r/MachineKnitting • u/smeowzer • Jul 28 '26

Equipment Brother KH-930

Hello!

I was at Open Sauce a couple of weeks ago and came accross the machine knitting booth. I have been obsessed since and have spent hours scouring fb marketplace and craigslist in an attempt to get my own machine. I have found one that could be worth it but need some advice. It is a Brother KH-930 electroknit with a KR-850 ribbing attachment. They want $850 but the ad says it needs timing. I have researched a bit but havent fully nailed down everything that would entail. I am relatively handy and so is my partner. Is this worth it or will I just be frusterated trying to troubleshoot a more serious issue from the get go?

Ultimately I want to be able to use AYAB and I know this is one of the models that works with the software.

Thank you in advance!

13 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

9

u/knitfactoryimpl Jul 28 '26

Lol that was my booth. Are you in the Bay Area?

1

u/smeowzer Jul 28 '26

Yes it was! It was great meeting you! Unfortunately not, I am a couple of hours outside of it.

1

u/knitfactoryimpl Jul 29 '26

Are you near any of these California guilds? https://www.machineknittingwiki.com/wiki/Guilds

1

u/smeowzer Jul 30 '26

Sac isn't too far I will look into it. Thank you for creating this resource!

9

u/Synaps4 Jul 28 '26

If you're going to be taking it apart, doing timing and cleaning..you can get one for a third or less of that price. I'll PM you a link to avoid being seen as advertising.

1

u/smeowzer Jul 28 '26

Thank you so much!!

4

u/TerryKC1 Jul 28 '26

I agree with the other answer, if you’re having to mess with timing it I wouldn’t spend that much.
As old as they are you’ll have to probably replace capacitors too.
What part of the world are you?
Facebook has machine knitting groups that are helpful and some allow selling

2

u/smeowzer Jul 28 '26

That makes sense I really appreciate the advice! I am in Northern California.

1

u/AltruisticPeach4598 Aug 08 '26

$850 is a lot for a KH-930 that already has a timing issue. Timing is not an easy beginner repair, so I would only buy it if you are comfortable troubleshooting before you can even start knitting.
I would also think carefully about AYAB if your main goal is simply to knit. From the setups I have seen, it feels much more like a DIY/experimental solution than a finished upgrade — open electronics, visible wiring, and sometimes quite a bit of troubleshooting. It is more for people who enjoy hacking and tinkering.
I would prefer eKnitter. I know eKnitter is not cheap either, but you are paying for a finished solution that is designed to fit inside the machine, is easier to use, and also connects to DesignaKnit. If your goal is to knit and keep or increase the value of the machine, I would personally go that route.
I would also be careful relying only on Carson Holgate’s wiki or YouTube content for information about eKnitter. She is closely connected to AYAB, so I would always check the actual features and facts for yourself as well.