question on having 2 different brands...

[whitewater]

So at the moment we have a Single  and a double tajima..We do need more heads, I am having a hard time trying to pull the trigger.

I would like another tajima, but a 4 head is 20-25000, I've seen some barrens out there for less then that, they may be older but they are less $$..

I really don't want a payment, this last December we just paid off all of our equipment!

Who here has 2 different brands of machines? is it a pain? I knows different everything, but most used machines will come with the assorted hoops and what not..

I would like to keep it all the same but to save a a lot of money maybe 2 different brands are ok?

[mk162]

I would try and stick with the same brand and a similar UI.  We had a single head from Melco and sold it because nobody knew how to use it after one of the employees left.  It was a great machine, but I don't have time to learn something that has such a low output and then train new employees on how to run it.

Congrats on paying everything off...but remember, a new piece of equipment is also a Section 179 deduction if you need it.

[Doug B]

  You would have (most likely) different hoop sizes! A typical L/C Tajima
is 15 cm whereas a Happy or Barudan would be 16. Different hooping stations
and hoop sizes. That's just one of many things to think about. If I had to
choose, I would stick to the same brand- even if it had to be a used one.

[Audifox]

I used to have two different brands.
Hoops are a big thing.
Two different brands will also sew differently. Have to be prepared to make adjustments. Sometimes that can't be overcome.
Stick with one brand if you can. Makes life much easier for whoever is running them.
Nothing worse than having to hoop something twice because you grabbed the wrong hoop the first time......

[T Shirt Farmer]

I would keep the 2 head, trade in the single towards a used 6or8 head machine, 8 head is the sweet spot as an operator can trim 8 garments while the machine running designs over 6k stitches.

[whitewater]

good points from everyone..thanks!

[mk162]

Never thought about the 2 hoop thing...but that is a great point.

This was the reason I dumped our manual press, I hated having 2 screen sizes.