Has Anyone Built Their Own Industrial Sewing Tables? --Can You Critique My Idea?

[TinkerTailor]

I have been offered 2 free tables in the last year or two. A rusty h-leg with a clutch motor and a nice k-leg one that fell of a truck ....Literally. Whole table is askew, probably fixable though. Don't have room for either. They are out there. Go to closing out upholstery/garment shops, they may have old table legs kicking around for free.

Pretty tragic actually cause the machine that was on it was a relatively new juki post bed machine, a 1610 I think. Apparently the machine did a faceplant.. Huge crack in the head and a chunk of the casting broke out where the needle bar and foot mechanisms attached......ouch. I think it was only being moved a few blocks...

[Sepp]

Hi Uwe,

can you tell how similar your Consew to the Durkopp 239 (238) is? I got one, and would like to build a new table for it, and was wondering where those rubber hinge pieces and rubber corner pieces could be found (preferably in Europe), and if the ones you have work for my machine too?

Also: I am envisioning a table without the crosstubular structure to attach the treadle to...instead I was looking for a solution with a bass drum pedal. Do you guys think that would work?

Thanks,

Joe

I've been meaning to post pictures of my latest sewing table project to contribute to this nice collection of table ideas. I finally got around to making a CNC template for carving out a tabletop for my Consew 225. The legs came from a local University surplus store for $20 (same legs as a previous poster, haha). The wood is marine plywood and ran $45 for this project. The ShopBot CNC router machine is at my local TechShop playground for adults. The two plywood plates are glued, then screwed together, for a total thickness of 1.4 inches - just the right amount of overkill.

uwe-sew-table-1.jpguwe-sew-table-2.jpguwe-sew-table-3.jpguwe-sew-table-4.jpguwe-sew-table-5.jpguwe-sew-table-6.jpguwe-sew-table-7.jpguwe-sew-table-8.jpguwe-sew-table-9.jpg

[Uwe]

The flatbed bed size of the Durkopp 239 looks to be a standard industrial bed size and should be the same as the Consew 225.

The hinges can be found online at College Sewing in the UK : https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/229-58052-RUBBER-HINGE-ASSEMBLY-JUKI-DDL

There are slight variations in the rubber part of the euro-style hinges. It's perhaps best to get the hinges first and then make your cutout fit them.

The hole locations where the metal hinge part plug into in the back of the machines bed should also be standard. For my table I plugged the hinges with rubber part into the back of the machine and took precise measurements to get the hinge pocket locations and depth just right in the cutout. Don't expect to get it right the first time. I recommend using cheap plywood for testing before you cut precious wood. Once it fits one machine, it should fit all the others with the same bed size.

In order to separate the pedal from the table, you'll need to get a servo motor that has discrete parts (Motor/Controller/Speed-Input) . This way you can extend wires to make a flexible electric connection between the pedal speed input and the motor controller, instead of the usual rigid mechanical link, similar to this:

[TinkerTailor]

The flatbed bed size of the Durkopp 239 looks to be a standard industrial bed size and should be the same as the Consew 225.

The hinges can be found online at College Sewing in the UK : https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/229-58052-RUBBER-HINGE-ASSEMBLY-JUKI-DDL

There are slight variations in the rubber part of the euro-style hinges. It's perhaps best to get the hinges first and then make your cutout fit them.

The hole locations where the metal hinge part plug into in the back of the machines bed should also be standard. For my table I plugged the hinges with rubber part into the back of the machine and took precise measurements to get the hinge pocket locations and depth just right in the cutout. Don't expect to get it right the first time. I recommend using cheap plywood for testing before you cut precious wood. Once it fits one machine, it should fit all the others with the same bed size.

In order to separate the pedal from the table, you'll need to get a servo motor that has discrete parts (Motor/Controller/Speed-Input) . This way you can extend wires to make a flexible electric connection between the pedal speed input and the motor controller, instead of the usual rigid mechanical link, similar to this:

IMG_3953.jpg

An industrious person could make a mechanical connection from the motor to the foot using bicycle brake cabling and a bass drum pedal.....heel brake and/or lift functionality is possible but more complex.

Edited February 5, 2016 by TinkerTailor

[Constabulary]

The Duerkopps (239, 241, 245) I have seen have a longer flat bed than the Singer 111 / Consew 225 clones. The Duerkopps were all ready to install a 2nd hook saddle for a double needle setup. The flat beds of the Duerkopps are more like the Singer 112 or similar. You can tell that by comparing the left cover plate - the Duerkopps factory wise have a longer left cover plates.

BTW the Duerkopp 239 + 241 (triple feed) are using the same feet as the Singer 111 / Consew 225 clones. The machines have many similarities and even parts are interchangeable.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Constabulary

[Sepp]

An industrious person could make a mechanical connection from the motor to the foot using bicycle brake cabling and a bass drum pedal.....heel brake and/or lift functionality is possible but more complex.

In order to separate the pedal from the table, you'll need to get a servo motor that has discrete parts (Motor/Controller/Speed-Input) . This way you can extend wires to make a flexible electric connection between the pedal speed input and the motor controller, instead of the usual rigid mechanical link, similar to this:

IMG_3953.jpg

So you don't think I could attach the standard mechanical connection to the pedal? (by standard I mean those adjustable steel rods)

Steel wires sounds greattoo, but the pedal would need to be held in place somehow even more secure I guess.

[TinkerTailor]

So you don't think I could attach the standard mechanical connection to the pedal? (by standard I mean those adjustable steel rods)

Steel wires sounds greattoo, but the pedal would need to be held in place somehow even more secure I guess.

I think both of us were envisioning a repositionable pedal, not a fixed position one. If it is fixed, yes the rods will work. If the pedal is moved for different sewing positions, or the table height is adjustable, the pedal needs a flexible link. Some motors have a drive by wire electrical connection to the pedal, others use rods. The rod ones can be converted to flexible with some ingenuity and possibly some cursing.

[Bracattack]

New to the site, just started a table project today. I have a stash of 3/4" thick table tops, so I glued a pair together. I searched the net for a router template for a pfaff 1245 but no luck so I laid out a rectangle and then used an angle finder to mark the corner cuts. (for the full cut thru) I guess after that is cut I can set it in place and draw the corners.

[Uwe]

Page 20 of the Pfaff 1245 manual has a dimensioned CAD drawing for the table cutouts, which is a reasonable starting point as well (alas, they tell you every dimension EXCEPT the actual main cutout size!)

ba_1245_05-12_e.pdf

Edited August 26, 2016 by Uwe

[Bracattack]

Thanks, I looked there but stopped at page 19 which was a drawing but not very helpful. Patience is ........ I'll work on that