Sturdy enough?
 

We are moving locally. Are the 6 or 8 ft. white resin tables sturdy enough for a full-size machine such as a Janome 6600? Would it shake or be bouncy? I currently have my machine on wall-to-wall built-in cabinetry. Many thanks for your input.

Everyone has their own tolerances, but for me it's not sturdy enough, and is also too high to sew comfortably.

I woudn't risk it. When I first started sewing I sewed on a 6 foot white resin table. I had a lightweight beginner machine. The table was sturdy but too high.

I have a Pfaff Creative 3.0 on one of these 6 ft folding tables - it works just fine for everyday piecing and even embroidery but if I am in a real hurry and sew very fast I do get some bounce.

I had a 6600 and no way I would want to sew with it on a resin table.
It's a great machine, but I think the table would totally take away from the pleasure of that machine!

Look for a used "table" that was sold with the machine.
It was a good solid basic frame and table top to it, but not overly huge for fitting into a room.
Or a solid desk. Or anything more solid and stable than a resin table.

I put a piece of plywood on the resin table and put my Big Brother on it. That takes out most of the bounce, but to tell you the truth, I don't sew that fast. My accurate 1/4" seam goes by the wayside when I try to sew at top speed. It does stop the bounce when I use the embroidery module. At home, I use a regular table, even though it is a bit high. I just raise my office chair.

I have a folding dining room table from Ikea (think expanding from seating 4 to 12). And I have a Pfaff 5.0. I find that the ends are bouncy but as long as I keep the machine on the center part, it is fine. I would think the same would apply to a resin table. Can you put your machine near the edge where the legs would help support it?

I have a 4' white resin table, I only use it to my left to hold items while I am sewing. I would not put my machines on it.

I used a 5 foot resin table for my Brother Innov-is 5000 which is a fairly large sewing/embroidery machine. I did find it somewhat bouncy but stopped using it completely when I realized the table had warped such that it the machine was sitting in a hole and the embroidery unit would no longer align with the machine head. As a result, the embroidery hoop was rubbing on the machine bed and was starting to hang-up as the hoop went in and out. The table warping seemed to be caused by the heat from the machine when it was on and it took about 2 years. To replace it, I bought a ‘student desk’ from Ikea, that is a simple table which has a table extension that slides in and out. The desk is working very well and I’m very glad I made the change.

Do you have one of the glass top patio tables? I was using a resin table and found that it was a bit high, also to take some of the vibration and bounce out I put one of the old rubber mouse pads under the motor end and a piece of cardboard the same thickness under the other. Then tried the glass top patio table it is a little lower very sturdy and no bounce.

I have several of the folding tables like they used to have in churches. You can find them at used office supply stores very reasonably and they are very sturdy. I have my Bernina on one and I do sew very fast. I've never had problems with bounce. I also FMQ'd a quilt using my Juki 2200 QVP Mini which is a fairly large machine and had no bounce at all.

I have an 8 foot table as you described and it does not shake but...... I do have more than just my machine on the table. There is a lamp, other unfinished projects, a stack of layer cakes and so on. These all add just a little weight but in the end, I have liked my purchase. I am considering a second 6 foot table to make an "L" configuration.

We moved recently and I had to downsize my sewing area. We bought a 2x4 resin table from a box store. I have a quite heavy Janome 6600 sewing machine and it is very solid. We cut the legs (metal) to the appropriate height. My machine is set closer to the right edge for stability and it is very solid and does not bounce. I think there are different quality tables out there but mine only cost $35 dollars. Hubby made me a 2x5 board (which I padded and covered) for my ironing board and that sits to the right of my machine. I lower that to the same height as my sewing machine table. Another table sits to the left of my machine so I have a u-shaped sewing area. Works perfect for me. It would also work to buy 3 of the 2x4 resin tables, cut the legs down to your liking and form the u-shaped area with them. I think the smaller tables are just more sturdy. I just finished FMQ a large queen sized quilt with no problem.

I use a small Brother machine on one close to the side and it works. I don't use that machine often - my big one is in a table with place for it to sit flush. also, if you are thinking of using that table for cutting, as others say, it bows in the center and isn't great for that. I got some pieces of leftover cabinet sides from IKEA to put over the table, cutting mat on top of that, and that was a tremendous help. I think anything like that, a piece of board, would work wonders to stabilizing it.

It bouncess too much. I don't like them for sewing.

My accuracy and enjoyment in sewing increased exponentially when I got a dedicated sewing machine table, one made specifically for the job. My machine bed is now level with a large table top, it is the perfect height and I get absolutely no bounce and when I have guests (my sewing room doubles as my guest bedroom) I can recess the machine down into the table and put the table top insert in. Sometimes you can find them used on Craig's list for less than the price of a collapsable table and you just have to go to a window place to have them cut an acrylic insert to fit your machine. I bought mine when I bought my Bernina and they had interest free financing for a year. It was well worth it.

I solved my “bouncy” problem by putting two mouse pads under my machine. It also cut way down on the vibration.

I have not tried to operate a machine on a resin table, so can't properly answer the question, but I wanted to point out that there are different brands and styles of resin tables. I have one that seems very sturdy and steady. I used it as a cutting table for several years. I would not hesitate to try it for a machine, and the height is adjustable, so that would not be an issue. In fact, as I typed this, it dawned on me that I should try it because the low height setting might very well be more comfortable for me than the table I now use. My chair height is adjustable also, and that is how I have been managing. I have a proper sewing table, but it's up against a wall, so I moved my machine to a wider former kitchen table in order to get more space behind it and to the left, where I put a smaller folding table to help support a quilt. If you are just considering this as a temporary plan until you're settled in the next house, I believe you could get an inexpensive table that would serve well enough. You will be able to tell a lot just from trying to jiggle it. If the legs wobble, pass it by.

My Singer S16 doesn't bounce on my 8' white table, but my smaller machine does. I really like the table, but it does seem to sag a bit with the heavy machine on it. I placed a tablet under it, about the thickness of a thin magazine, to bring it up to the height that the sew steady needed. Now all is good.

I bought a table top from Menards and then put 5 height adjustable legs under it. I am happy with it.

I wouldn't do it.

I think it would work temporarily. My resin tables are height adjustable. It will bounce, the bigger the table is, more bounce. I also use the tables for other things. If you have other options, I would try to go with something more sturdy.