Oil wick replacement

[Uwe]

Several of the machines I've been working on recently had oil wicks missing (e.g. inside the hollow take-up lever pivot shaft).

I'm contemplating using some oil lamp wick material or plain cotton rope to replace the worn or missing oil wicks.

Is that okay or should I use some special sewing oil wick material instead?

[gottaknow]

Use wool felt cut from flat strips, wetted with oil and rolled to size. Don't use cotton, it will quickly degrade. 

 

Regards, Eric 

[OLDNSLOW]

I would think that an oil lamp wick would do that same, they are both intended for an oil, and the oils probably aren't much different from each other cept for the burn ingredients added to the oil for a burn wick.  Just my thought, I don't think the makers try to reinvent the wheel each time something is made, but borrow from what is already there and easy to adapt.  Think like MacGyver.

[Uwe]

Thanks guys!

Thin wool felt strips sound like great idea, that didn't even occur to me! I have some wool felt material to experiment with. 

I have a feeling the missing wicks got yanked out by somebody thinking they were just odd pieces of thread lodged in the hole.

Some of the wicks run inside plastic tubes, and for those I think the oil lamp wick will work nicely.

My main concern is to get those take-up levers lubricated properly and a rolled-up thin felt strip sounds perfect for that spot.

[brmax]

Uwe, I was ordering last year some small parts and so picked up a small sheet of wool I believe, but whatever it fits the Juki top arm and in the bottom of that area being the oem item for lube, I use it for cutting smaller pieces for other replacement use on them machines.

They also have the wick running all over the 1508, 41 etc. so probably someone here has rolls of the wick if talking to them.

Good day there

Floyd

[Constabulary]

I have replaced some wicks with braided hemp rope

[OLDNSLOW]

smoldering hemp in a small room could leave you with the giggles I have heard.

[Northmount]

It would take an awfull lot of hemp.  No or next to no cannabis in hemp.  That's why you see it being cultivated legally again.

Tom

[llucas]

I am far from an expert -- I am a newbie to sewing machines and machine stitching of leather. On the repair of my old Adler 205-374 several sections of tubing and wicking was missing. I bought all the factory tubing and wicking I needed to replace everything for $9.00. For what its worth.

[HENDREFORGAN]

Well . . we just found ourselves in a total pickle regarding this subject and our latest machine, a 205-370 which we think is an early Global clone . . it's maker's plate simply states "Fine Sewing Machine" nor does it give Country of manufacture . . and having now sewn with it we very much agree.  Getting familiar with the machine, creating a snag-list and working out what accessories we might need we notice what appeared to be the remains of PURPLE pipe cleaners left inside the needle end of the sewing head.  Given we might need to speak to the sales agent about these we took pix before removing the mangled pieces.  Then we noticed the same wire twisted pipe cleaner was attached elsewhere to the oil feed tubes . . . poo!  Had we removed something we shouldn't of?

The pix below show what we found and where they were as well as the chopped pieces we removed, there is still some "purple fluff" left inside in places that needs cleaning out.  So we started extensive research . . what on earth did we all do before the Internet?  Pop down the local community library I seem to remember.  Durkopp Adler's parts book is rubbish for this sort of investigation, I've done technical drawing in my past and I can assure the readers that whomever drew that lot of scraggly lines knew exactly where everything went blindfolded and had no intention of passing on those facts! Worse was to follow.  We found reference on the web-site of a Scottish manufacturer of industrial pipe cleaners that ( sic ) "Perhaps less well known is their usage as the perfect “wick” to slowly draw and transport liquids and other volatile substances".  Ohh . . double poo!!  But wait . . more was to follow!  @Uwe in your excellent video about "Adjusting the foot lift" at roughly 38 seconds you can clearly see GREEN pipe cleaner inside your machines sewing head. But it got worse . . a photo on Hightex's web-site for 205-370 parts showed one of the rods we found with pipe cleaner hanging off it with ORANGE pipe cleaner neatly wound around the elbow . . . Aagghhh!!!

We now have to consider refitting and/or servicing ALL the lubrication system for our 205-370 given that, in all innocence, we might have disabled part of it.  We do claim at least one thing in our favour though M'Lud, not only was what we removed doing nothing but, since being removed, the machine has lost a slight tight spot when being turned over by hand.

So . . despite all the options discussed above . . . pipe cleaner!?!  What sordid little fart thought it a great idea to wrap disposable material around thin wire and then put that in close contact with moving parts!!!

Help?