# brother & knitking garter carriage models



## BobbiB

I have some questions about garter carriages. I have a brother KH892 which is a standard gauge, 24 stitch punchcard machine. I am interested in getting a garter carriage but I am confused by what knitking models are comparable to what brother models. I have found information that the knitking omni is the same as the brother kg 93 or kg95, but what is the knitking compuknit GC comparable to? I also saw someone saying that unless your machine was electronic it would need modifications. My machine has the rail that the lace carriage runs on, if that helps . . . 

Thanks,
Bobbi


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## Tallie9

Here's a compatibility page: http://www.daisyknits.com/bcompatibility.htm#bkmachribbcomp (scroll down the page to see the model numbers)....
Apparently your KH892 is compatible with all the Garter Carriages.
Machine does not have to be electronic to use one...
Perpendicular with the back rail....is a slotted rail.....which is what the garter carriage runs on.....


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## BobbiB

Yes, I had seen the chart on daisyknits, but then I saw something on this page that is confusing to me:

http://www.aboutknittingmachines.com/BrotherAttachments.php

"It may be used on non electric machines but will only do plain stitch".

. . . and I am not sure exactly what that means?

What I am wanting to is whatthe features the Knitking Compuknit GC has? Is it like the brother KG88, KG89, KG93? Does it cast on, cast off? Does it stop for knots? What knitking models are the same as what brother models? The daisyknits site only lists the brother model numbers.


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## Tallie9

The Knitking Compuknit GC Garter Carriage is a knitting carriage that allows knitting plain and purl stitches in one row as well as automatic cast-on and cast-off without having to attend to the machine. Knitking machines also typically have an equivalent Brother machine that uses the same accessories.

It has a sensor that checks that the yarn runs smoothly through the machine and does not run out or get tangled. If the yarn is knotted or becomes entangled, the G-Carriage stops automatically. Possibilities of the G-Carriage include Rib Knitting, G-Stitch pattern designs, cast on and cast off.

The pattern is controlled by either the punch card or electronic machine programming on your machine. The row counter on the carriage can be set to the number of rows you want to knit and stops when it reaches the set number of rows.


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## DianaA

Have not tried my G C93 yet. Do I need special GC punch cards? I'm having a hard time finding any and my GC didn't come with them. Does anyone on the net stock them?

Diana A


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## euvid

You just need an 89 or up #and you will be fine. I never saw a compu garter carriage out there. You don't need rails with your machine as it is already there on your model.


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## randiejg

DianaA said:


> Have not tried my G C93 yet. Do I need special GC punch cards? I'm having a hard time finding any and my GC didn't come with them. Does anyone on the net stock them?
> 
> Diana A


Goto: http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/

Click on Standard Card Sets in the list on the left side of the screen, and then on: Brother KG-88 garter cards 1-5. You will then be able to download the PDF file that shows what the cards look like so that you can punch your own set.

These cards have been exactly the same five cards shipped with garter carriages since the garter carriage was first introduced with the KG-88, and they work with all garter carriages through the KG-95, the last one made.

Randie


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## randiejg

Compuknit was just part of the branding of the Brother machines sold by KnitKing.


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## Rita in Raleigh

You can use any punchcard (24 stitch brother or silver reed brand) with the garter carriage and a brother 892 machine. The unpunched spaces will do the regular knit stitch and the punched holes will become the purl stitches. So the usual card number 1 with the 1x1 holes will make a sort of seed stitch which looks even prettier when you set the knitting machine for double high (the long triangle near the punchcard slot). You can knit 1x1 rib using the same card locked on any one row.

Any garter carriage from 89 II (means it will cast on also) on up to the most modern will work on your machine with no alteration. The gc does not need those magnets on the back to use with a punchcard machine, but can be left on and cause no problems. The magnets are needed for use with the electronic km's (except for the 970 which is a horse of a different color <G>)


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## BobbiB

This is all great information -thank you all so much! 

So, do all of the compuknit models cast on and cast off or are some of the earlier models not able to like the earlier brother models? If so, which ones are which?


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## DianaA

Bobbi has the 892 KM, mine is a 950iKM and I also have an 864 that is the standard 24 stitch punch card KM. Will the GC 93 work on the 864? Will it need special rails? Reading all this makes me excited to get it out and try it! Thank you for all the information! This is a great resource!

Diana A


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## 30Knitter

BobbiB said:


> I have some questions about garter carriages. I have a brother KH892 which is a standard gauge, 24 stitch punchcard machine. I am interested in getting a garter carriage but I am confused by what knitking models are comparable to what brother models. I have found information that the knitking omni is the same as the brother kg 93 or kg95, but what is the knitking compuknit GC comparable to? I also saw someone saying that unless your machine was electronic it would need modifications. My machine has the rail that the lace carriage runs on, if that helps . . .
> 
> Thanks,
> Bobbi


Make sure any garter carriage you get includes the punch cards that come with it.


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## betha_62

I am about to get a KH868 I want a Garter Carriage, and seems easier to pick up the KG95. Both sites listed above plus others I have been to say yes, but the dealer I have bought the machine off says no..... Needless to say I do not know what to do.

And what does plain stitch mean if it does, all I want is one colour garter, moss/seed and similar combos of Knit and Purl.

Anyone can give me some advise?

Elizabeth


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## randiejg

The KG95 should be compatible with your machine. I am not sure whether the KH868 has the slotted rail at the back which the G-carriages uses to move itself back and forth across the bed. I'm guessing it does, as it is listed as manufactured in 1990. 

If it does not have the built-in slotted rail, you would need to find a set (3 pieces) of the slotted rails that attach to the original (smooth) back rail with magnets. These originally came with the KG88 and possibly the KG89. You may have a difficult time just finding the rails, as they have not been made for a long time. They usually only surface when someone has an older KG88 or 89 that no longer works and cannot be repaired, and they offer to sell the rails alone. Personally, I would not go for this setup. I originally bought the KG88 with the rails to run on my KH910 machine, and it did not knit well at all, and the rails would jiggle all over the place and I would have missed and dropped stitches. I ended up returning the KG88 with the rails, and later bought a punchcard machine (KH890) that had the built-in slotted rail, and a later version of the G-carriage (KG95), which works just fine.

If the KH868 does have the slotted rails, you should be good to go with the KG95. I'd go for this, as it was the latest version made and does the automatic cast on and bind off.

Make sure your G-carriage comes with the punchcards, or you will have to punch a set yourself.


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## betha_62

That will be a great help, I have an older machine, so when my 868 arrives, I will be able to compare the rails to see what this slotted rail thing is. Thanks for the Punch card info too, I will look into this now and see what it what.


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## randiejg

There is a KG88 just listed on e-bay, and in the description are closeups of everything that comes with it. Near the bottom (2nd to last picture), you can see the three magnetic slotted rails it would use on a machine with a smooth back rail.

Item #: 190797029649

The back rail is where your knit carriage slides on to the machine and moves back and forth across the bed (the back part of your carriage, that looks like a metal tube, slides on to this at the side).

You also need the lace rails installed to use the G-carriage. You should have these with the KH868.


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## betha_62

OK, this helps further I think, once I get my machine(the 868) I might be able to work it out and have more questions. I am grateful for this info it is great!

At the moment I can only get a KG 95, as I am limited to UK and Asian as our voltage difference from the US. But once I know exactly I can just keep looking... that is if I must get the 88

Thanks Elizabeth


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## betha_62

So I got my machine today, and this what is at the back, so is this the slotted rail, it does have 1 magnet in the centre(or at least that is what it looks like.

So can anyone tell me if the KG-95 G carriage is absolutely compatible, since the internet says yes, but the sales man said no.


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## randiejg

Can I ask about this salesman? Is this an online seller? Is the machine new or used? He may not be a knowledgeable knitting machine salesman, and going on information that was correct at the time this machine was made, and not since the newer G-carriages were introduced (all backwards compatible with older machines that could use a G-carriage).

I can tell you that my machine is 4-5 years older than yours, and uses the KG95. As long as you have the slotted rail, this model will work with your machine.


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## betha_62

Not an online seller, It is pretty much the only seller in Australia of Knitting Machines, it is a family business since the 40s, primarily Sewing machines, but since they are the only Knitting Machine place, this seems a big part of their business. So you can see my dilemma. (www.reynoldsbros.com.au. The seller of the KG 95 is online from the UK, so once I have bought it, there is no going back. There is a number of ebay seller, so I might also email all of them and see if there is any guarantee that it is compatible, as these sellers all seem to be service and guarantee the goods, before onselling.

Just to answer your other questions, my machine is new (china made) the KG is second hand, but was mentioned is services and comes with a guarantee. Thanks again for you time and knowledge, it is a great help with my decision making.


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## randiejg

You might ask the dealer why it is not compatible with the KG95. Since the slotted rails are the same on all machines, and the KG 95 will be reading from your punchcard rather than electronic memory, there should be no problem.

If your machine is new, I'm wondering if it's actually a clone. I know there are Brother clones being sold that are manufactured in China. Brother quit making machines in the 90's. No one seems to be making the G-carriages or clones for the Brother electronic machines, but I do see the punchcard machines around.

Anyway, good luck to you with this. Don't forget to post when you finally get this all sorted out and have a setup that works for you.


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## 30Knitter

Is you machine a punch card or electronic? It will make a difference on which carriage you should use. The punch card machines don't need the two magnets on the back of the g carriage. While the electronic ones do. The carriages made for the punch card machine will work better than those for the electronic machines. It entirely depends on the machine. If you do have a punch card machine, try to get a punch card carriage that will do cast on. Then you will not have to cast on manually. Also make sure you have the punch cards that work with the carriage if you have a punch card machine.


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## BobbiB

My machine is a punchcard machine. I gave up getting a g-carriage and bought a ribber this week instead. I feel this will give me more options right now and will go for the g-carriage after I master the ribber. I will probably seek the 93 or 95. Thank you for the good advice.


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