I think there’s a lot to be said for the idea of trading your standup longarm in for a sitdown longarm.
I personally wouldnt be comfortable letting anyone “convert” one setup to another - they are two separate animals! 😊
Maybe i just worry too much, but what if you were to go to all the trouble and expense of a conversion and find that it doesnt exactly function as you hoped - could you change it back? Assuming that you can successfully make the hybrid (even if it works) are you going to be able to get anywhere near your total investment out of it should you want or need to sell it in the future?
They only thing i can liken the conversion idea to at the moment... my husband bought his “dream bike” a few years ago - a top of the line Harley CVO that he planned to be his last bike. Fast forward to this May of this year and a total knee replacement. Oops! Now he is trying to decide whether to sell his dream bike or have it “Triked” (3 wheel conversion). While he * could * do that (at significant additional expense) maybe he * shouldnt *. Why? Even though the actual value he would have in the motorcycle after the conversion would be 50% more than he already spent on the bike he could never get his money out of it. 2-wheel guys would love the CVO but want nothing to do with a CVO trike (seriously, do you know true blue Harley guys?) - anybody buying a CVO trike would be crazy to pay the CVO + trike price! I told my husband that it’s his bike and i cant tell him what to do and wont. Another issue for him is the 2 wheel and the 3 wheel experience is totally different. He doesnt feel comfortable on 2 wheels after the surgery - so he is the only one who can really put a “value” on this decision. I think thats where you are at.
I do have a sitdown longarm - also a saddle chair. They are a good combo! The machine came built into its own table and everything is set up from start to finish to be a sitdown longarm. Thats what i hoped for, wanted, and paid for. I dont have standup longarm skills at all. But i do have years of FMQ skills on a domestic sewing machine and for the most part those skills transfer over to my sitdown machine.
I’m sorry to be not much help, but just wanted to add some extra thoughts for whatever they are worth! I truly hope that you make the right decision for you - because you are the one who needs to be happy!