Questions on Machines for small home based business

carp10613 · September 17th, 2006, 12:07 PM

Hi All,

I would love to get your thoughts on this. Currently I have a Viking IRIS that does 4x4 designs and using it for my at home business. I am still within my first year of business so I am thinking now that I am somewhat established of taking the plung and getting a better machine. I typically embroider about 10 hrs a week for my orders. So I really dont need a big industrial machine...but eventually I want to grow my business into possibly a store front (possibly in 3-4 years)...and dont want to keep buying machine after machine either. I do a lot of applique work and some basic embroidery of names, but also do hats.

I want to cut down on my embroidery time and get a faster machine...but I dont need a huge stitch field as most things are baby items. So 5x8 would be just fine.....anyways I am looking for suggestions on a machine. I read many posts on the PR-600 on how its an in between of a home and industrial...so wondering if that would work for me...I was also considering buing an Innovis...

I was just wondering what your recommendations were for a small home based business...go industrial from the get go...or do you think something more home based like Innovis would be fine?

Any assistance/thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much!

September 17th, 2006, 12:56 PM

I used to have a home machine as well til I upgraded to a commercial Tajima. I also considered the pr600, but I ended up dishing out more $ to get the Tajima. I must admit that I don't get to use my tajima to its full potential, but it's always nice having peace of mind knowing the machine can handle much more than I need... just in case

At your production level and requirements, the pr600 is more than enough. The only reason i didn't go with the pr600 is that fact that it only has 6 needles. I do a lot of large designs which means more colors so I opted for the 15 needle Tajima. If you're serious about doing business, even part-time, I wouldn't recommend home machines. Yes home machines do produce quality embroidery and are great, but they are limited to only 1 needle which is pretty annoying when doing orders. When you embroider for fun ,friends, or selling small quantites on the side, babysitting a machine for every color change/trimming jump stitches may not be a big deal, however, when you start doing embroidery for customers everyday, it gets really boring pretty fast. So I wouldn't get a home machine for business.

i made a post on Which brother machine? about brother 4000d.

carp10613 · September 17th, 2006, 02:19 PM

Hi,

Thank you for your response. Yes I can completely understand the one needle thing, as I have been doing it for about a year that way. I usually sew on one machine while the other one embroiders so Im not just sitting there. I worked out my cash flow and it would take me forever to pay off an industrial machine based on how my business is going now, and I dont really plan on expanding for another 3-4 years (when my kids get bigger)...so now Im thinking I should stick to a home embroidery machine and use my two machines and sewing machine...as most are applique anyway so I have to cut between stitching.

Now to figure out which machine to get. Ill take a look at your post on the Innovis 4000D.

jwconnelly · October 26th, 2006, 08:48 AM

We also started our own small custom embroidery business from our home. The big plunge for us was to invest in a new Melco/Sauer Amaya XT. We wanted the 16 needles to eliminate the down time in changing colors. The best part was that this is a single head and I can add more heads as our business increases. the added heads can be formed into different cells allowing for different designs, and different garments all being sewn at the same time.

sewme25 · March 16th, 2007, 01:46 PM

I was wondering if anyone has used the Renaissance Embroidery Machine? I have gone to a trade show and loved the machine. Thay assured me the technical support would be there if I need it. I just wanted an opinion before I take the plunge.
Thanks for help.

JuBilee · March 16th, 2007, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwconnelly

We also started our own small custom embroidery business from our home. The big plunge for us was to invest in a new Melco/Sauer Amaya XT. We wanted the 16 needles to eliminate the down time in changing colors. The best part was that this is a single head and I can add more heads as our business increases. the added heads can be formed into different cells allowing for different designs, and different garments all being sewn at the same time.

I'm glad to see another Amaya advocate sing out. I just added 2 XT's to my original Amaya. They are great machines and incredibly versatile as well. I have done small pocket sizes logo's and I have done full chest appliques with mine. It works very well. However, it is NOT cheap.

If you aren't in a position to do it now, I would definitely look at it when the time comes. By then, who knows what it will be able to do.