Anyone know of a good sewing machine desk plan. I have googled a lot and
found nothing like what the mother-in-law would like. She want one that
looks like a regular style office desk and the machine fold in to the top.
While the machine is folded away you can use it as a desk. All of the ones I
have seen either fold completely up and serve no purpose or have some type
of lift )rockler plan) the you would end up smashing you knees on when you
use it as a desk. My mom had on when I was a kid, it was pretty slick.
Thanks
My mother, a seamstress, has a sewing machine and cabinet that I think
is similar to what you are looking for. It has 3 drawers on the right
side, one small drawer on the left side, plenty of leg room and has the
original stool (horse hair padding in the seat, BTW...pretty neat).
Once the machine is folded into the cabinet, the very solid lid folds
over the whole topside. I suppose it dates back to, at least, the
1950s. I could take some pics and measurements for you, if you'd
like....if so, email me: [email protected]
Also, my cousin is a sewing machine repairman, domestic and industrial
machines. His shop is loaded with many old and new machines and
cabinets. I am certain he has something that plans can be drawn from.
One of my upholstery machines is being repaired, at the moment, so I
can soon check with him to see, exactly, what he might have.
Sonny
"J T" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> My ex had one, that was close to what you want. I thinkk. The top
> folded to the left. Then you lifted a hinged section up, pulled the
> sewing machine up - on a hinged section also. Lay the first section
> back down, lower the sewing machine until its hinged section rests on
> ithe first section. Viola, that's it.
My mom had one of those too. And the construction was simple enough that one
should be able to jury-rig their own table without plans. It also occurs to
me that if the OP can't find any pictures or plans of this construction he
might look for the same type of plan used in conjunction with typewriters.
If memory serves me correctly, the operation was virtually identical to the
sewing machine table.
Wed, Oct 11, 2006, 9:43pm (EDT+4) [email protected]
(speedbuggy) doth queryeth:
Anyone know of a good sewing machine desk plan. <snip> end up smashing
you knees on when you use it as a desk. My mom had on when I was a kid,
it was pretty slick.
At least you googled, so many don't.
My ex had one, that was close to what you want. I thinkk. The top
folded to the left. Then you lifted a hinged section up, pulled the
sewing machine up - on a hinged section also. Lay the first section
back down, lower the sewing machine until its hinged section rests on
ithe first section. Viola, that's it.
When you put it away you pushed the sewing machine back, lifting
the front section up enough so you can raise it out of the way. Lowev
the seewing machine down until it stops, then lower the front section
down. then fold the to over the sewing machine. That's it. She never
used it as a desk, but it would have been entiredly practical to use it
as a small desk, as I recall your knees would have been below the sewing
machine. It didn't hang stright down, but at an angle. Very simple,
quite foolproof, works.
I'd say check thrift shops until you found one you liked, probably
get one for $5-$10. Then copy the workings of it. Put however many
drawers you want in it. You could make it wider, but I wouldn't change
it front to rear much, might make it too mard to reach for sewing. Don'
need no steenkin' plans.
Oh yes, be sure to make it out of cherry, that always makes for
nice furniture. Then pick a really nice color and paint it.
JOAT
It's not hard, if you get your mind right.
- Granny Weatherwax
speedbuggy wrote:
> Anyone know of a good sewing machine desk plan. I have googled a lot and
> found nothing like what the mother-in-law would like. She want one that
> looks like a regular style office desk and the machine fold in to the top.
> While the machine is folded away you can use it as a desk. All of the ones I
> have seen either fold completely up and serve no purpose or have some type
> of lift )rockler plan) the you would end up smashing you knees on when you
> use it as a desk. My mom had on when I was a kid, it was pretty slick.
>
> Thanks
>
>
As a woodworker who also sews, your M-I-L might like the lift type, just
built longer with a knee space when closed. Sewing takes up a lot of
space. A storage/file cabinet on casters that fit in the space would be
an option or just use the space to store the chair when not in use.
You might get some ideas at
[http://www.stitchingpost.com/products/cabinets/sewmate_ii.htm]
Jess.S
Older machines were the same size as the newer ones. I have a 1960 Singer
401G sitting right behind me at the moment. It is bigger than my 1996
serger. It is only slightly smaller than my industrial hemstitcher. I do
have a 1948 Singer 99K that is smaller but it was made as a 3/4 size
machine. The first thing the OP needs to do is determine if the machine he
wants the cabinet for is a plate mount or free arm. Most all modern machines
are free arm and do not have hinges. This is the reason that most cabinets
these days have lifts. Older ones were usually plate mount and did have
hinges.
"John (aka wheelzuk)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Hi Speedbuggy,
I'd like to suggest you maybe Google for Singer Sewing Machines circa 1920
to 1965 for potential photographs of the type of table/desk your Mom had
when you were younger.
Machines these days are considerably larger than their ancient forebearers,
I'm not sure you'd manage to comfortably fit one into a similar table to the
ones I certainly remember from childhood.
I got my plan from Ubild-Plans. Woodcraft also has their plan.
"Sonny" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> My mother, a seamstress, has a sewing machine and cabinet that I think
> is similar to what you are looking for. It has 3 drawers on the right
> side, one small drawer on the left side, plenty of leg room and has the
> original stool (horse hair padding in the seat, BTW...pretty neat).
> Once the machine is folded into the cabinet, the very solid lid folds
> over the whole topside. I suppose it dates back to, at least, the
> 1950s. I could take some pics and measurements for you, if you'd
> like....if so, email me: [email protected]
>
> Also, my cousin is a sewing machine repairman, domestic and industrial
> machines. His shop is loaded with many old and new machines and
> cabinets. I am certain he has something that plans can be drawn from.
> One of my upholstery machines is being repaired, at the moment, so I
> can soon check with him to see, exactly, what he might have.
>
> Sonny
>
Good luck. What you are describing is an old style cabinet for plate mount
machines. Most every consumer sewing machine on the market for many years
now has been a free arm, essentially portable machine. That is why the ones
you find have a lift. The free arms don't have hinges.
"speedbuggy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone know of a good sewing machine desk plan. I have googled a lot and
> found nothing like what the mother-in-law would like. She want one that
> looks like a regular style office desk and the machine fold in to the top.
> While the machine is folded away you can use it as a desk. All of the ones
I
> have seen either fold completely up and serve no purpose or have some type
> of lift )rockler plan) the you would end up smashing you knees on when you
> use it as a desk. My mom had on when I was a kid, it was pretty slick.
>
> Thanks
>
>
Hi Speedbuggy,
I'd like to suggest you maybe Google for Singer Sewing Machines circa =
1920 to 1965 for potential photographs of the type of table/desk your =
Mom had when you were younger.=20
Machines these days are considerably larger than their ancient =
forebearers, I'm not sure you'd manage to comfortably fit one into a =
similar table to the ones I certainly remember from childhood.=20
It might be worth looking at the mechanisms connected with pocket door =
technology, to see if they'll readilly convert to some sort of platform =
idea, that can be raised from the back/internals of a table and the base =
inserted into a cutout space on the table top? I have something in mind =
similar to the block of wood/ply that a mitre saw sits on, on a metal =
saw stand. The difference being, this could be moved back and inverted =
to be stored away, using heavy duty drawer runners, or other similar =
mechanism? I was able to find some simpler desk type cabinets on a UK =
site at=20
http://www.sewingmachinediscount.co.uk/home/productzoom2.asp?url=3Dphotos=
/horn7a.gif
I specifically chose this picture, because it has measurements provided, =
there are other cabinet models available on the website.=20
A general check on "sewing machine cabinets" might find what you need?
Hope this helps you?
John
"speedbuggy" <[email protected]> wrote in message =
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone know of a good sewing machine desk plan. I have googled a lot =
and=20
> found nothing like what the mother-in-law would like. She want one =
that=20
> looks like a regular style office desk and the machine fold in to the =
top.=20
> While the machine is folded away you can use it as a desk. All of the =
ones I=20
> have seen either fold completely up and serve no purpose or have some =
type=20
> of lift )rockler plan) the you would end up smashing you knees on when =
you=20
> use it as a desk. My mom had on when I was a kid, it was pretty slick.
>=20
> Thanks=20
>=20
>