# Recommended machine for caps and clothing



## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

I'll be doing small designs, only 4inches wide or so

I plan to embroider caps and sweatshirts

I'll need a robust machine that can handle daily use 

And isn't too much work/fiddly

I am also in the UK so availability might be an issue for some models

What does the forum recommend? thanks


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

Brother/Babylock 6 needle will do what you need including caps.


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

tfalk said:


> Brother/Babylock 6 needle will do what you need including caps.


any particular model number?


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

You can pick up the first generation PR600 for pretty cheap but it is limited to 1.9 tall and 4.9 wide for caps. The 620 and later had an upgraded cap frame and driver that did 2 3/8 tall and I think 7 wide? The newest machines, the 10 needle Brother or Babylock, can use any of the older drivers as well as the new 270 degree driver which IIRC allows 2.5 tall and 14 wide to cover the front sides of caps. The 10 needle machines also have a 14 inch wide frame for clothing, the older machines max width is 11.5. For all of the PR series machine, max height is roughly 7.5 tall unless you split the design, the newer machines allow for a split hooping up to 14 tall.

As for durability, the first PR600 we had got traded in with 64 million stitches on it. The 2nd one got sold with 48 million stitches. The only reason they got traded/sold was we upgraded to the 10 needle machines with the built in camera for doing very specific applique work that can really only be done on this type of machine.

If Brother came out with a 6-10 needle machine with the built in camera and a taller sewing field, I'd sell both of my 10 needles and my SWF 15 needle...


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## Screen Medics (Feb 23, 2015)

We have 12 and 15 needle 4 and 6 head Tajima machines. We prefer them to 12 + machines because when a thread breaks fewer embroidery heads stop. We calculated it out at a shop that has both size machines and the 4 and 6 head machines actually produce more embroidered garments and/or hats than the larger machines. We followed the productivity of the machines for 3 months before settling on the fewer head machines and believe we have made a good decision. Overall down time on the smaller machines is a real time saver.


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## 539162 (Jun 12, 2015)

For what he is doing he doesn't need a Tajima  especially at 4 inch wide designs. A Brother PR would be all he really needs at this point. If he wanted to go full on with a big commercial or multi head I would rather take a Barudan or Happy over the Tajima


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## 539162 (Jun 12, 2015)

tfalk said:


> You can pick up the first generation PR600 for pretty cheap but it is limited to 1.9 tall and 4.9 wide for caps. The 620 and later had an upgraded cap frame and driver that did 2 3/8 tall and I think 7 wide? The newest machines, the 10 needle Brother or Babylock, can use any of the older drivers as well as the new 270 degree driver which IIRC allows 2.5 tall and 14 wide to cover the front sides of caps. The 10 needle machines also have a 14 inch wide frame for clothing, the older machines max width is 11.5. For all of the PR series machine, max height is roughly 7.5 tall unless you split the design, the newer machines allow for a split hooping up to 14 tall.
> 
> As for durability, the first PR600 we had got traded in with 64 million stitches on it. The 2nd one got sold with 48 million stitches. The only reason they got traded/sold was we upgraded to the 10 needle machines with the built in camera for doing very specific applique work that can really only be done on this type of machine.
> 
> If Brother came out with a 6-10 needle machine with the built in camera and a taller sewing field, I'd sell both of my 10 needles and my SWF 15 needle...


If you do sell the SWF...Keep me in mind


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

What's that old expression, you don't need a bazooka to kill a mosquito? Pretty much why I recommend the smaller 6 needle machines if you can live with the sewing field. Jeff, if I decide to part ways with the SWF, I'll give you a call... Only really keeping it at this point because I have a couple of car club jacket backs that just about fill out the 14x16 jacket frame.


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

Thanks for your replies

How does this look in terms of model and value? Brother PR650e

https://www.gumtree.com/p/business-...e-multi-needle-embroidery-machine-/1165542948


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

Six colors would be pretty limiting right?


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## Inkspreaders (May 7, 2012)

I purchased a 6 color PR-620 in 2008 and by 2009 I was annoyed by the limitations. I assumed it was all I needed so why buy more. It turns out as soon as you can do what you think is all your going to do people ask for more. Get a used Tajima, SWF or other 12-15. you can find one for around the same price as the smaller machines and you can grow without the burden of trading or selling.


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

not so easy to find used embroidery machines in the UK

The Brother PR650e just happend to be down the road from me

Is it safe to buy second hand machines? With servicing they should hold up well?


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## SilentPenguin (Nov 29, 2011)

jjscruff said:


> not so easy to find used embroidery machines in the UK
> 
> The Brother PR650e just happend to be down the road from me
> 
> Is it safe to buy second hand machines? With servicing they should hold up well?


Hey, this is my listing on Gumtree.

We've got three of these machines so i can say they work well and will cover your needs. We need to upgrade to a semi auto screen press so this the most recently serviced one is up for sale. Your welcome to come and view anytime, if your interested just message through gumtree and i can forward my details privately.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

Hard to say if the price is reasonable... My main question with that ad is I don't care how many stitches since the last service, I care about how many stitches are on the machine... 32K since service is nothing but if the machine has 50 million stitches on it, that would affect the price.

6 colors is only limiting if you are regularly doing jobs that need more than 6. Most corporate or team logos generally have 4 or less.

As for buying a much bigger machine, 15 needle, etc, there's an old saying... you don't need a bazooka to kill a mosquito. If the smaller 6 needle will do what you need it to do, a bigger machine may not buy you anything other than larger payments.


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

Yeah i suppose it is like car mileage, a servicing can only do so much if there are 100k miles clocked up


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

Having worked on some designs i have realised 6 colors isn't going to be enough. what kind of machine would be next step up? thanks


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

SWF/Barudan/Tajima 9 color, Brother/Babylock 10 needle or SWF/Barudan/Tajima/etc 15 needle. Just understand that a 6 needle means you can sew more than 6 colors in a design, the machine will stop and tell you to rethread the next colors it needs. Having more needles means the machine doesn't have to stop and wait for you to do a color change. Other than a few custom designs, I can't remember the last time I needed more than 6.


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

Is that right? But if i have 30 caps to embroider and i have to keep changing thread that will take a lot of time won't it?

So the main reason to have more spools is to save time?


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

If you have multiples of the same item and the design has more than 6 colors, yes, you would have to rethread the extra colors, complete the cap, then rethread the machine back to where you started for the next one. Unless designs with that many colors are a regular occurance, a 6 needle machine should handle most designs. The other advantage of say, a 15 needle machine, is you can keep the 'standard' colors you use most frequently on the machine at all times and keep a few needles as floaters for the other as-needed colors. We keep white, black, red, 3 silvers, yellow and 2 blues on the center needles on our 15 needle and use the outer needles for the extra colors. On my 10 needle machines, we keep black, white, red, navy and 1 silver in the center and use the rest of the needles as needed. After a while, you find what color combinations you use most frequently and keep them on the machine.


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## Express D (Mar 21, 2014)

Barudan would be our choice.

There is barudan office in nottingham.

We have used swf for caps but nowhere close to barudan. Yes its more expensive but you will be happy in the long run.


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

thanks. seems like Barudan machines are hard to come by though

no second hand ones on ebay or gumtree

On the official site it doesn't show any UK sellers either


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

I thought this machine looked fair considering it has 10 needles

Brother PR1000E 10 Needle Industrial Embroidery Machine - 298 - Embroidery


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## smo (May 1, 2015)

Thats a lot of money for a hobby machine, it might say "industrial" but its far from it.

Personally we use Melco Amaya XTS's which are 16 colour machines, they are superb


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

gota ya. I can't find any big sellers of industrial embroidery machines in the UK

All the manufacturer sites just say contact us for information.


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## prathap (Aug 20, 2015)

Brother SE425 Computerized Embroidery & Sewing Machine + USB Lead + Extra CD

Elna Embroidery Machine 

Janome Embroidery Machine


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

JJ, I have 2 of those machines, they should be able to do anything you need. As I said above, as long as you can live with the max sewing field being only 8 inches high.


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## jjscruff (Jun 8, 2013)

Of the brother machine i posted? I only need small embroidery. i do want a machine that can be used constantly and will not break though


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