How to clean a Singer Featherweight - Clean and polish, inside and out!
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- Опубліковано 2 січ 2023
- Learn how you can clean the parts and polish the body of your Singer Featherweight 221. I will show you an easy way to clean the gears as well as my favorite products to polish the machine. This is part 8 of the restoration video series, if you missed the beginning of this series, check it out here: • Singer Featherweight T...
Learn more about Sewing Machine Rehab at: www.sewingmachinerehab.com
Look below for links to most of the products you will need:
Shop the Singer Featherweight Shop for some supplies you need:
singer-featherweight.com/?aff=57
I sell grease wicks for your Featherweight on my site! Here is where you can find them:
sewingmachinerehab.com/shop/o...
List of supplies and links:
Various sized flat head screw drivers such as...
Chapman screwdrivers Kit No. 9600: amzn.to/47R4n7N
Craftsman Ratcheting Offset Screwdriver: amzn.to/3Ehii9o
Penetrating oil, I love Aerokroil by Kano: amzn.to/3R1a25h
Lily White Sewing Machine Oil: amzn.to/3Ej1O0F
Sew-Retro Sewing Machine Grease: singer-featherweight.com/prod...
91% Isopropyl Alcohol: amzn.to/45tO7rv
Zymol Cleaner Wax: amzn.to/3P05c5o
Krud Kutter: amzn.to/3Ek2inh
Krud Kutter - The Must for Rust: amzn.to/3R2lKfR
Regular Cotton Swabs: amzn.to/3YW22nS
Pointy Cotton Swabs: amzn.to/3ECINXn
Old cotton t-shirts cut into pieces or other rags
Blue shop towels: amzn.to/45yO2D6
Sandwich bags (to keep parts together)
New Bed cushions for your Featherweight:singer-featherweight.com/prod...
New Featherweight Drip Pad: singer-featherweight.com/prod...
New LED lightbulb for your Featherweight: singer-featherweight.com/prod...
New belt for your Featherweight: singer-featherweight.com/prod...
New electronic style foot control: amzn.to/45tsNCH
Feeler gauge: amzn.to/3YZJbbq
Thread tension meter: singer-featherweight.com/prod...
Tweezers: amzn.to/45Os7r7
Several small artist paint brushes and a 1" chip brush (you can buy on Amazon but they are cheaper at stores like Walmart and Harbor Freight)
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
**As an Featherweight Shop Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
I stopped at a garage sale last week and they were selling a little, dirty Featherweight for $100 so I grabbed it. It does work so I feel like I got a bargain. Now for the fun part! I was looking for hints on bringing this sweet little machine back to it's glory and ran across your tutorials. they are the best how to videos I have ever seen on ANYTHING! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Can't wait to start!
That is so wonderful! I hope the videos can help you get it up and running. I wish you the best and a very fun time tinkering!
I've just ordered everything you recommend. I balked at the prices, but then I realized I have my grandmother's precious Featherweight, from 1955, and I wasn't thinking clearly. Everything will be here Thursday and I will be back to begin the process. Thank you for this thorough tutorial. I plan to start with making my living room curtains. I used this machine when I was growing up so many beautiful memories there. I plan to pass this down to my granddaughter, and she will have her great-great-grandmother's fully functional, shiny Featherweight treasure.
It does seem to add up but you can trust the quality of what they offer. I love that you will be passing down the machine to your granddaughter, I hope you have the joy of teaching her to sew on it as well!
Thank you for helping us with our machine. you are very kind.
You are welcome!
I really enjoyed watching the videos, you are one smart lady!!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed!
Another product used to clean with is Ballistol Spray cleaner and preservative. I use it to clean and lubricate firearm parts, including barrels, screws, springs, etc. You still need cotton swabs, cotton rags. I use men's cotton briefs for rags. the soft cotton doesn't scratch surfaces and are lint free as well. The Ballistol does not contain water and it is used undiluted the can. The metal parts with stubborn stains, like rust can be cleaned with Ballistol and either brass or stainless steel brushes used on firearm parts.
Thanks for this tip, I am going to check it out for sure! Do you know if it will harm the finish of the machine if it gets on the clear coat? Does it evaporate away or need to be rinsed off? Researching it now haha…..
I LOVE how open you are with your process, and not stingy like some of the big companies. I’ve never purchased a machine online, but you would be the exception! Unfortunately I missed your 1934 machine! Otherwise, it would be in my collection!
You are so welcome! Not everyone will want to go this far with a machine but I love showing my process to anyone who wants to try!
Absolutely superb Jen! I always enjoys your videos. Great job!
Thanks Bob, coming from you that means a lot!
Hi Jen.. just to clear up that the green pads are 3M scouring pads, and are available in different colors, pertaining to their strength (grit). As for rust remover and cleanup i use vinegar always. I also use a small ultrasonic cleaner (used for jewelry) but works great on small parts you can use various liquid cleaners.
Love your videos and I return to them constantly for reference. Thank you
Hi! I use the green ones the most and then various grits of sand paper and a dremel tool as well. Thanks for the vinegar tip for rust, I am sure that other viewers who can’t find the rust remover I use will find it helpful!
Great job!! Thanks for the amazing videos!!!!
You are welcome! Thank you!
Perfect video for restoring a featherweight given to me by a friend ❤️👍
Wonderful!
Thank you so much for sharing another excellent video with us Jen. I am so excited looking forward to getting the machines out, finished, and finally being able to use one. Wishing you and your family a blessed and very happy new year.
I am excited for you! I know you have been looking forward to getting started. Happy New Year to you too!
Thank you Jen, that was fun (if there's one thing I like more than getting all the gunk and schmoo off a machine and making it gleam it's watching someone else do it). :-) Happy New Year!
It’s therapeutic isn’t it? Happy New Year to you as well!
I would love a video showing all the actual chemicals and tools that you use to give such a professional product. I appreciate the videos you have done( totally awesome) for the occasional featherweight owner, but would really enjoy seeing what you do to get them as clean and shiny before you sell them.
Hi, that video is in the planning stages right now so keep an eye out for it. A lot to cover since finishes can be in various conditions and what I do for one machine may not work for another. But I do have some preference when it comes to supplies and techniques that would be fun to share. I will try to have it done soon!
Great video! One tool you might be overlooking is pipe cleaners... they are pretty amazing to get into spots.
True! I don’t know why I haven’t ever tried them out yet. I can see how they would be useful, great suggestion!
Fabulous video and great advice! Only trouble is zymol cleaner and wax is almost £60 a bottle in UK! 🥴
Yikes! What about the Zymol cleaner wax? It is a 2 in one and usually less expensive than the HD cleanse and then the wax that comes separately. And it works REALLY well. If it is still pricey there are other options, just test them in an inconspicuous place before you put it all over the machine. I hope you can find something that works!
I am thankful I have found your videos. I am in the process of working on my 1950 featherweight. The clear coat/shellack is compromised. What advise do you have for the removal of it? Would you consider doing videos showing the removal of the clear coat/shellack? Blessings to you!
Hello! Removing the clear coat will destroy the decals more than likely. Or at least turn them a silvery color instead of the gold they probably are now. I have never removed all of the clear coat off a machine unless I was prepping it for painting. It is a long process and I have found that rubbing alcohol will lift the clear coat but not the paint. Before you try that I’d love to see a couple pictures of the machine and maybe I could give you my opinion on some other options that would keep you from having to remove the clear coat. You can send them to me through my website if you’d like. I’m not saying don’t do it, I just want you to be aware of all that is involved. Hope that helps!
Hi, Thank you for these videos and the time you put into them. I look forward to working through them. I have a question regarding the zymol cleaner and wax product. On amazon they have a original formula and a new formula. I believe your bottle in the video is the new formula. Does it matter which one you use?
Hi, you are welcome! I haven't tried the original formula so I can't say for sure. I didn't realize there were two different ones until I read your comment. :) My guess is that it doesn't matter but I don't feel comfortable recommending the original until I have tried it myself. Hope that helps!
Easier to use fine wet or dry paper to clean commutator. just roll a strip around the commutator and spin it.
make sure you clean out the grooves.
Yes, I use a very high grit on the commutator too. I find when I start with the rubber honing stick and finish with the sandpaper it turns out excellent!
Thank u
You are welcome!
Hi Jen, Your videos are the Best. My gears have a
lot of rust. What do you recommend to get the rust off?
Hi! First I would make sure it is rust and not just varnished oil. I would try cleaning them with rubbing alcohol first, very carefully...keeping it away from the painted parts of the machine. If it is in fact rust, I would use a small paint brush and a rust remover like the one Krud Kutter makes. I also would make sure I don't leave any of the rust remover behind so blotting it up as I go. As soon as the gears are looking good I would get new grease on them. Hope that helps!
I have my machine completely apart now and bought the Zymol cleaner wax. Question - is it supposed to be lumpy? My Zymol is just lumpy, like tiny curds, if I can describe it. Just about ready to start putting her all back together. It's been fun, so far. Thanks for your efforts.
Hi! Yes, it can be like you described. I find the more I shake it, the smoother it gets. It’s just hard to shake it well when the bottle is really full. It won’t affect how the cleaner wax works so you should be good to go. Have fun!
Hello Jennifer, I have ordered the Zymöl cleanse and the wax. I do have a quick question. Are both of these products safe to use on the badge? Thanks for making these great informative videos!
Hi Kate! I’ve used them on the badge and I think they work wonderfully. Also on the painted parts of the tension assembly and stitch regulator plate. 😊 You will just want a nice pointy Q-tip to get any of the product that dries in the lettering on the badge or if it works its way under the edges of the badge.
Hello, wonderful vidoes! I've saved them to my lists of featherweight sewing info. I have an acquired 1950's 221 that has very old masking tape on it as a guide line. It's very old and very hard, I haven't try anything, but my finger nail to remove it. Any suggestions on how to remove it? I thought about alcohol, but after watching your video on not using alcohol, which is how I find all your videos.
Thank you !
This is such a good question, I need to make a video for this. So many featherweights have tape or stickers somewhere on them. Depending on how long the tape has been there it can literally become one with the clear coat. This means that you need to be very careful in removing it and it will take some time and patience. You need to be prepared to accept that you may end up with some of the clear coat coming off with the tape. When I have tape on a machine the first thing I do is soak it in oil. Then lightly scratch, rub with a soft towel and soak it again. You can find plastic razors that may help lift it but you ALWAYS run the risk of making scratch marks in the clear coat. It really comes down to multiple applications of oil and gentle rubbing until you can live with what is left. Finishing with a good polish will make a nice difference but sometimes you just have to accept those leftover tape lines as part of the machines “history”. I hope this helps and yes, stay away from alcohol. I am adding this video idea to my list!
That's great! Sewing oil is the answer to many items on the clear coat from watching several videos. When I get to it I'll take before and after pics. Thank you!!!
Thank you again for this series! Do you have any recommendations for cleaning a shellac clear coat finish that is cracked all over? The decals are in good condition while the shellac looks like alligator hide. I've delayed cleaning and restoring the machine for fear of damaging the finish.
Hi, in the situation you are describing, I wouldn’t use anything but sewing machine oil. Even though the carnauba wax won’t break down the shellac, I have found that if it is really crackly that the wax gets trapped in the cracks and makes them even more noticeable. Once the shellac has degraded that far I would only rub it with oil from time to time. The other option which will “repair” the shellac is to do a French polish. However, I will warn you that it is a delicate, time consuming process and will never give a mirror finish. All the ones I have ever seen do not look like the original coat of shellac did. They also can take many days to dry. There are a few videos on UA-cam about it if you care to search for them. When I have a machine that is crackly in just a few spots I will go ahead and use the wax and if the crackle is more pronounced when I am done I will go over those areas with sewing machine oil. That seems to tone down the crackle but it is never gone. I know that is a lot of info, but hopefully it helps. I would restore the machine and just accept the finish as part of its character and enjoy sewing with it. 😊 Having it professionally painted is an option too but that is $$$$.
@@SewingMachineRehab Thank you for your answer. I have researched French polish techniques and, without experience, was certain I'd make a mess of it and regret the attempt. Do you happen to know of a way to remove the clear coat without harming the black japan paint?
Your videos are wonderful! I just purchased a 1957 featherweight and it makes a lot of noise from the bobbin area, any suggestions? It is the original bobbin and it sews beautifully.
Hi! It could be a number of things…it needs lubrication, the feed dogs are striking the needle plate or there is thread and lint in the hook area. Have you started to take it apart? Let me know and thanks for watching!
@@SewingMachineRehab I have only taken it apart to clean and oil the gears and moving parts. I have not taken anything apart. I’m kind of nervous to disassemble the bobbin area. The videos are amazing! I might have to give it a try. Thank you so much for your quick response.
To clean the screws and other items in Krud Kutter, do you actually submerge them in a bowl of the solution to soak or do you just use cotton swabs to clean them?
Hi, you can do either. I clean a lot of parts in an ultrasonic cleaner just because of the amount I have to do. But, I used to soak them and scrub them with a brush. I don't put anything in the Krud Kutter that would get damaged by it and I always dry every part extremely well, never let them sit around wet. I hope that answers your question!
Which rust remover do you recommend? I have a bobbin case that needs rust removal. Thank you. I can not find the Krud kutter must for rust.
Hi! I haven’t found one that I like as much as Krud Kutter but I will say that it is really great for flash rust. When you have other rust issues then normally the best thing you can do is sand or polish the rust away. For a bobbin case I would usually use a Dremel and a really good polishing compound to polish the rust off. You will need some small hard felt polishing tips to get into the nooks and crannies. If you don’t have a Dremel then a very high grit sand paper 3,000-10,000 depending on the area of the bobbin case you are working on will work if you can work it into the small spaces. It’s a little tricky but doable!
Is the Zymol cleaner and/or the cleaner/wax safe to use on the very old machines on both the paint and decals? I'm currently working on a pre-1900 VS-3 or super early 28. The clear coat isn't horribly bad, but until I get it clean I can't tell if it's intact.
Hi! I haven’t used it on a machine that dates back that far yet. I guess I would test it out on a small inconspicuous spot first. If the finish has too many cracks in it…it will get trapped in the cracks. Usually going over the cracks with sewing machine oil will lift it out. But if you try it out let me know how it goes!
I have very good luck with soaking rusted garden tools in white vinegar. Do you recommend using the white vinegar on some of the sewing machine accesries parts, such as the various feet that come with it?
Hi! I haven't used vinegar on parts so it would be hard for me to say for sure. Perhaps I will have to give that a try. If you wanted to try soaking an attachment in vinegar, I would just start with one and see how it goes. Anytime we get the parts wet, half the battle is making sure they are dried really quickly so new rust can't form. I think I will try vinegar the next time I have rusty screws from the bed cushions. Let me know if you try it and it works!
@@SewingMachineRehab ok. Thanks for your prompt attention. If you try the white vinegar, be sure to have plenty of throw away rags to dry them. Most of the rust and gunk will be in the vinegar, but drying off each piece gets any remaining "stuff". My restored garden tools came out like new! I'll let you know if I use it on a piece of my restored 1941 featherweight that seems appropriate. I'm very particular about what I use on it. It's my treasure.
The featherweight I got has some bubbling on the paint around the arm by the motor. Any suggestions on how to take care of that?
Hi! If there is bubbling in the paint there isn’t much you can do. Does it flake or is it just bumpy? I usually polish the finish as nicely as I can but things like bubbles or chips can’t be addressed unless you are willing to repaint the machine. The Featherweight shop sells a paint touch up kit but I don’t think that would help with bubbles. If you want to send me a picture to my email it might help me understand what you are dealing with a little better and maybe give better advice. Jen@sewingmachinerehab.com
Wonderful! Vacuum Cleaner?
haha, I vacuum my machines...what can I say? It just works!
Great videos. Have you ever tried your hair dryer to dry the parts?
Hi, thanks! Yes, I do use a hair dryer on some of the parts, depending on the machine and what I am working with. Most parts I can dry with a clean rag and q-tips. But I would never poo-poo using a hair dryer!
@@SewingMachineRehab your videos are so good. I’m sharing them with all my FW friends.
@@nancybenolkin4711 Thank you!
I accidentally got smo on one of my gears and the grease now wont stick to it. What is the best method to clean and prep the gear for grease application?
Hi! I have done the same thing, try to clean it off with a pointy q-tip. You can even put a little alcohol on the q-tip if you need to. Once you have it off the grease will stick. Good luck!
It seems that the HD Cleanse is a little smoother/shinier than the cleaner/wax area/. If you use the HD Cleanse, do you follow up with a wax only? If so, which one?
Hi! I prefer the HD cleanse when a machine is a little dirtier and I think it will remove some of the grime a little better. It does a better job with stuck on dirt and oil. Once I use it I follow up with the same brand of carnauba wax but you could probably use another brand as long as there aren’t any additives that would damage the finish. It’s a two step process that way (the cleaner/wax is just one) but it’s worth the effort! Sometimes you just have to go over stubborn areas 2 or three times with whatever product you are using to get the best results. Hope that answers your question!
@@SewingMachineRehab Thank you so much. I have several carnauba waxes because my husband is a car guy, but I haven’t gotten that shine I’m looking for yet. I noticed Zymol has a wax for black paint, but it said it was a one step finish so I’m thinking that won’t work on our featherweights. I will give them a call today to make sure. I really enjoy your videos and have learned so much!
What do you clean all your bagged up parts that you remove before putting the machine back together?? 91%isopropyl alcohol? How do you do it??
A majority of them go into an ultrasonic cleaner with a mixture of Krud Kutter and water. Not the painted parts though, it would damage the paint. Once they are rinsed and dried I usually follow up on all the fiction points with a white polishing compound and a hard felt with my Dremel. It is a process for sure! But, clean them to the best of your ability, anything you can do will be worth the effort!
I do not have an ultrasonic cleaner. What do I use? Is there a video showing manual cleaning?
Thanks for video. Why does my featherweight buzz when I push on foot controlled before it takes off sewing?
Hi! Are you using the original foot controller for the Featherweight?
@@SewingMachineRehab yes
Ok, Sometimes the original foot controls can get out of adjustment. As you start to press them you may notice that you only get a buzzing sound until you press them down so far and then your needle bar will start moving. Sometimes this is coupled with the machine only being able to sew at a fast speed and you will be missing the ability to sew at slow speeds. There are other things than can cause the buzzing (belt too tight, for one) but the foot control would be the first thing I would check. There are new electronic style foot controls that you can purchase from Amazon or the Featherweight shop that will eliminate this problem and will never go out of adjustment. That might be something to consider…hope that helps!
Thank you
Would you use a hair dryer after you dry your cleaned parts to make sure they are completely dry?
Absolutely! Just make sure you don't blow away any of the tiny little screws but a hair dryer is great for making sure they are dry and blowing water out of any crevices.
@@SewingMachineRehab Thank you! Where do you find a rubber honing stick? I've just purchased my second FW (1941) and she need a lot of TLC.....
@@suzieberinger3295 You can find it here: singer-featherweight.com/products/rubber-honing-stick?aff=57 Good luck with your restoration!
Do you recommend kerosene to clean?
Hi! Yes, kerosene works well on the gears and other mechanical parts. I’d proceed with caution around the finish though. And you want to clean as much off as you can when you are done. I didn’t cover kerosene because it’s not something you really want to do inside and you need to properly dispose of the rags and etc. The smell is very strong and since it’s flammable I decided not to include it in this tutorial. Maybe this summer when I can get outside I will show how it works. I’m glad you asked!
Do you use kerosene to clean any of the parts of the FW?
Hi! At this point, no. It can be used, I just choose not to. I have heard that it can damage the finish and I have heard that it won't damage the finish. For me it is more about the smell and cleanup. Plus the disposal of anything that gets kerosene on it. If I were working out in my garage I would probably give it a go but even then I would be worried about getting it all off the gears and etc. once I am finished. I don't think it is a bad idea, just one that doesn't work for me. Let me know if you have and if you think it is better than other methods!
@@SewingMachineRehab Thank you so much for your quick response. I am trying a full rehab on a 1947 FW and boy is it filthy!! I'm having to soak so many screws that are stuck and now awaiting the sewing machine screw driver set to help with this. I'm in Canada, and the resources for FW rehab are slim. Your videos are absolutely wonderful. Yes, I have tried kerosene on cleaning up other vintage machines, but I have to work outside, the odour is overwhelming and I worry about the disposal of the dirty kerosene. I am also very concerned about dropping little parts. I'm using the krud kutter equivalent and finding much better to deal with.
@@gerryblathwayt1972 I have the same concerns about disposal. Good luck with your restoration!
Hi Jen. I can’t get the must for rust! For things like the hook assembly, after washing could I do a dunk (or swab) in 99% isopropyl alcohol, and then blow dry? or should I find some other rust product
HI! I only use rust remover on places where I see rust. So if your hook isn’t rusty then all you need to do is dry it. On brushed metal pieces you can always use fine sand paper (rubbing in the direction of the brushing, not opposite) to remove any bits of rust and then follow with some alcohol. But the rust remover is only needed if there is actually rust. You could try rubbing alcohol chased with a coat of oil to treat any flash rust that appears. The best way to avoid new rust is to dry the pieces thoroughly right away, paying attention to all the little screw holes where water can hide. There are other removers I haven’t tried, I tried the CLR brand and it didn’t really work. If you find one that does do the trick please share it here as a lot of folks can’t find the one I use. I hope that helps!
@@SewingMachineRehab thank you so so much !! So many of us appreciate you Jen !! Much Love from Canada! ❤️