Originally Posted by Buckeye Rose
Also, I have been checking prices online for the long arm quilting machines and am stunned at how expensive they are....how does the average quilter afford one? Are there used ones out there? and where?
Help me!
YES a longarm machine is a HUGE investment. There are some midarm setups that are considerably less and yes there are used machines out there but longarm machines with rack tend to hold their value so it is still many thousands of dollars for a LA set up even used. You can google "used longarm quilting machines" and will get a lot of hits. The average quilter needs to think long and hard about it as well as consider her needs and the needs of her hopefully future customers. I spent 2 years saving and thinking about it and trying out different setups before I finally settled on my Innova. My goal is to quilt for others to help defray/justify the investment. And yes that is exactly what it is, an investment.
Many opt for a midarm setup using a machine that has anywhere from a 9" to 16" harp (throat space) on a rack. These setups are considerably less expensive and can also be found used on occasion, for those who decided to upgrade to a true longarm later or have given up. I can't tell you how many of those I stumbled across when I started researching. If you are truly considering getting a midarm on a rack try to see if there is a LQS in your area that offers lessons and rental time on their longarm or midarm setup to get the feel for it and help you decide if this is the direction you want to take.