Removing Millie Thread Cutter & Donita's vs Hartley's Ruler Bases

[Rebecca Grace]

Okay, considering removing the thread cutter from my 2013 Millennium because I don't use it and suspect I would find my machine even easier to move if she dropped a couple of pounds.  The only reason I hadn't done that yet was because my acrylic Hartley ruler base wouldn't fit anymore without the thread cutter -- but I saw a thread in the forum from 2012 with several members talking about "Donita's ruler base" that you use instead.  I googled "Donita ruler base" and came up with Donita Reeve's site -- is that what you're talking about (see pictures of Donita Reeve's ruler base below)?  There are no dimensions given for her APQS ruler base and I'm not sure how it attaches to the machine.  I'm wondering why people chose this ruler base instead of the clear acrylic Hartley base that APQS has, and what the advantages/disadvantages would be.  I see that she says the beveled edges of her base do not get hung up on the side clamps like the Hartley base does.  Is this ruler base big enough to support larger rulers, like Bethanne Nemesh's French Curve rulers in her Garden Lines collection?  Does this actually screw on through the stitch plate screw holes, or does it clamp onto the machine in some way?  And finally, if I remove the factory installed thread cutter from my Millie, will Donita's ruler base for APQS machines without thread cutters fit my machine without additional modification?  The main thing I dislike about the Hartley base is that if I accidentally lean or press down too hard near one of the front corners, the whole thing tips up while I'm quilting.