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Do you ladies worry about putting stuff on your table that is not APQS?  

 

The hubby tried to get a lift from APQS for Christmas for me. I guess they have been on back order since way before Christmas.  The hubby called again this morning but now maybe February 2nd the lifts will come in. So he asked again about the Suspa lifts. I'm worried this lift will not be a good lift because it's not APQS. I trust APQS and their products. I know nothing about Suspa.   I've read that some of you ladies do have the Suspa lift. Any input would be helpful. I just don't want to do anything to harm my table or pay out that amount of money for something that's not good quality.  

 

 

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Oh yes, get a lift!  I use it so much more than I ever thought I would.  Wonderful to sit down and do detail work, or to frog without having to stretch my back over the table.  Not that I ever have to frog anything! ;)

 

Next thing you'll need is a saddle stool.  I got mine through my hairdresser.  Here's a link.  http://www.agssalonequipment.com/hermes-saddle-salon-stool-1.html

Being tall, darling husband had to add a block of wood to make it a little taller for me.  Even with the table at it's lowest point, I'm still too tall.

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I don't have an answer about the part number Diane, but I'd have to say the power lift is a must have item for me.  I could get along without a number of other things, but I would hate to be without my power lift.  It makes quilting so much more comfortable.  You can give your back a rest by changing the height of the table.  Good luck with your search.  Jim

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I'm wondering if you can put the wheels on a table that has the hydraulic lift?  I need to move my machine out of the way when I quilt with my granddaughters so I have enough room for their machines.  If I have wheels on my Millie, I can push it aside while the girls sew with their DSM's and move it back when they're done.  TIA.

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I think the castors add about 5 inches in extra height.  When I built new ends for my table, I shortened the legs so I could put on a set of retractable wheels.  If I were installing a power lift system to a standard table, I would shorten the legs to accommodate a wheel set.  I don't move my table often, but the wheels make it easy to do.  Jim

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Dave and Jim, could you post a picture of your castors/lift system?  I have castors because I do need to move Emmeline up against the wall when our daughter is in town (they "share" that room), and I have often wondered if a lift system would work with them.

 

Jim, how hard was it to shorten the legs?

 

TIA!

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Betsy:  I didn't shorten my table legs, I built entirely new ones.  However, shortening them would seem to be a simple matter of cutting off the bottom portion of each leg.  I have a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder that I use 1/16" abrasive wheels/blades on, and that is what I'd use.  Someone with a hacksaw could do the same thing, it would just take a bit longer.  Block up the ends of the table so the legs are off the floor, and cut off the amount you want to lower the table by.

 

My lift system is electric and was built from parts taken off an electric bed, so I doubt that seeing it would help you out.  I will however, try and take some pictures of the retractable wheels I built so you can see them.  I originally made them for an old KenQuilt 622 table I had.  When I sold the KenQuilt I removed them.  They're made from plans I have in a book about power tools.  If you have a wood worker in the family,I think he/she could make a set without too much trouble.  Jim

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Thanks, Jim.  No woodworkers in our family, unfortunately, and although I definitely consider myself handy, I am nowhere close to your league!

 

I was thinking that jacking up the frame and cutting off the legs would be the way to go.  Simple, but labor intensive.  Probably need to think about the need for a lift a bit longer before I start sawing. :)

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Took a few pictures to show the highlights

First to show what the arrangement is when you are all installed.

post-23173-0-81962300-1422506467_thumb.jpg

Next to show how the caster can get in the way (not a real problem as the caster can be rotated)

post-23173-0-59053800-1422506483_thumb.jpg

Finally a "bigger picture view"

post-23173-0-65806900-1422506499_thumb.jpg

By my admittedly imprecise measurement it adds between 3-5" to the height. For a short guy that makes a difference!

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Thanks, Dave! 

 

I'm a visual person, so your pictures really help.  I would definitely need to shorten my legs for the hydraulic lift to be of any use to me.  Right now, with my castors, my table is about as high as I would ever want it, sometimes almost too high.  Maybe I'll ask DH if he can think of a fairly simple way to do that.  (He is a mechanical engineer, after all.)  That would be a very nice birthday present!

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Betsy, Dave:  I was wondering about the rotation of the castor and interference with the lift.  My retractable wheels are more off set than your lift, but the foot of the leg can still interfere with the castor's movement if the castor is in the wrong place.

 

Betsy:  Is your frame the same as Dave's?  It doesn't look as if the lift's mounting bracket would work on a shortened leg.  You'd have to either make a new bracket, or modify the leg assembly to mount the lift cylinder.  I think it just involves the "front" legs because I believe the rear ones are straight.  Jim

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Betsy, I have casters so I haven't tried any other method of moving my machine.  I have read in older posts about others using furniture moving pads under the legs of their machines.  If that does indeed work it would allow you to remove the casters on your machine and eliminate some of the height.

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Does anyone know what a 14ft frame with a Millie on it weighs? My casters make my lift somewhat unusable as at the lowest height it is about as high as I would ever want it. However I could lift one side and move it and then the other...but if it weighs too much I would not want to use that method! My other option would be to build a low platform to stand on...but likely I would fall off of it at some point!

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Dave:  I think the whole set up probably weighs about 450 lb.

 

Think about shortening the legs.  All you'd have to do is build cylinder brackets that attach to the cross bar between the legs so you can move the cylinders away from the castors..  If you're uncomfortable doing that yourself, you could remove the legs and take them to a welding shop and have them do the work for you.  You really will appreciate a lower table.  Think about it.  Jim

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