# Just ordered a Melco Amaya XTS. Please help.



## Migs1581 (Mar 14, 2012)

Hey everybody! So we just purchased an Amaya XTS and this is our first embroidery machine. We have zero experience with embroidery as we have only been doing silk screening and direct to garment for the last few years. 

I wanted to ask you all for any advice on what to expect and what to look out for. We will be getting the 2 day on site training from Melco at our shop/home. Is there any questions I should remember to ask the technician when they are showing us the set up. Please keep in mind we have zero experience and any advice would be very appreciated. I just want to make sure I address any issues we may/will face when using the machine. I consider myself pretty tech savy when it comes to DTG as I own an Anajet Mpower and have maintained it for the most part. (Yes even when most mpower owners wanted to throw it back at them) I actually even built my own platen to print on Shoes. I know emboridery is a whole other world to learn but I'm confident with the training and advice from other owners we will be golden. Thanks in advance for any help. Also if there are any XTS/Melco owners near the San Fernando valley that can help us out I would really appreciate it. 

Thanks again!


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## 4 the Team (May 31, 2013)

Watch the webinars and practice before your onsite training. The software will tell you when maintenance is due and it will walk you through it with photos, so don't waste too much of your training time on that. Learn how to troubleshoot thread breaks and don't be afraid to use a brand other than Maderia. I use Iris. I have not been able to run any design on any of my 5 machines with Maderia with no thread breaks. Learn which backing to use on each fabric type. Practice hooping. Have fun, they can produce some amazing designs. Oh yeah....small lettering. It can be a bear, but you will likely do alot of it. Don't let the trainer leave until you have it figured out. Good luck.


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## Migs1581 (Mar 14, 2012)

4 the Team said:


> Watch the webinars and practice before your onsite training. The software will tell you when maintenance is due and it will walk you through it with photos, so don't waste too much of your training time on that. Learn how to troubleshoot thread breaks and don't be afraid to use a brand other than Maderia. I use Iris. I have not been able to run any design on any of my 5 machines with Maderia with no thread breaks. Learn which backing to use on each fabric type. Practice hooping. Have fun, they can produce some amazing designs. Oh yeah....small lettering. It can be a bear, but you will likely do alot of it. Don't let the trainer leave until you have it figured out. Good luck.


Thanks for the advice. This is exactly the type of questions I want to have ready for the technician. Yes small lettering is a big Target we want to hit as we want to personalize shoes and other things. I had not heard of Iris but I will look into it. Thanks again for your help.


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## 4theTeam (Feb 21, 2011)

When you get your machine and software. Hook everything up and play. I wish that I had done so much more of that before the trainer came so I knew which questions to ask. Work with the tie ins and outs - we have had numerous issues with our work unraveling when we allow it to do "as Needed" Now we always set it up with a style 3 tie in and out.

Hook up the computer to a printer. Open up a blank file. Type in your name. Double click on the lettering. a box will pop up with text information. Click on Code Sheet. There is one for each of the embroidery fonts that come with the software. It will tell you how big and how small you can go and give you other useful info. Print it out. We also use this for customers to choose fonts. Hoop something...Make your name the biggest it allows and the smallest it allows and stitch it. You can now use this to ask questions if the quality differs. - Like when do you switch to a smaller needle, etc...

Feel free to contact me via email if you have any questions. As far as the thread is concerned, Maderia make work for you - it doesn't for me. There are lots of good brands out there - I just like Iris. I get it from Enmart online.


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## CTI Apparel (Feb 26, 2014)

Congrats on your purchase. I have an 04 Amaya from Melco and we went into embroidery blind also, and didn't know about this site at the time. Everyone is right play with it, do the same design with different densitys and pull comp and see what the differences are. I use R-A thread and don't seem to have many problems with it. Get the hoopmaster hooping device, I have the all in one hooper and it is a pain to use so I switched to Hoopmaster about a year ago and love it. Consider getting some might hoops magnetic hoops, they are a godsend for hard to hoop items like jacket backs and thick items like carhardt sweatshirts, you cant go wrong with them. You will want some water soluble topping for items like towels. Well anyway you will learn a lot from the tech and good luck. Feel free to ask detailed questions on line also.. we all love to help others


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## nalob (Jun 23, 2011)

I also started with no experience. Best thing is to set it up and like everyone said sew out some stuff. The only questions I really had for the trainer was pertaining to the niche I was targeting which was hats. I asked about 3d puff embroidery and mostly concentrated on hat related questions. 
My advice would be to setup n run your machine and write down anything you can think of and ask when the trainer comes. No question should be a "dumb" question. You should make the time that you have in training worth it. I mainly use Madeira threads and don't have any problems using it.


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## Migs1581 (Mar 14, 2012)

This is so awesome! Thank you everyone for all your insight. I am printing all of your responses so I can cover everything. I should be receiving the machine this weekend and I will be playing the whole time. I too will focus on mainly hats in the beginning because that is what we have gotten the most requests for, especially the the 3D puff stuff. Now I won't be worrying about puff right off the back but it is on my main list once we feel comfortable with the machine. 

Is there anything you guys recommend I buy for the machine to help me start off? Not looking into new hoops or that sort just yet although I checked out the Hoopmaster and it is on my wish list. Im thinking more along the lines of threads, needles, backings? Like I said I am really focused on hats, and sweaters right now. I looked at sites that sell needles and backing and I was just lost. Again any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. You guys rock! I love this forum.


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## CTI Apparel (Feb 26, 2014)

I believe you should receive a nice supply of needles, and thread. You may want to confirm what you will receive from your sales rep. You will need various thicknesses of backing and topping. I am not sure how many bobbins you will get with your machine but you will most likely need more


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## nalob (Jun 23, 2011)

My machine came with a startup package of threads and needles also backing for hats and flats. Check your invoice if that was included with your order. That was enough to get me started although I haven't used some of the colors it came with. You can use those colors to practice with

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using T-Shirt Forums


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## Migs1581 (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks everybody. I spoke with my rep and they said I will be getting the starter package and that has a little of everything to get me started. I think I will wait and play with the kit before I buy a bunch of stuff I may not need. I did how ever order some puff just to play with it after I get some good designs stitched. 

This is some of what is coming in the starter kit. I don't know about needles or bobbins so I will stick to these for now. Do you guys recommend any other types I should purchase for hats and sweaters?

Backings-(Cutaway, Tearaway, and Hat) 17-8.8, 25-75.8, 78-4.12
Needles-75/11 Sharp & 75/11 Ball
Bobbins-Style “L”


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## 4theTeam (Feb 21, 2011)

I would get some 65/9 needles, a bar-b-que or candle lighter, and some sharpie permanent markers. In addition to the occasional touch up that you can use the markers for, we use them to color the puff we use for hats so no white comes peaking through. It is nice to have various colors of puff, but you don't always know what color your customer is going to want in their design. Working with puff requires different settings than any of the other work you will be doing. 
The lighter makes cleaning the work much quicker. I was taught to quickly run the flame across the back of the work prior to cutting the backing to get rid of all the irish pennants (loose threads for those not familiar with Marine Corps terms). Once we cut any of the jump stitches on the front, we do the same thing.


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## edgaramaya (Jul 22, 2014)

amaya xts nice!


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## beyondstitches (Nov 28, 2010)

You will love the XTS... very easy to learn.. spend most of your training time on learning to use the Design shop.
As far as the machine goes have the trainer walk you through setting the hook timing, and take good notes. As someone else said don't spend much time on the daily maintenance, it is self explanatory. Understand the auto feeder/tensioner, and when to use in manual.

Things to get that will really help... 
Peggys stitch eraser Peggy's Stitch Eraser®

BBQ lighters can be deadly to a nice embroidered design if used incorrectly. They can also smoke stain light garments.. I would recommend one of these..
Darice Heat tool 
Darice Super Heat Tool with Stand at Joann.com

I know you said you were not looking for hoops yet , but this would be on the top of my list. The magnetic and quick style hoops are the biggest timesaver. Measuring to get centers, tensioning properly in a old thumbwheel hoop.... these problems go away...
If your'e doing this professionally, a hoopmaster and mighty hoops are worth every penny, as are the ems hooptech cap frames if you are doing a lot of hats, and a flat cap frame such as the fast frames or quick change.


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## Migs1581 (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks for all the recommendations everybody. So far we have been doing mostly hats but we are getting into hoodies and shirts. The XTS has been a breeze to use and im very pleased with my purchase. When the tech came out he was like, well you guys have already done everything so what do you want me show you? Lol
Im looking into purchasing hoops soon as we are now getting more shirt and hoody jobs.
I attached a pic of some of the stuff we have worked on. The character pieces were just what I used to practice digitizing. It is very tedious but I like the results. 

Thanks again for all the help everyone.


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## sjidohair (Apr 9, 2008)

Awesome,, and you are doing great,,


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