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Regretting long arm purchase?

Regretting long arm purchase?

Old 09-23-2012, 05:37 AM
  #91  
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If your timing is a mechanical one......check with mfg or see if a tech is nearby.....If your timing problem is a personal issue, just remember working on a longarm is a very different thing. There is definite learning curve and also a lot of practice...don't think you wake up one morning and off you go........Ask any of the professional that are on the web how long and how much practice it took them to be where they are now...and one never stops learning.......each time I load a quilt I try to think of a better way to do it.......sometimes a little something comes to mind or sometimes nothing......you have to find your own way of doing it, but the books and classes that are now available are truly a big help. When I started there was nothing except a little group that had started on line with a few people who were floundering too, so we all learned together and helped each other and I do believe we also enlightened the mfgrs about a few things too.......Off my soapbox....but give yourself some time and have patience. You must have shown a spark of interest in this if your dh purchased it for you? So keep that flame going........
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Old 10-24-2012, 05:38 PM
  #92  
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Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I contemplated for quite a while about purchasing a longarm and in the end I just couldn't justify the cost. I'm fast approaching fifty and I don't knock out quilts quickly enough. I estimated how many quilts I might make over the next 20-30 years that I would choose to have machine-quilted and what my longarm quilter charges per quilt on average. It turned out to be so much less expensive to have her or another person quilt them for me. Now, if we strike the lottery I would buy a longarm machine in a heartbeat! LOL
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Old 10-27-2012, 09:31 AM
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Well, the dealer who assembled by TL18LS (actually her tech did the assembly) gave me a quick how to turn it on...which I was ok with, because this was my 2nd longarm & I knew a little about how they work. He also had trouble setting her frame up.
Sounds like this was the first Innova they set up. 24k? That is too much to have the dealer not know what they were doing. Innova is usually better about training than that. I hope you have your machine going and you are now a happy quilter!
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Originally Posted by Boater4444 View Post
I am experiencing this feeling at the moment but only because the Dealer that I bought my 18" Innova with AutoPilot is so new to longarm quilting that my buying experience has been absolutely horrible. I researched and test drove every single brand I could find for the past 4 years until I finally decided on the Innova and took the dive in March when the manufacturer had a great special on. I live just north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and found an Innova dealer in Toronto so I figured "BONUS", since he is the ONLY Canadian dealer listed on the manufacturer's website. Well... first off, they "lost" my machine in transit. So the dealer's 7-day delivery promise turned into 21 days. When the machine was finally delivered, the dealer and his sidekick proceeded to put the unit together by reading instructions and arguing with one another about what went where and in what order. Talk about inspiring lack of confidence. They started at 12:30 pm and 8 hours later - and I mean a SOLID 8 hours later, no food or restroom breaks even though I offered coffee, etc., seeing as it was going on 8:00 p.m., they decided to wrap up and return another day to finish the job. After they left, I realized that the machine, as set up, was way too high for me, so made a note to point this out when they returned. Two days later, they returned, lowered the unit to my satisfaction, then spent another 4 hours finishing the installation. Having become understandably nervous by now that my $24,000. expenditure was a good investment, I asked them to demonstrate the machine. The dealer (and this is the owner of the shop) gave me a funny look and said "Of course!" whereby he turned it on and sure enough, the needle went up and down and the carriage moved around. I gave them the rest of the payment, satisfied that the machine was operating satisfactorily, they left, and I spent the rest of the day pouring over all the on-line literature and tutorial videos. The next morning, I decided to inspect the machine more closely, and to my horror, discovered that the head of the machine actually rocked on the carriage, as neither the left rear wheel nor the front right wheel were making full contact with the carriage. To add to this, two of the belts that operate the robotics of the machine are rubbing together and creating terrible drag as the machine is pulled forward. I immediately called the dealer and explained the problem and his response was "Oh yeah, I noticed that rocking motion before I left your place." I just about fell off my chair as I responded "And you left it that way???". He then promised to call the manufacturer and "get back to me" but I haven't heard from him since and it's been more than 24 hrs.

Quite honestly, this experience so far has been a bit of a nightmare - and my husband, who is extremely handy and mechanically inclined, is fuming but not willing to tinker with anything for fear of voiding the warranty.

Buying an expensive toy in our current economy was a big leap of faith on my part. Now, I'm wondering what I've done. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE to quilt and have made more than 25 quilts in the last several years - many of them Queen sized on a domestic machine. But after carpel tunnel surgery last year, a longarm with robotics was the only way I could myself able to continue doing what I love. I just hope I didn't make a mistake with the choice of machine and dealer.
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Old 10-28-2012, 06:26 AM
  #94  
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I purchased my long arm from Sewing machines.com on their 1/2 price sale. I got it financed with no interest for 4 years. I just have to make the payments. It has taken up my whole dining room, but I don't have buyers remorse. This too shall pass.
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Old 10-28-2012, 06:43 AM
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I bought mine 1 1/2 yrs ago -- before that I was "babysitting" a friend's longarm. Hang in there!!!! I LOVE longarming -- and my only regret is that I started doing them for customers. I've stretched my abilities --- and have had lots of practice, however, now I've quit taking customer quilts and will be quilting for myself. NOW I really enjoy it!!!
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Old 10-28-2012, 07:21 AM
  #96  
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I had a 12' long arm table for my Bernina 830 and kept it in the boxes for 2 1/2 years. I know it's not a long arm sewing machine, but it has a stitch regulator and a long throat and the table was built for my machine. I was afraid to try to put a quilt on the table, just like you, and was afraid of the whole process, so I sold the table to a really sweet gal here who set it up and last I heard was getting ready to use it. They had a YouTube video on how to set it up and how to put a quilt on it. So, I know they probably have a video on how to put a quilt on your machine and it might even be easier than how you are doing it, who knows? But I know now that I don't want a LA machine ever. They frighten me. Too much money and I feel too much work. I like sending my quilts out to my LAer.
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Old 12-08-2012, 08:43 PM
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I know this was written a while ago but I just had to add my own experience here.... I too live in Toronto and went to the Innova dealer one Sat...I had called a couple days before and was told to come anytime....BUT when I did go the machine was packed up from a trade show..I was asked to come back but when I said I didn't live close by the guy...he is the same person you dealt with....huffed and puffed..and then called someone on the phone to help him get the machine out of the box...place was a mess...stuff all over the place...and this gentleman knew nothing about the machine or quilting...I didn't let on how much I knew about machines in general and especially the Innova as I had my heart set on one...I had even been talking to people at head office for some time and had researched them inside out....he did not know what a black light was for....was going to sell me an old model table?. Only when the other guy mentioned the new feature did he mention it too...I asked him what training was included,any classes and he said 5 minutes and laughed...wrote up an invoice estimate and we were sitting on packing boxes...he scoffed when I told him I was going to see an APQS machine the next day ...and made some reference about it being a never heard of before brand...he was ver y patronizing and took the entire session as one big joke, was not serious at all...
now the reason I decided against the Innova was because of the dealer and I just didn't feel this person was knowledgeable or would offer customer support...this is a big purchase...like buying a car...and one would never go into a car dealership with boxes and cartons and stuff all over the floor...I wonder if the Innoa people have ever been to this storefront...it can't be good for the Innova name...he lost my sale and I was sorry there wasn't another Innova dealer close by...I even considered going to the States...also, he was doing to charge me $750 to set it up.. I felt this was too much...as I had watched the entire video on the site...when I told him we would do it ourselves by following the videos he told me I would never be able to put it together myself as it was a big job...
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Old 12-09-2012, 06:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Hockeyrabbit View Post
Has anyone on this site, who owns a Long arm have any regrets about buying it? I am in the process of buyers remorse and feel I need to return the machine. There is something just not right with the timing of all this and I wish I could put my finger on it. Making me nuts! JC
Have you talked to the dealer?
Did the dealer offer you training?

I have two Gammills and do not regret the purchase. When I got the first, I would take someone in to show it to them...show them how cool it was.....write my name in cursive....and turn it off! LOL It is very intimidating to start something new. Practice Practice Practice.

I would also see if there is a local longarm guild you can join.

Go to MQS or MQA (don't know where you live) or Quilting with machines. Take a few workshops.

Go home and practice some more.... You can do it. If there is a true problem with the machine, that is just a hurdle--not a stopgate.
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Old 12-09-2012, 06:15 AM
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Originally Posted by tellabella View Post
I know this was written a while ago but I just had to add my own experience here.... I too live in Toronto and went to the Innova dealer one Sat...I had called a couple days before and was told to come anytime....BUT when I did go the machine was packed up from a trade show..I was asked to come back but when I said I didn't live close by the guy...he is the same person you dealt with....huffed and puffed..and then called someone on the phone to help him get the machine out of the box...place was a mess...stuff all over the place...and this gentleman knew nothing about the machine or quilting...I didn't let on how much I knew about machines in general and especially the Innova as I had my heart set on one...I had even been talking to people at head office for some time and had researched them inside out....he did not know what a black light was for....was going to sell me an old model table?. Only when the other guy mentioned the new feature did he mention it too...I asked him what training was included,any classes and he said 5 minutes and laughed...wrote up an invoice estimate and we were sitting on packing boxes...he scoffed when I told him I was going to see an APQS machine the next day ...and made some reference about it being a never heard of before brand...he was ver y patronizing and took the entire session as one big joke, was not serious at all...
now the reason I decided against the Innova was because of the dealer and I just didn't feel this person was knowledgeable or would offer customer support...this is a big purchase...like buying a car...and one would never go into a car dealership with boxes and cartons and stuff all over the floor...I wonder if the Innoa people have ever been to this storefront...it can't be good for the Innova name...he lost my sale and I was sorry there wasn't another Innova dealer close by...I even considered going to the States...also, he was doing to charge me $750 to set it up.. I felt this was too much...as I had watched the entire video on the site...when I told him we would do it ourselves by following the videos he told me I would never be able to put it together myself as it was a big job...
On any large purchase--the dealer is one of the HUGE factors I consider!
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Old 12-09-2012, 03:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Just Me... View Post
On any large purchase--the dealer is one of the HUGE factors I consider!
It's interesting that you should say this. I've been trying to decided between 1) waiting for the release of the Juki Virtuoso which is now postponed until February, which I would purchase from a local dealer about 40 miles from my home 2) getting the Viking/Pfaff P3 from that same dealer or 3) getting the Viking/Pfaff P3 from a dealer about 20 miles from my home.

My concern is that the dealer further from my home is less expensive, and will give good customer support, while the one that is closer is more expensive but will give me free weekly lessons so that I learn all the nuances of the machine very well and offer excellent customer service. While bother dealers have good reputations, the one that is more expensive and closer has one of the best reputations for service after the sale that I've ever encountered.

I'm not sure what to do. Do you think really really excellent service and the most thorough training and support available is worth an extra 1500$?
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