We have two cabinets that have a lowerable table in the top so you can set your machine level with the top of the machine, or raise it for use with the free arm. My wife uses one of them for her sewing station, but she always sits the machines on it with the table raised up.
I'd use the other one dropped down, but I just don't have room for the cabinet anywhere in the house
.
Here's a couple pics of it:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]500168[/ATTACH]
Machine table dropped.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]500169[/ATTACH]
Machine table raised.
If your machine has a bolt hole in the bottom of it you can fasten it to the plate and pivot it down to close up the leafs.
If you could find something like this then you could have the best of both worlds.
Joe