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Introductions

I'm a newb, stuck in that frustrating, nothing seems to work, but at least I'm learning to fix my never-ending string of mistakes stage. I've managed to make a few ugly things, like a raglan baby cardigan with matching pants, and a single tiny sock.

I have two ISMs that I've had for decades (mostly in storage) and two standard metal bed machines. I bought both of these this year, a Knitking KH-840/KR-830 with a double-bed color changer, Knitleader, and a set of punchcards, along with a Studio SK560/SRP50 with an intarsia carriage, Knit Radar, and a set of mylars. I haven't messed with the Studio yet, because it took several months to find a power supply, and I'm still trying to figure out how to be proficient with the Knitking before adding electronics and possibly AYAB to my plate.

With some time and a boatload of luck, I might be able to make something worth wearing.

Stuck Sponge Bar

While inserting the sponge bar into an SK890, it turned and is now severely STUCK. I have inserted a cleaning brush to reach stuck area but it will not move forward. What to do now??

Technical Advice: Jammed Sponge Bar on Studio/Silver Reed SK890

When a sponge bar flips sideways or upside down inside a Studio/Silver Reed needle bed channel (such as the SK890), the metal backing rail wedges against the bed frame while the foam expands into the needle butts, trapping brushes or tools.

To safely extract a jammed sponge bar without damaging needle latches or the bed channel:

1. Do not pull or push from the trapped end: Pushing a cleaning brush or wire will further compress and jam the foam against the needle tails.
2. Remove needles around the jam: Depress the needles from the top of the bed and push them out from underneath the bed rail to relieve pressure on the sponge bar foam.
3. Use a thin flat metal strip: Slide a long thin metal ruler, feeler gauge, or flat metal strip (e.g. an extra needle bed strip) along the top metal side of the sponge bar to depress the foam layer flat while pulling gently from the opposite end.
4. Disassemble end cap if necessary: Remove the two end cap screws on the bed side where the bar entered to widen the entry slot angle.

For detailed procedures and full troubleshooting indexes, please refer to the dedicated wiki pages Sponge Bar Replacement and Maintenance.