# Embroidery Machine???



## SBC Signs (Sep 16, 2010)

I am looking at starting to provide embroidery service and have around $10,000 to $15,000 to invest in a machine. I know there is a lot of machines out there but which type of machine would you recommend and what company would be the best to buy it from? I am leaning more towards the Tajima or Toyota. I am also interested in the after care from the company. 
Thank you for any info you can provide.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

for $10K forget about post sales support. find a distributor with local techs, you may need that. 

also, up the ante and get a 4 or 6 head, not a single or double. you can't do any volume on those. as an example, 250 hats with 2 locations will take 40 hours + on a single head but a day on a 4 or 6 head. go to a 12 head and you are talking about making some bank with this thing.


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## jemmyell (Jan 26, 2010)

Get the Toyota, that is what I am going to buy. You can get the largest sewing field in the industry with the X-Panto (14" x 48"). DataStitch has been very responsive to all my questions and they will do local training at a trade show too.

-James Leonard


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

you'll need some more budget for the digitizing software (if you plan to do that yourself).


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## jemmyell (Jan 26, 2010)

vctradingcubao said:


> you'll need some more budget for the digitizing software (if you plan to do that yourself).


I bought Embird. It is working well so far. $400 gives a full digitizing capability.

-James Leonard


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

I have a 13 yr old, full size, single head Tajima, it's a great machine. I also have a 4 head Barudan, almost 7yrs old. Another great machine. If a compact industrial machine was available, when I started my business, I might have purchased one but it would have been a mistake, IMHO.
I think my full size machines have been a great investment. The only thing I would change is instead of buying a 4 head Barudan I should have gotten a 6 head.
I have Pulse software and I like it alot.


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## myfinishingtouch (Nov 21, 2009)

Barudan...but as it was said you need to find out which will be best in after purchase service. If you live by a distributor or training center for one brand of machine that'd be the one to buy. We don't live near any so went with what we thought was the best machine(our opinion) and get all our service help via telephone. Barudan is great about working with you over the phone...


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

myfinishingtouch said:


> .. If you live by a distributor or training center for one brand of machine that'd be the one to buy. ...


plus 1, I agree on this. It would be great if you are located nearby from where the support will come (for training and after sales services).


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

Barudan bent over backwards trying to fix a problem with my new machine.


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## pairadice (Sep 20, 2010)

SWF is a great machine. I have a 1501. 
I like it we have done many applique designs and it has a great sash frame to.
I use Design Shop software. it is alot like corelDraw


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## bungy (Aug 24, 2006)

Baradun may make good machines, but here in Aust the warranty is a dealbreaker for me.
From what I understand, it is parts only.
You still have to pay for the tech's time even on a warranty call out.
So, they will replace the $2.00 part for free and bill you travel and time on job.....no thanks.
If they truly stood behind their equipment, they would not need to charge for the tech's time on a warranty call out.

That would be like me having a customer return a garment, I will give them a replacement garment - but charge them for the decoration.


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

I'm shocked that you would be responsible for travel & time on a warranty job. That is so wrong. What machine can you get a good warranty & service for?


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## bungy (Aug 24, 2006)

It doesn't appear to be the case in other countries for Barudan.
From what others are saying.


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## imeccentric (May 13, 2007)

Steve,
Paying for a service call, even under warranty is true here in TX too. When I got my machine(Barudan), it was a mess and wouldn't sew at all. After trying everything over the phone to troubleshoot, they would have been very happy to charge me for a service call to get it to run properly. Had lots of lies from the salesman about what he was going to do to fix the problem, but he never did do anything or actually come to see the machine. After about 6 months there was a tech who flew in from another state holding a class about 2 hours from me. They "allowed" me to take my machine to him to have him look at it. He adjusted almost everything there was on it, and it still took some tweaking once I got it back home, but now it runs fine. Next time I'm going with someone who has local support.


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## ddunn (Jun 30, 2010)

i have heard some good things about the toyota


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## JAF (Oct 12, 2008)

What helped me with Barudan and why they did all they could to get my machine working properly, is because it was a lease. I wouldn't sign off on payment until I was happy with how it worked. They did all they could to fine tune it. It took several months but they finally got their payment.
I made a mistake with my screen print equipment lease and released payment even though there was a problem with my Jennings dryer. I thought the problem was minor but it took many months and money out of my pocket to fix the problems.
Moral of this post...don't pay/release payment until the equipment is working properly.


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

bungy said:


> Baradun may make good machines, but here in Aust the warranty is a dealbreaker for me.
> From what I understand, it is parts only.
> You still have to pay for the tech's time even on a warranty call out.
> So, they will replace the $2.00 part for free and bill you travel and time on job.....no thanks.
> ...


Things are very different in Aust than here in the US. I have never paid a penny for warranty work on my Barudan - parts, time or travel - not a cent.


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## dmparrot (Sep 26, 2010)

some one said to stay away from the new Meistergrams? Why?
I too am looking to purchase one I have it narrowed down to this one being the Pro 1500. or swf 1501 0r 6 n33dle 601, they have service areas only 1 1/2 hrs away others are out of state, Very confused coming from a brother ultD which I really like a lot just lots of wasted time with changing threads. 
I am also new to this site so if someone could help me out I would appreciate it!
thanks Debbie


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

I have an SWF-E/1501T with the sequin attachment. Had some growing pains getting used to working it but it's been a good machine in the almost 2 years we've had it. The only service call we needed was to replace a broken reciprocater from hitting a hoop - ID10T error...

I ran a couple of 120K stitch designs over the weekend, only stopped for bobbin changes. Once you get them setup correctly, it's like an energizer bunny, it just keeps going...


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

tfalk said:


> I ran a couple of 120K stitch designs over the weekend, only stopped for bobbin changes. Once you get them setup correctly, it's like an energizer bunny, it just keeps going...


Wow Ted, a 120K stitches design.. Care to share some pics?


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