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

[Uwe]

thesergeant: Those are beautiful tables! Love the veneered table to make use of the leftover pieces - you have some serious shop skills and a great eye for design and color! Now I'm all motivated to give my own Pfaff 130 a nice, permanent home like that rather than being hidden away in a cabinet. Nice photography, too.

cjsamples: I've uploaded the V-Carve Pro file for my Consew 225 table top here: http://uwe.net/CAD/Consew225_v2.crv

You'll have to tweak it to fit your hinge design and corner pads. You'll also have to separate out the top and bottom cutting paths for two shopbot runs.

[DrmCa]

Apparently you have access to serious CNC equipment. I am drooling!

Just an update on my flatbed table attachment for my Adler 205. I sanded the whole thing down to make smooth, rounded edges and painted it white. It installs in under a minute and is remarkably solid when attached to the cylinder arm by two countersunk screws, earning it a perfect score on my UCI scale (Uwe's confidence indicator)

IMG_2815.jpgIMG_2814.jpgIMG_3279.jpgIMG_3278.jpgIMG_3280.jpgIMG_3277.jpgIMG_3281.jpgIMG_3276.jpg

[cjsamples]

Thanks for the file but my Aspire 3.0 wouldn't open it. I will look around and see if I can find something to convert it so I can read it. When I saw it was a .crv file I was.........Yippee!! then " Code 102 cannot open file".....grrrrr.

[Uwe]

cjsamples: Bummer about the file incompatibility. You could try downloading a trial version of V-Carve Pro to at least open the file and look at it and perhaps export to different format, but I'm not sure how limited the trial version is. I could send you the ShopBot code text file, but it's not really editable. I created the file in V-Carve Pro, so I don't really have another CAD version. Perhaps I can export to some standard AutoCad style DXF file, but I doubt it would not have the pathing info, which is important.

DrmCa: Yes, I do have access to very cool and wickedly expensive tools, but only if I pay my $150/month membership fee at TechShop (which I can afford only once every couple of months, unless people actually start buying stuff I make there, haha).

[cjsamples]

I did download the trial version and it is pretty locked down as far as things you can do. I found a dimensional drawing from Juki for most of it but my machine has round attach points in the back so I will need to modify the file a little anyway.

I can set the run paths if you can export out a dxf file, I have a router here at the house.

Thanks, Chris.

[Uwe]

Here's a DXF export I did earlier today. It'll take some tweaking but it's a good starting point. Let's hope this works:

http://uwe.net/CAD/Consew225_v2.dxf

[cjsamples]

Looks like I can use that one. Will need to modify it here and there but it is a great start.

Thanks, Chris.

[Kulafarmer]

Talk about overkill, you guys are dreaming up something that is totally unnecessary.

If you wish to make a top with laminate as a finished surface, obtain a piece or 4 x 8 foot sheet of particle board 1 1/8" thick. You can build an under carriage/leg set from 2 x 4's you can buy at Lowe's or HD if you like but the "H" set of legs available that are made for this purpose, I know your wife thinks they are ugly, has everything where it is supposed to be with no interference when you mount a motor, cut a belting hole, etc. You think that 11/8" particle board isn't heavy enough? I have three of them and I see absolutely no problem with any of them.

IMHO, Buy the "H" leg set and cover it with something that makes it look Industrial if you will.

BTW: If I put a table under one of my machines with that black pipe for legs my wife would make it disappear. LOL

ferg

Even better than p board, go to masonry products supplier and buy 1-1/8" form ply, way more stable.

Better yet, can order adjustable leg set and butcher block from Grizzly for around 300$ and all you need to do is wait for the delivery truck with your screw gun in hand...,

[SARK9]

When in need, I watch Craigslist for a homely example of a table that has the cutout ready for my target machine....you can often find a sound, straight but *ugly* top, complete with a K-leg stand (and even a used machine!) for close to the cost of your material list. I have bought damaged full sheets of Formica HPL for $8 to $25 from the local builder's supply, which can cover as many as 4 standard sized tables, depending.

A "laminate trimmer" router bit, some bondo if needed, flooring sandpaper, and a bit of contact cement puts you in business. I don't expect to see it on the cover of any magazines, however.

-DC

[dikman]

Sark, I'm guessing that the second photo is the "before"? Either that, or you've gone overboard with the "used look".

My three used tables are a bit the worse for wear. I toyed with the idea of refurbishing them, but decided it was more trouble than it was worth.

Your idea of picking up a cheap one is actually a good one, and as you point out could be less than the materials required to build one from scratch.