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Embroidery => General Embroidery => Topic started by: Gilligan on August 15, 2012, 09:25:31 AM
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Thoughts?
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I heard that some of their customers are not happy with them :)
Kidding aside, it is not Tajima or Barudan, but I have heard that is close to be 3rd or 4th on the marked together with SWF.
Some people swear by them and I heard a horror stories too.
I guess I would look for and talk to your closest tech. See what he says. If he has a good experience with them and he knows the machines, I would go with it if it is a good deal. Having a tech that is close and works on a brand that you have is a great plus.
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I like to think that all my machines are Happy...ahhahahaha...
sam
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Same as others, heard happy and pissed users of Happy machines. I would say I have heard more bad than good.
I looked at them when looking at our first machines. They left me feeling like I do when I look at say a Brown. Get's the job done, but doesn't leave you overly impressed.
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I guess if you can get one for the right price go for it.
If not, I'd wait for a Tajima or Barudan.
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I guess if you can get one for the right price go for it.
If not, I'd wait for a Tajima or Barudan.
Tajima or Barudan are the best no doubt about it. I feel for the 1/3rd+ savings though SWF isn't to be over looked. I have had great luck with my machines, our product looks great, and that's all I can ask!
IMO digitizing software and the digitizer are as important as the machine. I have seen some jokers sewing crap on Tajima's and people putting out top shelf stuff off a POS Brother Hobby machine.
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Tajima or Barudan are the best no doubt about it. I feel for the 1/3rd+ savings though SWF isn't to be over looked. I have had great luck with my machines, our product looks great, and that's all I can ask!
IMO digitizing software and the digitizer are as important as the machine. I have seen some jokers sewing crap on Tajima's and people putting out top shelf stuff off a POS Brother Hobby machine.
Right on
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Brandt is right about that. I run an SWF. It's a good machine. That is about all I can say. Service and support suck. I have a local tech that I use, he's the best on SWF, but he's getting older, so where does that leave me?
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Barudan is out of the question for multiple reasons... one they don't make a machine that will fit in my shop, but more importantly they are PRICEY! Even used people want what you could buy NEW from the other guys for and that is on nearly 10 year old machines. Insane!
Tajima makes a smaller 4 head that I could squeeze in the only problem is if I'm not buying new then it might be hard to find as it is a "special order only" machine so probably not as many used around. Happy seems to call their "compact" model the standard and the larger models are designated "extended" models. So I'm assuming there are more of the "compact" models around in the used market. Not to mention new starts to become an option with the Happy machine if I'm getting my guesses right on the price of a new machine. Still waiting to hear from Texmac.
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Brandt is right about that. I run an SWF. It's a good machine. That is about all I can say. Service and support suck. I have a local tech that I use, he's the best on SWF, but he's getting older, so where does that leave me?
I agree as well. I got a SWF after talking to Brandt and I have not had any issues at all. They are pretty much a copy of a Tajima anyways. My contract embroider uses all Barudans and our stuff looks so much better. Its the digitizing that makes or breaks for a design so far that I have seen.
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Brandt is right about that. I run an SWF. It's a good machine. That is about all I can say. Service and support suck. I have a local tech that I use, he's the best on SWF, but he's getting older, so where does that leave me?
I agree, service calls I have made are always handled with SWF, but not as well as say I am used to from other suppliers. But I also haven't really needed it but 1 time. I had a board go out of my single head early on, they were on top of that but did take a couple hours to get a solution. Never had any other issues out of my other 3 machines. I have a independent tech that goes through ours now and then and they are never in need of anything. So that is good.
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does your tech travel? Our tech here is great, but he is mainly a Tajima guy and those keep him slammed.
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does your tech travel? Our tech here is great, but he is mainly a Tajima guy and those keep him slammed.
Mine does ya, he does service sweeps all over the east coast. The more people in the sweep the cheaper it is. He is from Sew Tech I think it is called.
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Tony P here. I have 42 heads of Emb. Barudan, Tajima, and Brother. All good with very little outside tech svc req provided they are operated in a clean AC room and preventive maint is performed regularly.
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Well, Tajima is out unless I come across a compact model used as they haven't made the compact model for a while now.
The Happy rep is coming by the office early next week and bringing a single head machine. I'll see how that goes. Retail price is 33k for the 4 head 15 needle. That's not too bad for a new machine.
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Well, Tajima is out unless I come across a compact model used as they haven't made the compact model for a while now.
The Happy rep is coming by the office early next week and bringing a single head machine. I'll see how that goes. Retail price is 33k for the 4 head 15 needle. That's not too bad for a new machine.
You can get SWF at that price point as well. I would give them a look.
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We already had this discussion Brandt. They don't make a machine that will fit in my shop.
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We already had this discussion Brandt. They don't make a machine that will fit in my shop.
LOL, I had a 2 head underground in my house in PA. Where there is a will, there is a way.
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if you have glass windows up front call a glass company, they can take them out pretty easily and reinstall them.
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Brad, they are not roof to floor windows. My dryer is already coming in through the window as it is. :)
Brandt, I have to come into a 8x13' room, then turn 90 degrees and go through another door. It's quite impossible to turn a 9' long machine sideways in an 8' wide room.
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gilligan, it's easy, just leave it diagonal in the room. ;)
You might be looking into moving again soon.
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LOL... sure, when I can find the right piece of land to build on.
I don't think I'm leaving here to rent anywhere else, but a nice big building where I can have other tenants pay the note while I enjoy a new huge shop wouldn't be too bad. ;)
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I have not met a Happy owner that was happy. That should tell you something. Instead of buying a POS just outsource the big jobs until you can get the space and buy the right equipment. I bet the sewing field is pretty small on that thing as well.
By the way did you get my email on the ping pong balls?
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My son has a single head one that has been down for months. Last set of boards cost him a lot and it's still not working.....and it's JUST a single head.
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12.x by 12.x that's not too small for me.
Screenxpress, that rep is possibly on his way to Texas, I know he "services" that area. I'll make sure to mention your "feedback" that might prompt him to make it right with your son.
Even if nothing else if this guy ends up fixing your problems then it will be worth the little bit of time for him to come demo the unit. :)
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Barudan is out of the question for multiple reasons... one they don't make a machine that will fit in my shop, but more importantly they are PRICEY! Even used people want what you could buy NEW from the other guys for and that is on nearly 10 year old machines.
There-in lies some hidden wisdom.... A machine that holds it value so well.....hmmmm...
I know you have space issues, but I'd hate to see you compromise on machine quality because of it. Around here word is most Happy owners aren't.... Tajima and Barudan rule the roost for a reason.
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I'm with you but Barudan is also like 40%+ more than most machines. So basically they are 40% more on the used market as well. That doesn't mean that they hold their value more, just means they start a whole lot higher up.
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There's always deals to be had..... I won't tell you what we got our 4 head Barudan for..... ;D
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Brad, they are not roof to floor windows. My dryer is already coming in through the window as it is. :)
Brandt, I have to come into a 8x13' room, then turn 90 degrees and go through another door. It's quite impossible to turn a 9' long machine sideways in an 8' wide room.
I think you are finding your real probably is your space. IMO its not a real good idea to let space dictate your capability. I understand the issue though ;)
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There's always deals to be had..... I won't tell you what we got our 4 head Barudan for..... ;D
I agree with that!
I got a 4 head 2009 SWF 4 Head in 2011 (2 of 4 heads never been used, 1 still had factory test thread on it). I got it for 18k. I got a 2007 SWF 4 Head for 15k delivered, little worse shape than the 2009 but still perfect working order.
Great deals out there if you have a little coin. In Gilligans case he may need to add a door to the building but at least he will have a machine that makes more sense.
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color me 10 shades of stupid but couldn't you get a few single heads and daisy chain them together? then space them however you need to?
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I guess, you would have to start each one and load the design in each one. I think the Melco Amaya is made to run that way, where you can link them together and have them all run the same design or each run a different one.
I think a 2 head setup with that is the best. That is why I really like the SWF Dual Function machine we have. I run 3 heads with 1 design and 3 with the another.
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They do have the ability to link them together. The problem is that you are buying the "computer" and motors 4 times vs 1 time. This drives the cost up substantially.
Even in the used market for the price of 2 single heads I could buy a 4 head. For the price of 4 used single heads I could buy a brand new 4 head machine.
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I would definately agree there Gilligan, you will pay more for a few single heads than a single 4 head.
Two ways to look at that though.
At least with say 2-3 single heads, you could do 2-3 different jobs at a time. Ill say it another way, id rather have 2-3 single heads that were full size machines over 1 4 head that is compact.
Just food for thought.
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Gilligan, you can always start with the compact and go from there. I wouldn't care about getting an expanded sewing field. You can either farm that out or turn it down. See what your market is and expand from there.
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You know....... You could always get a nice full size Tajima and fit it into your new larger shop. ;)
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We already had this discussion Brandt. They don't make a machine that will fit in my shop.
LOL, I had a 2 head underground in my house in PA. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Well Brandt I will have to admit you were slightly right.
After doing some more measuring and some playing around with mockups and tape measures, I figured out the room is actually just under 8.5' and that with a little Vaseline I should be able to squeeze a machine that is 113" long through that 2nd door. I'd likely have to take off floor trim work as well as door frame trim work and still might have to give it some good solid kicks and break a bit in the process but it looks like I could make it. Basically if it gets to the point that I think I can get it easily and still won't go quietly, I will make sh!t happen! ;)
BTW, 113" is the length of a Tajima 6 head compact. ;)
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Once you have the door frame trim off it's a cinch to pop out most whole hung doors frame and all, freeing 2-4" more space. You should see what I had to do to get the center hub of the auto through my double doors!
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Oh, I got to get an Auto through this same gauntlet sooner than the embroidery machine probably.
I have been told it should go through if I break it down to the smallest parts. We shall see. LOL