Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
Depending on your budget you could probably start out as most first timers do- purchase a used embroidery machine. There are countless embroidery resellers who will give you the necessary support with a used machine
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
Hello everyone,
Ive been lurking here for awhile researching gettn into this business. I want to be able to embroider part time to make extra money. I have never done anything like this before so I need to ask the basics. Im kinda confused about the digitizing process. What exactly are we paying for? Can a person not do the design themselves on their machine with the software?
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
I have a Babylock BMP 6 (same as the Brother PR600. It is an excellent machine all around. A real "workhorse". I agree with the others that posted, think "in the future". What are you wanting to do with the machine? Is it for hobby or small business? One thing to consider if you will be using it for business... doubling up on the hoops that you get with it will increase your production times! Especially when doing hats. The Babylock BMP 8 & newer Brother single head , 6-needle give a slightly larger hat sewing field, although I still wish it wouuld be larger!!! Selecting a GOOD dealer is very important, and finding one is not often easy. Visit forums particular to that machine, ask many many questions. Keep yoor machine oiled & cleaned, such a little thing can rreally help with the results you get. Training on the machine should be offered by your dealer. Sincerely, Lollie
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by eagleland04
Hello everyone,
Ive been lurking here for awhile researching gettn into this business. I want to be able to embroider part time to make extra money. I have never done anything like this before so I need to ask the basics. Im kinda confused about the digitizing process. What exactly are we paying for? Can a person not do the design themselves on their machine with the software?
you dont digitize on your machine its done on the pc, yes you can do it with software BUT its a very big learning curve you have to take in a very clear picture then transfer that to stitches, I have tried auto digitizing software and havent got one yet that will auto digitize perfect.( Origins is the best I found but you do need to manually adust parts ) manual digitizing is very time consuming every area has to be selected and filled with stitches then you have to set stitch angles and patterns it takes a long time to master and every design takes a long time to produce, I have seen on this forum some people are saying $1.50 per 1000 stitches for that you will get some one that has put in a lot of work for your finished design if you add up the cost of several thousand $ for the software to do it yourself, the cost of materials for a test stitch out and the cost of your time to work on the digitizing and with the availability of the ready to stitch stock designs is it worth the layout for the software?
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
Susan,
You will love this machine!!!
The best advice I can give you is to join this group, they are the most knowledgeable and friendly group on these machines!! It doesn't matter if yours is an EMP6, BMP6, PR600, PR600C, etc, heck you don't even have to own one to be on the group! I honestly can't recommend them highly enough. AND no question is too dumb!
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Of course if you have ANY questions I would love to try to help you. Other than the manual and workbook that you get with the machine, I don't "think" there is anything else available, other than your dealer's knowledge. (And most dealers just "sale" & don't really know much about the "baby"!!!) Please let me know if you join, (it's free) and also PLEASE contact me IF there is ANYTHING I can possibly help you with. AGAIN.....you will LOVE this machine. (PS a lot of people are at first intimidated by this "baby" (I was at first) there is no need to be, the machine is smarter than you & almost in all cases won't let you do something stupid to actually hurt it!!! (he! he!) Good luck, and rest at ease that either for a great "hobby" machine OR a small "business" machine you bought a machine that will cause you very few problems & the ease of learning it is great! Lollie
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
Do you plan on coming to Spokane Washington in the near future? I would love to have you visit us and I will cook you a steak dinner if you will walk me through some intitial set up stuff.
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
When we first purchased our PR-600, I was completely lost with the software. I bought a couple of tutorials from Leslie at madmumbler.net and they really helped... She has tutorials for PE-Design and a couple of other embroidery software packages. Very hepful for beginners...
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by skeely
Do you plan on coming to Spokane Washington in the near future? I would love to have you visit us and I will cook you a steak dinner if you will walk me through some intitial set up stuff.
Susan!
Is that a bribe?? he!he! I live near Portland OR, I don't get out that ways hardly ever (well...actually never), although I hear from a friend that lives near Deer Park that it is beautiful over there! Have ya got the machine yet? What did you get with it? Software? Extra hoops? First things first.....thread it ....be calm....follow the logical trail top to the bottom! Remember the bobbin thread goes into the bobbin case going clock-wise and make sure you hear a "snap" when you push the bobbin case in. Pick the tension bar test, it's built in on the last screen (if my memory serves me correctly, I'm not with the machine at this moment), it looks like 6 bars of different colors. Sew it out. Look at the backside of the piece to check tension. Always adjust the bottom tension (bobbin) first, IF needed. That's a good first step. Then pick a built in design from the screen and try it. Just load the thread where the machine tells you to. (Don't try to out-think the machine at this stage!) And relax ....knowing.....that you're going to love this machine!!! You'll be zoomimg along in no time Lollie
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
wow, did not even know the machine had a tension test and stock designs built in. We have tried to embroider a simple name, it seems the thread keeps breaking so I think the tension or the digitizing on the name might be off. We bought the machine used, our guy pased away so we bought it from his widow and she had no clue as to how to use it and the dealer wants to charge 90 and hour for phone support, I dont do well on the phone with instructions. So any help you can give me is great, thanks again.
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by skeely
wow, did not even know the machine had a tension test and stock designs built in. We have tried to embroider a simple name, it seems the thread keeps breaking so I think the tension or the digitizing on the name might be off. We bought the machine used, our guy pased away so we bought it from his widow and she had no clue as to how to use it and the dealer wants to charge 90 and hour for phone support, I dont do well on the phone with instructions. So any help you can give me is great, thanks again.
Susan,
First thing I would do is try changing the needles on your machine, sometimes IF the needle is old & really dull it will cause threads to break. I would also check the bobbin area very very well for built-up threads and / or "sticky" residue build-up, clean it out and oil your "hook" on the bobbin. (It shows how in the manual Ted posted for you!! Make sure your thread you are using is not tooooo old (it gets dried out and will just "break" very easily when you just tug on it.)
It could be the design itself being too dense for the fabric & stabilizer, it could be a lot of things....but that's where I would start since you have no idea about the condition of the needles. Also, if you buy needles by the box (usually 100/box they come out to be about $2.00 /needle or less!!)
Make sure it is threaded correctly thru every little thing. (You should just start completely over in the threading process to make sure it is correct, WHO knows if it came threaded correctly?!!) I wouldn't be one bit concerned that you bought the machine used.... (if you seemed to get along with the widow lady & she is local to you,) I would call her back & see if her hubby had embroidery buddies near-by that she could give your phone number to and ask that they contact you. Some of them may have the same machine, or at the very least they might be expierienced embroidiers that might could advse you.
One very important thing is to keep your machine bobbin case hook area oiled with the proper oil.
On the machine you can check to see how many hours it has on it since the last "tune-up" and also how many total hours it has of use. That's very helpful info when you are buying without previous knowledge of the machine.
Ted (on this forum) gave you a wonderful help in providing you with the manual!!! (By the way, the "madmumbler" (excellent!!!!), he was referring you to is a member of that PR600 forum I mentioned to you.
Have you tried the PR600 group yet? In their files section they have manuals, maintenance & oiling help and much much more. Rick (one of the moderators on the group) just last month or so made a video for routine mantenance. He is about ready to release another new one for the BIG-Time maintenance that you normally have to take your machine into the dealers for, (BIG money they usually charge for this!!).... You can search their history posts, and you will see
MUCH help and PHOTOs (they make it easier to understand...ya know 1 pic is worth a thousand words!!!
Don't give up!!!
Ted on this forum seems like a really good person and I'm sure he has other things to mention to you to try also, there are some really great people into embroidery whether it is as a hobby or as a business.
The lettering that you tried, was it the text that is on the machine? Or a digitized file you got from somewhere else?
HTH Lollie
PS let me know your progress, I really do care & want you to come to be "one" with your machine, it is SUCH a joy to own.
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!! 
Re: Looking to buy an embroidery machine NEED HELP PLEASE!! 
Lollie
