I have a Huskylock that was my mom's...I was intimidated by it for years, and wouldn't even try to use it...and then one day I had William oil it up, and I sat down with a threading diagram (it's an old machine)
It's the best thing that's happened to the shirts that I make for him!! :) He likes what it does too, simply because there's no more fray!
I vote for buying the serger! ;)