I must have been trained by Keith's Mum. I just oil everything that's metal and looks like it might move. Thanks for the picture, Margo. This technical stuff is almost as bad a free motion quilting.

Thanks Margo--that is where I have been putting the oil.

OK...my bad! I looked in the manual for my newest machine and was surprised that I couldn't find any photos of where to oil the machine! :shock:

I found this in the manual for my 20+ year old Bernina, and the part is called the HOOK RACE, not the bobbin race.

So...the bobbin goes into the bobbin case; the bobbin case goes into the hook; the hook goes into the hook race; oil goes at the bottom of the HOOK RACE.
(I labeled with the red text and arrows)

Hope that makes it more clear for machines with this type of bobbin.

If you click on the photo twice you can see the detail better.

Bobbin race? What's a 'bobbin race'??...... Mmmmhhh..... let's see..... right! I get it....... Yes, that's the thingy that I oil quite regularly (after I have helped Keith's Mum to chase him around the kitchen table )

I have a couple of Bernina's and I oil and brush out the inside after every bobbin. (But if I'm switching bobbin threads a lot and am only doing a little sewing on each, I just oil every once in a while.) I use a make-up brush to brush out the lint. Since I've never used make-up, I had to get my sister to help me find where to get one of those! But now that I have it, it works really well for me.

Nancy

Keith wrote:
I got a set of those. They don't work worth a hoot. Pipe cleaners do for me.

My Viking says in the manual not to oil--it is all enclosed.
My Kenmore I oil, but I will say I bought my daughter a machine and had to take it immediately to the "dr" because it wouldn't work--they said it sat too long without being used and the oil had done something so it didn't work--run those machines ladies and gents.
The Bernina I use lets you know when to oil. You have to take out the bobbin and put a drop of oil there. I think Rob Appell needs to get on here and show us on some different machines, exactly where we need to oil.

Same orders given for my 820...every bobbin refill....

So does the B830, but my dealer said: don't wait for that or you will be a very unhappy sewer and I must say: My Rosie is a very thirsty lady

B580 gives a message when need to oil.
some times i put a drop of oil - when i feel/ear the sounds is different.

Bobbin race - that's what I put the little drop of oil on every three or four bobbin changes or whenever my machine sounds like it's had quite a night. Bobbin race, bobbin race, bobbin race. I can never remember what that's called. Thanks Margo! Now I'm thinking of all these ways to slip that into my casual daily conversation...

So a ball point needle, a straight stitch throat place, and a bobbin race go into a bar and the throat plate says to the bartender, "You got something to fill this dent?" The ball point needle (she wasn't always a ball point you know) she blushes and starts to faint; the bobbin race spins around to catch her... No never mind, this story isn't going anywhere...

I do need a little vacuum to supplement my wisking with a brush every bobbin change.

All my life I've made the erroneous assumption that all machines needed oil... Silly me! I need to be more careful.

I am the same my Bernina 440QE is oiled and cleaned regular BUT this week when I did this I whacked the light with the other end of the little brush I use and cracked it, and its not one of those bulbs its a square one, I have not been to the shop to price a new one yet.....