KalamaQuilts

Synove, I could Never justify the expense/investment but I've always read the accuquilt threads here with interest.
But life and time goes by, and I'm sharing my experience here. https://www.quiltingboard.com/vbulle...s-t324152.html I goot a Go Electric last August. .

Updating from that time I LOVE my accuquilt, and even got the tiny one travel with us. I get up excited to use it!
Advice I might share at this date, Go to Accuquilt and read every page there, numerous times. It will save you so many questions and second guessing youself. Look through all the dies time and time again. watch the videos.

I did buy my Go Electric new because I wanted the warrenty, but I watched and got an excellent buy.
Because I looked at the dies so many times I pretty much knew what would work for my style. I still don't have the AQ strip dies as I only work with scraps, don't have yardage to strip Accuquilt is Addictive. Ask anyone with long term ownership how many dies they have they've never used.
At least 1/2 of mine came from Ebay abnd a facebook quilters group.
and I took a workshop online on how to convert standard patterns to AQ. $40,00 but Priceless.

Just do your research at AQ, honestly that knowledge is preceless.
edited to add, Don't confuse Studio Accuquilt and regular Accuquilt machines and dies.
Know the difference

Onebyone

My husband replaced the bearings in mine about ten years ago. Turns and rolls so much easier. He was impressed at how well the Go was made, except for the bearings, not the best bearings. I bought a new Go manual half off when the company was sold. My old one with the new bearings turns so much smoother and easier.

Onebyone

This site has a lot of info about Accuquilt
https://www.fhtdesign.com/accuquilt-case-study

peaceandjoy

I had a GO! and quite a few dies. Unfortunately, as I don't have a lot of room, I could not leave it set up and ready to use. Thus, it rarely got used, but took up valuable storage space. I sold it, and all dies, at a huge loss.

The only thing I ever found annoying about cutting, when I did use it, was static build up - which means that the pieces cut stick to the mat that is lifted away, rather than staying flat and lying as they were cut. If you've layered fabrics so that you can just sew them together, they are no longer in that order. If you wanted to rotate and sub-cut, you had to re-layer them.

My favorite dies were the HST's (anything up to 3", I don't use larger ones) and the small tumbler, which I think was 3.5" tall. LOVED having no dog ears. Oh, also the custom FQ die that cut a variety of strips and squares from 1.5" to 2.5".

I don't have any problem cutting strips, so strip dies were of no value to me for the cost. I use the large Stripology for fast and efficient cutting of strips. Next to no storage space and multiple, accurate cuts.

Now, many years later, I am starting to have more shoulder pain and arthritis in my hands. Perhaps someday, I will invest in another, but it would be the electric one. Definitely pricey, but if it enables me to do what I enjoy without pain, and if I can figure out someplace to keep it, it'd be worth it. It's still the place to put it that is a problem, of course. I don't buy much fabric anymore, so what I used to spend in fabric, I could shift to the cutter and dies. In the meantime, I try to plan ahead better so as to not need to cut a lot at a time. An hour is doable, so I do that, then move on to something else until the next day.

Onebyone

I spray my mat and dies with Static Guard. It lasts a long time.

ibex94

I love my accuquilt. I have the Go. If I ever get bad arthritis, I'll get an electric one. All of the dies rotate around on sales on their site so if there is one you want, just wait for the sale. I have found them on shopgoodwill.com and ebay affordably as well. I do collect the angular shape dies and BOB and strip dies.

Ask at your local LQS to see if any of them are allowing for use of their Go machine. Many will rent by the hour or let you use their dies if you buy the fabric from them. It is just another service like renting their longarm machine to you to use. You can test it that way and see if you really want to buy one foryour home. The other thing that happens is the LQS will have an accuquilt show. You go, see how it works, try it out, and then the possibility to buy one is really more affordable than the website price.

KalamaQuilts

another thing, you have to be dead on with your seam allowance or the blocks/units won't come out to size.

Onebyone

The library here has the Go and many dies in the Maker Room so check with the libraries close by..

Rhonda K

Yes, I'm in and love it!

I have the Go Big with the extension table and 2 baby go cutters. Our LQS offered classes with a great instructor that taught us the system. We had monthly classes that included the applique shapes with embroidery designs. I started with individual dies to make the 12 inch cubes and later purchased most of the cubes.I have the 16 inch cube on my wish list.

There is a new cutter coming out in the Fall that might work if you have space issues. Sign up for the notices on sales. I've found the best time was the week prior to the Black Friday sale in past years.

Register your dies on the site or on the App. It will show you the dies you already own when looking at patterns. Check the tabs as there are reference pages for cutting and fabric requirements for the dies.

SusieQOH

I think the secret to success with an Accuquilt is to have a dedicated space for it. I have a big one and a small one but they aren't readily accessible so I'm finding I don't use it as often as I'd like. My sewing room is so full of stuff! Maybe I need to reorganize and downsize a bit to accommodate it. They really are nice to have.