best machines for startups

fathead one · March 7th, 2008, 09:56 PM

We are thinking about getting into the embroidery industry and wanted to know the best and easiest working machine to buy to make an easy transition.

EmbroideryDigitizing · March 8th, 2008, 05:27 AM

Are you interested in a Singlehead or Multihead setup? My suggestion will be to buy a multihead machine as you never know when you receive so much work. Leave your comments for in detail suggestions.

fathead one · March 9th, 2008, 05:16 PM

We want to start with a two head. Do you have any experience with RiiComa?

Robert Young · March 10th, 2008, 09:18 AM

erhhgg.... Hi there... for a first machine I would strongly recommend a more well known name branded machine such as a Tajima, Melco or SWF. Being practical these would be machines that would probably be easier to resell if you decided to. They have a larger base of owners already... with support groups and blogs to allow you more help when something goes wrong as well as a larger group of technicians available.

ffgdog@hotmail.com · March 11th, 2008, 08:50 PM

i want to get in to the embrodery industry and i want to buy a used enbroider but not too expensive. should i get single head ot 3 heads machine. and about how much i will have to spent to get a decent one ?

chisuloj · March 13th, 2008, 03:33 AM

I have all the plans of setting up Embroidery workshop in Zambia. I have been browising many web sites for the same.
But before I finally order the machines for my work I would like to be trained for this exciting industry becos I will have to teach others as well. Where can I be physically be trained. And what are the best resoanably priced machines?
chisuloj- Zambia

Robert Young · March 13th, 2008, 09:52 AM

What part of Zambia? I was there 2 years ago on Safari, going down the Zambezi river and seeing your Victoria Falls, what a beautiful Country! There definitely is alot of room there for embroidered items for the tourists... I think you will do quite well.

chisuloj · March 13th, 2008, 11:22 AM

Thanks Robert for your comments. I have an office in Livingstone a tourist town, southern part of Zambia and I have another Design office in Kitwe Town a copper mining area. Kitwe is economically growing fast and that is a big reason why I want to set up this industry. Investors are coming to Zambia in numbers becos our country is offering very attractive business conditions and Zambians are peaceful people. So help me out to set up this industry, Robert and others.
Chisuloj

Robert Young · March 13th, 2008, 03:48 PM

I stayed in a lodge for a few nights right outside of Livingstone.. There too I thought there was an opportunity to do more embroidery. I think you are on to something! I am not familiar with which distributors you have for machines in your country. But I would recommend going with whomever seems to be around more.... so you will have an easier time with maintenance issues ... maybe a preowned Tajima or SWF? as far as training it might be a better investment for you to go to a larger town and work for an embroidery shop for at least 4-6months... after that time you will definitely see all the things that can go wrong.. ha. you will probably want to send out your digitizing for the first year or so... so you can concentrate on quality embroidery and training new staff and selling your items. There are good digitizers in Cape Town, South Africa that would be closer for you.

Claudette79 · June 12th, 2008, 03:51 PM

Hi,
I am also starting up my own embroidery business and just got off the phone with a West-coast SWF representative who was TONS of help. She told me that Tajima, Baruda and SWF were the way to go. She also recommended purchasing a 4-head and a single-head machine for off-sewing purposes. I'm still new to the terminology, but it's when you test a design on a single head while you're still sewing on the 4-head. SWF has great sales and has techs in certain areas of the US that, correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not sure if Tajima or Baruda offer that.

Here are some questions she told me to ask while shopping around:
1. Why should I choose your machine?
2. What type of warranty do you offer? (She said the top 3 offer 5 years)
3. Where is your service going to come from? (I, for instance will start my business in Washington State where they already have a service technician there).

She even helped out with an internship idea I'm working on. Just a few things to think about. PM me (I just joined....I think they do that on this site) if you want her specific contact information. She seems like a legit person!

Best of luck,
Tracie