Consew 226R-1 Oiling Questions

[BelleH]

We  just purchased a little-used Consew 226R-1 and have two questions on oiling.  The owner’s manual does not speak to either of these two areas:   

• Does the under-bobbin worm gear assembly need to be greased or does it get oiled from the bobbin well?  

 

• On the handwheel-end, do the upper and lower cog wheel shaft  bushings/bearings need to be oiled?  There are no oil passages for these two bushings as there are for the other main bushings on these upper and lower main shafts. 

 

The sewing machine will not get a lot of use.  Once the novelty and practice time wears off, the use may be an hour or so per month. 

BTW - We did do a thorough cleaning with mineral spirits after purchasing (machine had been sitting unused for about 10 years), let the solvent off-gas for a few days, then oiled everything per the manual and recommendations found here (watched a number of YouTube videos too.).  But the above 2 questions weren't answered in anything that we could find.

Thanks,

Belle

 

[JJN]

Hi Belle,

Here is a manual for the Juki 562/563 that is very similar to your Consew 226. Look at the lubrication instructions and see if it covers your questions.

John

 

 

Juki_LU-563_Instruction_Keyfooter.pdf

[BelleH]

Hi John,

Good to hear from you and thanks for the info.  We printed out the lubrication pages and compared the diagrams (with info) to our 226r, and unfortunately, the information doesn't answer my questions.  The set-up is different.  

It was worth checking it out - thanks.

Belle

 

 

[JJN]

Belle,

Hopefully someone that has knowledge of the 226R will chime in here. Here are some general rules. If two metal parts are in contact and spin, push, slide or rub they need to be oiled. Lily white sewing machine oil is all you need. When in doubt, oil it. Look for fiber wicks that carry oil into hard to get places and keep them oiled. Look under the slide-out cover on the top right of the machine. Look for felt pads and any moving parts and oil them. I am not sure but the main bearing on the handwheel may be a sealed ball or roller bearing. The gears under the bobbin should be oiled.

Good luck!

John

 

[Pintodeluxe]

If the 226 is like the Juki 562/563 then it depends on the year it was made.  Some versions I've had, I noticed an oiling port by the handwheel for manual lubrication.  Other versions of the same model # have sealed ball bearings.

I've bee happier with the manual lube versions, as they seem quieter.  

[BelleH]

Thanks John and Pintodelux, for your replies.  We have pretty much oiled everything that moves (and then some as the cleaning that we did prior to my using the machine removed all of the old stuff).  There is no hole by the handwheel, so this might have sealed ball bearings. So far, it sews like a dream and I want to keep it that way with proper care.

 

Belle

[LindanHotAir]

Normally the gears are greased and everything else is oiled with sewing machine oil. Red grease stays on the gears and doesn’t harden like some others. 

[BelleH]

Thanks LindanHotAir.  I had watched one video that suggested grease for the gears, but that is the only other reference to greasing that I had seen, so getting confirmation from you is great.  My husband wanted to grease them, but we figured we'd wait until we received some replies to confirm.  

[Constabulary]

IMO oil the open gears - grease tends to collect dust, lint, dirt (broken needle tips sometimes) more than oil. When you apply new oil it can wash off some dirt, lint... thats what the oil drip pan is for. No matter what clean the machine regularly. I only use grease or sticky synthetic lubricant in capsuled gear boxes. But as always opinions are different.

Edited July 24, 2021 by Constabulary

[BelleH]

Thanks for the input Constabulary.  I hadn't considered that oiling also cleans.  It's a valid point.  You are right, opinions differ, but opinions also create avenues for different options.  Whichever method one chooses in this case, the bottom line is, keep moving parts lubricated, and keep the machine clean.  Thanks again to all.