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Any ideas on how to use an electric TV lift mechanism as a lift in a sewing machine cabinet? TV lifts cost considerably less than sewing machine lifts. The sewing machine weighs about 50 pounds. I saw an electric sewing machine lift for $762.00 while a TV lift can be had for under $200.00
https://www.sewvacdirect.com/fashion...iABEgLg9vD_BwE
Thanks, Redwoods
Looking at some TV lifts what I would worry about is that the center of gravity of the sewing machine will be a lot farther from the lift mechanism than that of a TV. My concern would be if the mechanism and mounting can take the increased torque of lifting the weigh on a longer lever-arm, so to speak. They all seem to be capable of lifting substantially greater weights than the sewing machine, so it's just a matter of fabricating the shelf to hold the sewing machine, since the TV's generally bolt to the included rack in the TV lifts. Motorized TV Lifts - Lee Valley Tools
I agree about the CG of the sewing machine compared to a TV. Both mechanisms are pricey in my book. Based on the specs I saw for the sew lift; "23 3/4" with a total travel of 17.25" but can be customized to heights from about 19" and up"...it looks to me that the mechanism takes up ~1/3 the height inside the cabinet.
Seems to me, using 2, 5/8-3/4" guide rods and tubing with Delrin sleeves, a back plate/shelf with diagonal supports and some 5/8" acme thread and flange/nut and small DC motor (maybe a sewing machine or windshield washer motor) driven by toothed belt, would be more than enough for 50lbs and might be able to use a wall wart to drive it up and down with a DPDT switch. With a little scrounging, fab work, and working out where the Acme threaded rod would be located for CG and pulley sizes...definitely less than $200. You would need a couple of micro stop switches wired into the DPDT switch for top and bottom "limits" and some supports for the rods and Acme rods...could even be hardwood.
Many years ago I designed a 4 post double start fast thread, chain driven system to lift a ~200 pound instrument precisely into a table top opening...a little more robust than needed here but the principles are the same...worked quite well over many years.
Acme "single start" threaded rods and nuts are available pretty inexpensively on McMaster for ~$30 depending on nut choice or Fastenal (a bit pricey) also carries it in their stores. If you want to speed it up you could use double start but about 2-3 times the cost of single start. On a 5/8-8 single start rod you could move 19" in 152 revs...depending on pulley ratios you could move that pretty quickly...probably 2-4 motor to 1 rod rev. would be fine depending on the motor and/or put a $5 speed control set for a proper speed.
Hope this helps...Scrounging and repurposing is fun and rewarding at least to me and most others here.
:hattip: PJ
Thanks for your thoughts. I am hoping that a tv lift with a capacity of twice the weight of the sewing machine can handle the load being away from the lift.
I have been thinking this same idea sometimes.
I planned to use "douple scissor jack" -system.. Just nice casing around it and some bearings to support moving stand, was my latest plan.
Wife decided that she doesn't need that kind of thingy, so never build it...
Of course that would be nice feature to have on the workshop too, to keep heavier tools away from the table when not in use?