Run out of thread?

Recently I was all set up to do a paid sewing job when my sewing machine decided it didn't like the cheap thread I was using.  I had been given it for the job along with 4 cones of overlocker thread.  I didn't want to spend time fiddling with tensions on my machine and I didn't want to have to make a car trip to go and get some better quality thread.  And then my eyes set upon my overlocker.  I had been given 4 brand new 5000 metre cones of white thread.  I hadn't run out of thread, I had 20,000 metres of it!
I was using these for seams with the overlocker so why not the sewing machine?  This thread was good quality.  But how to get it off the cones and onto something that could be used on the sewing machine?  I could wind it onto some spare bobbins, but how?  I needed a telescopic thread stand, so the thread would wind evenly.  The overlocker came to the rescue again.  I placed it back to back with the sewing machine, and leaving the cones where they were, threaded one of them through the sewing machine's thread guides and wound lots of bobbins. 

To sew, I used one bobbin on the top and one on the bottom.  Problem solved.