Silver Reed SK 840 Knitting Machine Unboxing and Assembly

If you’re wondering what comes with the Silver Reed SK 840 standard gauge electronic knitting machine right out of the box, this is the post for you!

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Unboxing

Unboxing this machine feels a bit like a Christmas box-in-a-box prank at first, but with good reason. The SK 840 is manufactured in China and has to make its way to you safely, after all. The machine ships in a long box that contains the actual box that contains the machine in its built-in case.

The interior box is clearly labeled, and at this point, I accidentally ripped one of the sides off in my excitement to get it open. Be a little bit more careful than I was when you’re removing the shipping box. It’s a tight squeeze, so you may need someone else to pull the other end while you ease it out.

This metal bed machine weighs in at around 35 pounds. In its closed case, it’s 44 inches long, about 8 inches deep, and just under 4 inches tall. The long size and weight make it a bit unwieldy to carry.

Once you open the interior box, you’ll be greeted with two manuals and the machine in its closed case. The extra padding on the ends keeps the machine from moving around too much during shipping.

Both manuals contain basic how to instructions, but the green Operation Manual provides more extensive guidance for using the machine with various (separately purchased) accessories.

The SK 840 and its accessories are neatly packed inside its case. Paper strips protect the needle bed and gate pegs from scratches while foam keeps the carriage tension dial in place. The carriage itself is locked to the needle bed with a carriage lock, and the tension dial on the carriage is held in place with a rubber band to prevent the buttons and levers from moving.

The padding in the lid is attached, which is oddly one of the things I was most excited to find out. Sometimes putting the sinker plate and tension mast back in a case for storage is confusing, so I’m very glad the foam is there as a guide. Some machines case lids have plastic pieces with drawings on them to indicate where each piece goes, but those are often lost or damaged over the years.

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The tools come in their own box as opposed to the storage drawer some machines (especially punch card machines) have built in to the plastic portion of the needle bed.

It’s nice to see that there are three hot pink nylon ravel cords included. (I think their color may vary.) My cat is constantly making off with my ravel cord bobbins, and I end up needing to use scrap yarn as ravel cord most of the time. (See this post if you’re interested in learning how to use scrap yarn as ravel cord in a pinch.)

The manuals detail which accessories you’ll need for different functions, so be sure to read it. Remember, the manual is your best friend!

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Everything you see above is what comes standard with the Silver Reed SK 840. To connect to Design A Knit software, you do need to purchase a separate cable or use a separate pattern control unit.

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Assembly

To use your machine, you’ll need to place it on a table or machine stand and secure it with the included clamps. Your tabletop should be relatively shallow and straight-edged. The clamps don’t work well on a beveled edge.

I’ve set up the SK 840 on a metal stand I bought from my mentor.

Ready for more pics?

The carriage lock keeps the carriage from sliding about in transit. You should always use it when you pack your machine away for storage or travel.

I recommend keeping the carriage lock in your accessories box when it’s not in use so you don’t lose it.

After removing the carriage lock, you can attach the sinker plate to the carriage. The plate has guides to help you install it securely. Be careful not to over-tighten and strip the knobs.

The yarn tension guide attaches to the back side of the tension rod. There are high and low placement options on the rod with metal nubs that help keep the tension guide secure.

The tension springs are attached to the back of the auto tension unit but are folded back for storage. They will snap into place when you fold them forward.

The smaller end of the tension rod fits into the bottom of the auto tension unit and is different enough in size that you can’t install it incorrectly or upside down. I’ve done that in the past with a couple of Brother machines and wondered why the yarn clip holders didn’t work very well. I like that this unit saves you from that silly mistake.

You can assemble the entire tension unit (rod, guide, springs, and auto tension piece) before placing the rod into the machine, or you can place the rod in the machine first and add the other pieces from there. I don’t think order matters too much as long as you remember which direction the tension unit pieces should face.

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Here it is set up and waiting for yarn. Looks pretty great, doesn’t it?

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If you’re interested in purchasing a Silver Reed SK 840 knitting machine, feel free to contact me. I sell Silver Reed knitting machines through Get Stitchin’ in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We’re happy to custom order current Silver Reed machines and parts for you, and we keep the Silver Reed LK 150 plastic hobby machine in stock. Please be aware that we are experiencing some delays in delivery due to supply chain issues like everyone else, but we will keep you informed each step of the way.

Still thinking about it? Don’t worry! Accessory unboxings and demos are coming to help you learn what this machine can do and what add-ons you might want or need for your favorite machine functions.

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Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this look at everything that comes standard with the Silver Reed SK 840 standard gauge metal bed knitting machine. Also, apologies for the late post! It’s 2022 and it looks like I still can’t count days and weeks correctly. Whoops! I’m sure glad those needle beds are numbered….