Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 appeared on the market in the mid-1960s.
It is a standard-gauge knitting machine with 200 needles. I was told by an owner of Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 that the needles are 5 mm apart. Despite, at first glance, only having basic/manual capabilities, the Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 has a needle selector (a mini carriage) to assist with patterning and needle selection.
Other machines with needle selectors are Studio SK101, Studio SK-102, Studio SK-103 and Studio SK-10, ArtKnitter RK-118, Silver SK102 and Singer 500.
Despite being a standard-gauge machine, the Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 handles DK weight comfortably. Although there is still a wider range of DK-weight yarns, which widens for different regions.
The machine was probably a budget version since it does not have a hard lid (just a Styrofoam mold to keep the parts in).
The closest resemblance of Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 is with Studio SK103, Silver SK103, Studio SK105, Silver SK105, and Singer 800: a very similar needle selection mini-carriage and similar buttons (although on Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 they are a bit rounded) and dial on the carriage. Another machine that has am unusual tension mast with a yarn-holding cap is Empisal Knitmaster mod. 100 and Silver Reed mod. 350 knitting machines.
However, Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 has somewhat more advanced features, like a row counter with a more modern design (still slide-in but not like round one in Studio SK103, Silver SK103, Studio SK105, Silver SK105, and Singer 800 setups).
Additionally, Empisal Knitmaster mod. 250 has a very unusual yarn tension setup with a yarn holder cup attached to the tension mast.
Additional information about this model from the machine knitting community:
- No sponge bar
- No weights are needed
- Lightweight
- A good caravan machine as the yarn holder is attached to the yarn mast so no need for special machine tables. Just clamp it on a table and go!
Additional add-ons might include a ribber (I am still researching which model). Stay tuned!