You have to send off a LOT of quilts to make up the money you'd spend buying your own. But you'd have total creative freedom with your own, you could charge to quilt your friend's quilts, but then you'd have their deadlines looming over your own projects. You could "rent" your machine to friends - teach them how to use it, then help them get going etc, or you could fine a LQS that does that and get your own quilting done in your own style. It all depends on what you want and what you can afford to spend on a hobby or small business.