Help with making a whole in my sewing table for my machine!!!!
 

I use a large wooden table for my sewing table and love it... Have been thinking about cutting a whole in it and making my machine be level with the table.. (I have watched lots of videos and my husband has woodworking tools and would be the one doing this) BUT I have a fear and need help from those who have done this..... After cutting the whole and putting the lower shelf in etc... I will not have the Plexiglass piece to cover the wood part (I hope that makes sense what I am saying) the extention part for my machine that you can buy... .............. So I am afraid that my fabric will get pulled or snag when running across the wood area... Can anyone help with this? what are your thoughts/suggestions?

What are you going to put in place of plexiglass? Anything?

I don't know! That is why I am needing help. A lot of tutorials do not use anything.. they just cut the hole really close to the machine then that's it! I am trying to do it as cheap as possible! BUT I don't want to half do it either!

I have a machine in a table, it is raised about 1/8 of an inch above the level of table, if you sand the table well after cutting and finish it with a polymer sealer it should be fine ,the quilts do not catch, my machine has rounder surfaces , if your machine has a removable extension I would recommend that you cut the table so you can put that in place while sewing,so you can use your free arm when necessary.

Does your sewing machine have a top-loading bobbin? Or a front-loading bobbin? I think that is what makes the difference.

If you have a top-loader, it's enough to cut the hole to fit the machine.

If you have a front-loading bobbin as I do, typically you make the hole larger than the machine and create a plexiglass insert to fill the gap between the hole and your machine. I believe hardwares stores will cut plexiglass for you to a paper pattern; you would add legs to the plexiglass to keep it at the correct height. Note: Some machines come with an extension table to create a flat surface. If you have one of these, you don't need to cut a new plexiglass insert. Alternatively, instead of creating your own insert, you can purchase a ready-made table extension for your machine and cut the hole to fit that table.

Edit: Here's a tutorial for the top-loading bobbin:
http://frommartawithlove.com/diy-ike...able-tutorial/

my husband cut out a sewing cabinet to fit my machine you smooth it down and he put varnish on it he also made the insert out of wood and it was also smooth and had a finish my fabric does not snag on it.

I have a top loading bobbin!

Thank you everyone! That really helps!!! I think I will like it much better down in a table! :)

if the table that you are going to be cutting is solid wood, then just sand the edges smooth and apply a sealer like polyurethane. Your fabric doesn't catch on the edges of the table right now, right? so just finish the newly cut part the same way.

Do you need access for any reason?

If your husband can get the hole cut with precision, great. If not, the plexi extensions can be ordered for most any machine. If that's the route you are going, wait to make the framework to hold the machine and to cut the hole, til after you have the plexi, so that all will be flush as well as the distance from the edge works with the plexi.

Another consideration ... allow for space to feed your electrical and foot pedal cords thru the hole you make in the table, so they do not run over the table top.