The Sewing Place

Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools

arrow

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2018, 18:53:54 PM »
Not much in tins these days, but I can buy a reasonably large bottle of basic sewing machine oil at a place originally aimed for tools and car related stuff. These days they have sections for kitchen items, dogs/horse stuff, etc., and in the section for bikes there is a bottle of the basic oil, sewing machine / chain oil.

If you want larger containers of it, I guess it would be labled "pure acid free mineral oil", and thickness something like SAE 10.

The only thing worth ordering from the US would be TriFlow, I'm not sure who sells it in Europe. I can get Finish Line Ceramic Wet Lube in bike stores, it has teflon and perfect viscosity for sewing machines. You can easily find equivalents near you if you just go to the right store.

Drops of white spirit for sticky metal gears; various spray can stuff for much the same purpose; labeled something in the direction of anti-rust, tool-box on can, TF2 spray with teflon, WD-40, CRC 5-56, PB blaster,...  For polishing up, Auto Glym Super resin polish, I guess most places in the UK have more stuff to choose from than my city. I recently noticed a UK seller on ebay who has a special carnauba based Featherweight polish, it will give a deeper shine than the resin liquid. The resin based polish tend to last longer.

« Last Edit: March 02, 2018, 21:54:32 PM by arrow »

mums sewing machine

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2019, 13:02:55 PM »
This thread is a godsend!
Just (last night) picked up a 1913 treadle 66k and today I’ve started cleaning her. She’s a ‘bit’ worse for wear... I’d love to get her working again, I think it’s possible as nothing seems seized up at this stage.
But there is rust on some bits (not the mechanical bits as far as I can see...)
Is there anything that’s a suitable half decent rust remover?
I know she will never ‘gleam’ unless I start replacing bits, but I’d like to keep her like she was when she left Clydebank
Thanks

@Roger

Edited to say: I’ve found the thread about cleaning metal bits (?) and have bought some Autosol. The face plate is coming up a treat with that and a LOT of elbow grease!
« Last Edit: October 15, 2019, 16:40:22 PM by mums sewing machine »
No such thing as too much fabric

Roger

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2019, 21:44:25 PM »
Enjoy your sewing machine :) if nothing is seized that is a great place to start from, 66K are cute I especially love the Egyptian decals model. If you have questions just holler and we'll be happy to help!


This thread is a godsend!
Just (last night) picked up a 1913 treadle 66k and today I’ve started cleaning her. She’s a ‘bit’ worse for wear... I’d love to get her working again, I think it’s possible as nothing seems seized up at this stage.
But there is rust on some bits (not the mechanical bits as far as I can see...)
Is there anything that’s a suitable half decent rust remover?
I know she will never ‘gleam’ unless I start replacing bits, but I’d like to keep her like she was when she left Clydebank
Thanks

@Roger

Edited to say: I’ve found the thread about cleaning metal bits (?) and have bought some Autosol. The face plate is coming up a treat with that and a LOT of elbow grease!
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

mums sewing machine

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2019, 23:37:44 PM »
@Roger Thanks - I will holler, probably a lot  :D
No such thing as too much fabric

Wychall

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #19 on: October 27, 2019, 17:49:36 PM »
I swear by Autosol, but with a painful shoulder elbow grease is in short supply. I recommend a small multi tool such as a Dremel (or a cheaper version available from Aldi/Lidl) which makes it a breeze. I've just polished all my 'new' 66K's shiny bits in just over an hour. Gleam, gleam!
Present 'garage' contains 2 x 28K hand crank, 99K hand crank, 66K hand crank, 66K treadle, 201K treadle, 99K electric, 416, 6104, 401G, Futura 1000, Innovis NV1250 and a Jones CS treadle. New arrival Brother XE1 Stellaire
www.wychallembroidery.com

TomDrew

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #20 on: February 24, 2021, 20:49:33 PM »
I know this is an old thread and I'm very new to sewing machines, however I'm not new to the world of cars and messing with them. Over the last few years felt that Autoglym have slipped a bit interms of their offer and also their pricing is a joke (when I was in the auto trade I could get the stuff for a song and that's why the garages push it - it's expensive to by unless your in the trade).

Meguiars Ultimate Compound is amazing stuff - its a very fine polish and it's great for getting a shine back - on paintwork it does wonders and on metal work its brill too - Autosol is great for getting rust and get back to a shine but then if you use the Ultimate Compound you can get pretty close to a mirror finish if you are so inclined. [I've also got some knife sharpening compounds that can be fun to play with to get a true mirror shine but that it probably overkill]. I would really recommend Ultimate Compound - if paint etc are in bad shape you'll want to start with something more abrasive first (autosol for metal, a standard car polish) but it will look better than new when you are done. There are some nice waxes out there too but I'm unsure what would work best for a sewing machine from the one's I know as some of them would make the machine potentially feel a bit... sticky isn't really the right word but if you polish and wax up well it is so smooth certain surfaces (a finger for example) will feel drag as it sticks to it... fabric wont though....
In the stable: "Belle" - 1958 Singer 201k mk2 || "Guinea Pig" - 1902 Singer 128k || "Raf" - 1941 Singer 15k || "Naomi" - 2020 Janome 5024

LeilaMay

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #21 on: February 24, 2021, 21:10:46 PM »
Great info Tom, thank you.
But when you're working on a very old machine you must be aware that the solvent compounds in some cleaners will strip the delicate finishes on the machines, and that what is safe on one machine may not be on a machine of a slightly different age.

"Always do your patch test" - and somewhere it won't show too  :)

TomDrew

Re: Cleaning VSMs: Tips, Tricks & Tools
« Reply #22 on: February 24, 2021, 21:47:59 PM »
Good point @LeilaMay - patch testing is always a must in any cleaning job. Doing any fettling on delicate things is always a risk. I've used ultimate compound on things like high end fountain pens including on delicate precious metal and natural lacquer and it came out beautifully. But yes - always patch test!
In the stable: "Belle" - 1958 Singer 201k mk2 || "Guinea Pig" - 1902 Singer 128k || "Raf" - 1941 Singer 15k || "Naomi" - 2020 Janome 5024