Brother PR600 embroidery machine

Linda Marie

Hello,

I have a home embroidery sewing machine combination that I use mostly for hobby and the occasional order here and there from friends and their friends. Now I'm thinking of taking it more seriously and actually go out there and sought out orders. My poor little Singer embroidery machine is great for hobbies and all, but I don't think it's reliable enough. It's pretty old, worn out, and not as maintained as I would like it to be

I was thinking of getting the Singer Quantum XL-6000, but I fell in love with the the Brother PR-600 after seeing it at a fair. I didn't get to talk much to the lady operating the machine because she seemed busy or just didnt want to talk to me. I was just able to get the machine brand and model and that was just about it. I did watch her operate the machine for awhile until she started giving me the looks LOL.

Anyways, now I'm all excited about taking my hobby and making money from it. I guess I need input about the PR600 and how it compares to popular commercial single head machines like Tajima, ZSK, Barudan, SWF, and the rest. I'd appreciate any input. Thanks for reading.

Marc

Welcome to the forums

That lady knows how to protect her business alright!

In terms of production, the PR-600 is definitely better than home embroidery machines like the Singer Quantum XL-6000 you mentioned and other single-needled home machines simply because the PR-600 has five more needles and because of its cylindrical arm.

Having more needles means less supervision due to automatic color changes and trimmers and a cylindrical arm enables you to easily embroider caps. While it is possible to embroidery caps on home machines, it's not really ideal especially in a production environment. Remember that time is money; the more you can do in less time the better. Plus, I think you'd agree that it's so much more convenient not having to wait around for color changes! Also remember that you may void the warranty of a home machine if you use it in a commercial environment--it's a cost issue for manufacturers/dealers obviously.

As far as comparing the PR-600 to a single-head Tajima, Barudan, ZSK, SWF, and so on, I'm sorry to say that the PR-600 is not up to par with the big boys. In my opinion, the PR-600 fills the gap between home machines and commercial machines--it's built and marketed that way.

datasafe

Hello Marc

I read your reply with interest.

I'm interested in the PR-600 for short run itmes on a business theme.

I noted your comments that the PR-600 can't compete with the big boys. Presumably there is a big difference in price too?

Do you think the PR-600 is a good starter for a small business or would you recommend something different?

John

seppns

Can the PR600 digitize stiching too?

mdawncooper

I have the PR600 and am interested in selling it. I have been extremely pleased with mine. I just don't have the time. I also have digitizing software if you are interested.

sharons_threads

In my experience owning two different embroidery machines for a small business, the PR600 is the best in its price range. I bought mine on eBay for about $7,000 (I just checked and there are two for sale on eBay right now for about that much), but then I had to buy the $700 stand for it because you really need it. The PR-600 is really durable and so you can save some real money getting one second hand instead of paying $10,000 brand new for the stand and cap driver and other accessories. Or even more. If you find a trusted seller on eBay or uBid, I'd recommend it if you are serious about professional embroidery.

suedodgen

What is your asking price?

jesse canales

What are you asking for it ?

ren70

suedodgen and jesse canales, the answer to your question can be found in the Brother PR600 For Sale thread mdawncooper created.

Marc

John,

My apologies for this late response. You posted around 6 months after my post so I kind of didn't notice.

Anyways, back to your question.
Yes there is a big price difference between a new Tajima, Barudan, etc. and a Brother PR-600.
It really depends on what type of work you'll be doing. There is nothing wrong with the PR-600. If you are always on the move traveling at fairs, shows, kiosks, etc. and you are all alone (a one-man show), a PR-600 will suit you because it's lightweight and very portable. The PR-600 weighs 80 lbs. Although the Tajima Neo is compact/portable, it weighs in at 180 lbs. so an average person can't just move it around as much as the PR-600 without some help. The PR-600 also cost thousands less than the Neo.

There are drawbacks to the PR-600 compared to, let's say, the Tajima Neo since I've mentioned it already. The PR-600 has 6 needles while the Neo has 15 needles--this is a huge difference. Obviously, more needles equals increase in productivity and convenience. With a 15-needle machine, you can have the most common colors always ready and waiting on the machine. So it's certainly a plus even if you don't get to use all 15 colors all the time per design. If you will be doing mostly corporate/company logos, then a 6-needle machine is fine because most logos of the type are less than 6 colors. If you will be doing mostly jacket backs or large designs, it's best to have a 15-needle machine because those type of work usually have more than 6 colors.

The PR-600's maximum embroidery area is 12" x 8" while Neo's is 14" x 20". The Neo also has more specialized features that an embroidery veteran craves for that a novice embroiderer might not realize. For example, the Neo can operate as a flat head which is fantastic if you do lots of patches/emblems and heavy/unstable goods. It can do narrow items like gloves, socks, and even pockets. Neo's are also networkable.

So it really depends what your needs are

I would always prefer to have as many needles as I can afford, even if I have to buy a used machine.