Old 12-27-2015, 06:54 PM
  #24  
caspharm
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Originally Posted by Farm Quilter View Post
I have an Innova, but it is a stand-up. One of the best things I found about my Innova is that I have free, 24/7/365 tech support because ABM (makers of Innova) started out with industrial quilting machines and when those go out, they need tech service now and Innova owners benefit from that. You really don't want a thread cutter on a longarm...things you may look for in a sewing machine are definitely not what you want in a quilting machine. The Innovas all take the larger M bobbins and you will quickly become adept at popping that bobbin case in without seeing the bobbin race. I have never seen any longarm that had an auto-thread option (I thought only some of the surgers had that option). Go and try as many longarm machines as you can and don't let them hurry you - and if you are physically able to use a stand-up longarm, try those out as well (I think they are much easier to use!). I know that Innova will customize their frames to fit your needs.
I'm with you, Farm Quilter. I have an Innova as well and am very happy with it. It is a light and low maintenance machine and had a great experience when I called tech support the one time I needed it.

That said, I absolutely agree with Farm Quilter that you should try both stand up and sit down machines. Another thing to consider about sit-down machines is you have to push the quilt under the machine just like using a domestic machine, while on a "regular" longarm, you are moving the head of the machine around on the quilt.
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