A Much Better Way To Attach A Flatbed To A 441 Clone

[amuckart]

This is not my idea, I saw this specific implementation on Donna Nobilo's machine. It is very similar to the way flatbed tables attach to Pearson No.6 machines, and similar to the way flatbeds attach to 29k patchers. Donna runs Ethos Leather in New Zealand and is a member on these forums.

It is so much better than the (IMO ridiculous) way the tables come from the Chinese factories with four bolts at the back of the flatbed to attach it to the machine table I don't know why they don't ship the tables built like this already.

It takes less than a minute to attach, and requires only two bolts. It's pretty stable with just one but it is slightly more secure with two.

You need two M8 machine screws. I'm using cap head allen screws and an M5 allen key. If you used an M8 wing screw that would make the lower attachment easier, I just don't happen to have one.

The m8 screws don't appear to be a perfect match for the threads tapped into the machine head, but they do work. I don't know what the thread standard in the holes in the machine is, but at least some of the other bolts in 441s are metric as well.

The table attaches using brackets made of bent aluminium strip. This stuff is 50mm wide and is a standard stock item at big box hardware stores.

The rear strap of the bracket sits across the rectangular cutout in the arm

The front strap of the bracket wraps under the shuttle race

Add the machine screws and you're done

This cost me less than $10 to do, and about half an hour to make. The only vaguely difficult bit was measuring up the bends.

Here's a video showing how easily it goes on and off.

https://youtu.be/u8zhPB5c5iA

[Thor]

How slick. Thanks for sharing!

[Singermania]

Interesting..........the way the tables come from China with the four bolts are so simple and easy to attach, and solid as a rock. Can't imagine why you would do all that work just to do it differently. As I have made these wooden tops from scratch I can tell you the hardest thing is to get the routered out layed effect under the table top that fits the arm precisely, once you have that they really just about sit there on there own.