If you own or use an industrial sewing machine, serger or cover-stitch machine, you’ve definitely wondered at some point: When should I change the oil in my industrial sewing machine?
Many types of industrial sewing machines sit in a pan of oil. Including the Juki DDL-8700 industrial straight stitch machine featured in these photos. This is due to the machine running at high speeds for extended periods of time. Some industrial machines, leather machines and upholstery machines instead have a large felt pad that you saturate with oil and it wicks it via small cords to the places that need oil. Sergers like the Juki MO-6814S and cover-stitch machines tend to have an oil reservoir inside of the machine itself.
In all cases, this sewing machine oil can and does get dirty and clogged with frequent use. Many service manuals recommend the oil is changed every 6 to 12 months. But how do you know when it’s actually time to change the oil in my industrial sewing machine? If the oil in your pan looks like below… it is definitely time to change the oil!
Sewing debris
Plenty of models have a very handy built in funnel-shape on the bottom of the oil pan. Making it easy to drain the old oil and thoroughly clean the pan. This pan also tends to collect pins, broken needle tips, and all the dust and and fibers you can imagine. After draining the oil, it’s important to clean all of this before adding fresh oil to the pan.
Silicone oil
Many sergers and cover-stitch machines also have small reservoirs for silicone oil. This type of oil is a lot thinner and can be described as slippery. It replaces the need for adding beeswax or other types of thread conditioner to your thread. The silicone oil reservoirs should also be periodically changed to keep it clean for your thread.
When should I change the oil in my industrial sewing machine?
If you’re wondering if it’s time, it’s probably time! A great train of thought is, having your machine serviced annually will take care of it. That way you don’t have to worry about it on its own.
Draining and replacing oil is part of our service appointments for industrial machines. Like your car’s mechanic, we take care of this messy task and get you running again. Reach out to us to set up an appointment!
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Based in central Oklahoma City, Rummell Repair is a mobile sewing machine service and repair business traveling to the homes and businesses of our customers. We work on mechanical & computerized sewing machines, flat-bed and free-arm embroidery machines, long-arm quilting machines, sergers, and a variety of industrial & commercial machines. If you’re ready to book your own sewing machine service appointment and have a smooth experience without ever having to leave your home or business, take a moment to fill out our contact form here and we’ll be in touch in a jiffy.