Easy way to change out machines
 

Basic question: Is there an easy way to switch out a 15-91 and a 201-2 in a cabinet? I want to keep both machines (and use them), but don't have room for two cabinets. They both have that black thingy that attaches to the cabinet and fills in the space that the wires go through. I can't figure a way around that. Would I just have to live with a hole there? (I hope that makes sense.)

bkay

The 'spring plate' is what I've heard it called; not sure if that's the correct technical term. I've seen cabinets where the plate was removed and an empty space left, and I've seen others that removed the spring plate and found (or made) a rectangular tray that slipped into that space. It's not needed in any way. Might be an opportunity to get creative with the space! =)

For a moment there, I thought you were asking about the rubber band method...

which I highly recommend.

I was talking about the spring plate. So, I see the answer is to remove the spring plate from the machine and live with the space or find something to fill it.

I had not seen that rubber band thing before, thanks.

Thanks Cari.

bkay

Dang I feel foolish! I don't know how many times I have fought those dang hinges, just to see that a rubber band is all I needed!
Thanks for the post

Gotta agree about hte rubber band. I've fought those way too many times.

So, as I understand it, you are suggesting that I remove the cords from the spring plate. Then, when I switch out the machines, I just push the cords through the area where the spring plate is?

The controller is hard wired to the machine on the 15 and also on the 201 I'm working on. Could you put some kind of connector on the controller wire so that you could just plug it in and not have to thread it through the spring plate opening?

bkay

OMG.. this is a terrific method! Why didn't I know about the rubber bands?

Steelsewing - Thanks for the link to the video! I never knew about using rubber bands to hold the pins - simple but a great idea!! Thanks!

I could be guilty of that. It wouldn't be the first time.

Thanks, Cari.

bkay

I've given this some thought and I think (?) I understand the dilemma: to be able to use one cabinet and easily swap out machine heads with little to no effort. Having the spring plate there or not there doesn't really assist all that much with wire disconnect and re-connect. You still have to unscrew the plug receiver screw, reach around and undo two of the twist nuts, remove the pedal/knee control wires... and then reverse all this when you slip in the other head. This would be particularly true with a 15-91 and 201 swap.

The easier (?) way to accomplish this would be if there were some other kind of way of removing those two wires and then reconnecting. If you were to say.... find a spot in the run of the wire from when it tucks into the hole on the spring plate... say 6 inches away from the hole on the inside of the cabinet.

Now, cut one of those two wires and add a splice, and then measure two to three inches from that splice and cut and splice the second wire. Then, add these wire connectors. You want to leave a a couple of inches between each splice one so that one end of the splice connector can easily slip through the hole in the spring plate.

You'll need to make one full set, and then another half set. Say you put the male splice ends on the sewing machine side, and the female on the knee control side. Now you need a duplicate set of male splice end wires for the second machine. This way... the wire sets stay connected to the machine. No fooling with wire nuts or loosening the plug receiver. It would save a lot of time and hassle and you'd be able to switch back and forth way easier.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]610234[/ATTACH]
Here's the idea on paper

and here's a link to the sort of wire splices that I could find online that might work.

Is this closer to what you had in mind?