i bought my longarm with no intention of quilting for others. i mainly quilt my own with the exception of a few customers and charity quilts. i would like to quilt more for others but really have that in mind for retirement for extra income. if i gain a customer base, great, if not, i do plenty of my own so for me its cheaper to own. it is intimidating and if you are not ready or make time for the challenge, send your quilts to a longarmer. u need at least a 12 ft table so space is important. good luck and try before you buy so you have no regrets.