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Do any of you own and use a Bailey's LA? Most of the LA's are too pricey and I really would like to have one. I have the large Bernina Frame and use my Bernina 440 on it. I want a wider quilting area and thought maybe the Bailey's could fill the bill if they are a dependable LA. I have a new Bernina 530 that I bought so I could put the 440 on the frame. I'm thinking I could sell the 530 and get a Bailey's. Thanks for your input.

I have been to Chuck's shop. He is very knowledgeable, loves to share, and is very accessible.

Don't know the Bailey. I own a Nolting 24" PRO. Have you considered a used machine? All the manufacturers usually have used machines and do dealers. There's no reason to be afraid of a used machine. LongArms are almost all the same and last forever. Check out Nolting's used machines at
http://www.nolting.com/usedmachines.php

Good Luck

I too have a Bernina frame and use my 440 on it. I too wish I had a machine with a larger throat, but financially it's not an option right now. Hope you find what you want and enjoy it.

I have a Bailey Pro 17E. It is good, dependable machine but it has no bells and whistles. None. I have it on a Grace Majestic frame so that I can do king size quilts. I have done ruler work on it and FMQ and the quilts came out nice. It is a mechanical machine so servicing it is not an issue since you can do it by yourself. Chuck is a great guy, very accessible and knowledgable. You cannot beat the price, that's for sure. If you want a LA bad and cannot afford to spend a fortune Bailey is the answer. I am convinced that mine is going to outlive me by about 50 years or so. You should also know that manual is not the greatest, but Chuck is only a phone call away. It would be the best if you could try one. Than you would know. I bought mine sight unseen and before it arrived I have not tried any other machines. Since then I tried a few and the only thing I would have changed on Bailey is the hight of the harp. It does not impede the quilting but if it was higher it would have better visibility. I solved that problem by raising my frame. Also, Baily gives you some options of DIY. My husband improved on the handles making them more modular. We used the PVC pipe from Home Depot and spend less than a dollar on it. As I said, it is a basic machine but I love it. I would not buy any smaller than 17" because if you plan to use rulers, the lolipop tool takes away a few inches. If you have any specific questions you cam send me a PM or if you are ever near Long Island you are more than welcome to come and give it a try. Good luck!

check out craigs list for Iowa