machine did the trick. It is stitching just fine now. I am very happy :)

[@andytubesewing1953]

@@sphhyn congratulations and nicely done thank you for letting me know now you can get on with your crafting and sewing take care

[@manhandledinmt]

Awesome video tutorial! Thank you! I do wonder, though, about that “brown grease” you talked about being all over inside. I’ve had three of these machines now and all three had that same brown grease. I wonder if it was something Singer was doing that was supposed to (in their minds) take place of regular oiling in those areas?

[@andytubesewing1953]

Here how it was explained to me by a retired Singer Repairman. Grease is oil with added wax of some type. Singer did come to use a "brownish" type of waxy grease on the worm gear of the horizontal shaft where it mates with the gear on the bottom of the cam stack (that is actually called the "Disk Driving Worm Gear".) The type of grease they used was supposed to be "safe" for plastics and Singer was using more and more plastic parts, including on the cam stack and DDWG on the bottom. By adding this waxy substance they felt the grease would stay put better and be less likely to dry out. Later when Singer sold the company (early 1980's) and their stores were closing independently owned stores and repair shops often used that brownish grease on other areas of the machine. Possibly b/c "... if it was good enough for Singer, it's good enough for me... ".

[@manhandledinmt]

Andy Tube Thank you so much! That is really good to know. I truly appreciate all your video tutorials and your generosity with your knowledge

[@andytubesewing1953]

@@manhandledinmt Sure, Joe, and I appreciate that you watch my channel and thanks for keeping the machines working. 👍

[@itsmebaby9943]

So beautiful sewing machine 🤩 what is this music in the beginning?

[@andytubesewing1953]

PIPELINE by the Chantays. Surfing music. Pipeline is a term used by California Surfers in the 1960s. Look here: kzbin.info?search_query=+PIPELINE+by+the+Chantays thanks for watching my Channel.

[@LaurelBaum-x6x]

What tool are you using to oil with?

[@andytubesewing1953]

www.amazon.com/Tri-Flow-Squeeze-Bottle-Lubricant-Teflon/dp/B00GC54OC2?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

[@rockycolo5655]

Andy, great videos and resources. Is there some way to donate without creating a paypal account?

[@andytubesewing1953]

Thanks for asking, Rocky, but Paypal is the only money transfer account I have. Don't worry if you don't use that service but maybe just tell a couple of friends about my channel. Then I could maybe help more VSM owners. If I had $0.10 for every view I had on my channel I'd have $120,000 YIKES! Thanks very much for watching my videos. Take Care.

[@meishi2489]

can you show singer 360 machine fixed ？

[@andytubesewing1953]

Sorry, I can not do that. Model 360 was not sold here and I've never even seen one. That 353 model is the closest I have with similar parts and functions and here are the 20 videos for it: kzbin.info/aero/PLsCOZgzzaiKJvzcqn97Yh8lvx-tbdFl2p There is a service manual for model 242 that repairmen use for repairing model 360. They are similar machines except model 242 has metal sides and model 360 has plastic sides (like 353) The manual is available for download online for $10.50 but if you use my coupon codes of andy-h-yt they will only charge $8.40. Here is the website: store.tandtrepair.com/240-248sm.html That's all I can offer. Good Luck.

[@cynthiavasiento]

I need to name my Genie!!

[@andytubesewing1953]

Hehe, it will come to you when you get to know the machine, no worries.

[@meriemmerry8660]

شكرا كنت أبحث عن سنجر 354

[@andytubesewing1953]

هل ساعدك هذا الفيديو بعد ذلك؟ آمل أن تكون قد فعلت ذلك وشكرا على المشاهدة.

[@khalilkhadija5726]

Merci beaucoup pour l'explication

[@andytubesewing1953]

Vous êtes les bienvenus. Je suis content si la vidéo a été utile. Merci pour le gentil commentaire.

[@samiralami1277]

Gracias es de mucha ayuda!

[@andytubesewing1953]

De nada y estoy feliz de que hayas encontrado mi video. Por favor regrese cuando tenga tiempo. kzbin.info/aero/PLsCOZgzzaiKJvzcqn97Yh8lvx-tbdFl2p