Cradle for a 401??
 

I just recently aquired a beautiful 401A for $75 and a school cabinet for $25. Both of them cleaned up good as new and I watched Andy tube to clean, oil and lube her and she is now purring. My question is do I need a cradle to store her in the cabinet. There doesn't appear to have much to hold her and she is way heavier then my 301.

I can't see the hinge pins in your photo. As long as you have those, and the head is gently lowered, not dropped, you should be fine.

Very nice combo, btw!

The 301 short bed is the only machine to use a cradle in a standard cabinet. The 401 is held in the cabinet by hinge pins, in fact that cabinet most likely originally held a 401 or a 500. I think you might have to remove the machine from the base to put it in the cabinet.

Cari

Thanks Cari, found out this yesterday when I tried putting her in. I have new hinges on order, one is broken, and won't try and lay her down till I get the new ones in. As for now she sits on the table opposite my Janome 6600MC which I will use for piecing but the heavier quilting I'm doing on this beast, she sews like a dream.

Will do once I get the new pins, Thanks. Just seemed heavy for just laying in the case.

Thank you, could not pass them up for the price, and both are in near perfect condition. The table is huge with the expansion up and I can fold her in half to just 18"wide. Its perfect for my guest room.

Don't forget the grub nuts to tighten the hings with.

My school table is a little different version but I love it too. Mine came with a 500 in it but since I'm not a Singer gal it went to a new home.
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Cari

I just gave away 2 401's in mint condition, in cabinets. Alas, I took the cabinet to the Senior Center yesterday. Yes, a 'cradle when you store the machine is good to have. Singer made cabinets back in the 40- through 60's. In looking at the pix, if you flip up the hinged part in the back there is two holes to hold the machine in place when it is down in the cabinet. Having a cabinet is so much easier on shoulders than sewing with a portable that is raised up from a table surface. Besides many of the cabinets have 3 or 4 drawers. They are solid wood that prevents vibrations that a portable on a table is prone to. Also the cabinet may have a cord that plus into the machine so you can use the foot control bar, it pops out parallel to the floor like a metal bar. It is so much better than the old foot control with the button style. Happy sewing One last thing....it takes to people to put the machine on the pins, because it is so heavy.