Sewing machine lift table. How to?

great white

great white

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I'm in the process of redo-ing my little sewing "nook". It involves making a new "C-shapped" table to mount several machines to.

Space as it currently is:

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Pardon the mess. There's a couple projects going on in there right now.

I'd like to make three of these machines "retractable" (fourth machine is an industrial walking foot machine, full cast iron and too heavy to "retract"), but not "flip up" like the traditional sewing tables.

I'd like to build a power lift mechanism, something like this:


Those are prohibitively expensive as you have to buy the whole table.

I'm thinking a gear and rack on either end of the lift platform driven by a central motor so both sides rise evenly.

The question is the rack and gears.

I'm trying to decide between 3d printing them or machining them out of steel.

3d printing is easy, I'm just concerned about strength. I'd be using ABS to print.

Steel is a different story. I've got the lathe and mill, but I've never cut a rack or gears before. Is it a hard skill to learn?

I thought about just buying pre-made rack and a couple gears, but we're back to it getting pretty expensive for just the gearing.

Thoughts anyone?
 
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Richelieu sells a kit. Still pricey though.
Martin

Sewing Machine Lift​



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Product №: 4508302
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I would use threaded rod. Not a rack for the lift. You can buy it everywhere. A small motor driving a belt of some kind to turn the threaded rod to raise and lower the sewing machine. A nut welded to a steel or aluminum plate attached to the shelf that holds the sewing machine. It would be harder making the cabinet than making the lifting mechanism.
 
Why don't you base it on something like this, and just motorize it : Amazon
The kind of machine you're talking about probably weighs less than 100 lbs, so one of these things won't even notice it.
The lift range is 14", and I just measured a couple machines in our shop, and they aren't that tall - Less than 12"
Even the ones with the oversize hand wheels :~)
If you're talking about a cylinder arm machine, especially a big one Like a Cowboy 3500, or 4500, then you'll need a bit more range ......

I thought about this some more, and the main problem is going to be the motor - If you use a servo, you could rig it on top of the table, I guess, and then just throw the belt on, maybe?
Or set it up so the motor was directly under the machine.
 
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wayback machine said:
Why don't you base it on something like this, and just motorize it : Amazon
The kind of machine you're talking about probably weighs less that 100 lbs, so one of these things won't even notice it.
The lift range is 14", and I just measured a couple machines in our shop, and they aren't that tall - Less than 12"
Even the ones with the oversize hand wheels :~)
If you're talking about a cylinder arm machine, especially a big one Like a Cowboy 3500, or 4500, then you'll need a bit more range ......
Click to expand...
Doesn't get better than that!
 
Not looking to use the "air lift" cylinder ones. You can buy them everywhere anyways. Even Lee valley sells them.

The scissor lift is an interesting idea. Not sure how stable it would be if not lifted to full height though.

I don't think a screw jack style would lift evenly across both sides. It also has to hold the weight solidly when lifted and supported in one spot means it's likely to "wobble" on that lift point. Twin screws are likely to get "out of time" and jam or "rack". Would probably have to be a acme style thread as well, I can see regular screw threads not working well (ie: jamming, galling, etc)

The machines that will be on the lifters are aluminum bodied, so 40-odd lbs or so.

The industrial (331k105) is considerably heavier, being cast iron bodied. But as mentioned, that one is going to be solid mounted, no lifter.
 
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For my wife’s, I just made a recessed platform to accommodate the machine so that the the bed of the machine sits flush with the cabinets top surface. Lift the machine out of the cabinet and set on a below deck shelf when not in use. Close the lid.
 
Secided to purchase a bunch or acme rod and acme nuts/platforms.

Not sure if it will work out, but at least its a starting point….
 
If you drive the rod with chain and sprocket, less chance of getting out of "time".
1 will be rh thread, the other lh thread.
 
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