decrtl

HELP!!! What a decision, it is worse than buying a car. I have looked at Gammill, Nolting 24 Pro, Viking and I am weighing towards a Babylock Crown Jewel 18-8 with Quilt Motion for 9,999.00. It is a 1 year old floor model with a 3 year bumper to bumper. I know APQS has 8 year btob and Nolting has a 5 year. I want to quilt for myself and part time for others. Will I out grow this or is this what I am looking for?

suebee

Take a look at the INNOVA'S. That is the one I am going to purchase soon. Charismah here on the board LOVES hers. Its a machine that is smooth,NOT particular when it comes to threads (different brands) and she swears by their customer service. Maybe PM her for more. :) btw....Im jealous., I want mine now but gotta get DH truck paid for :) Good luck

Annaquilts

I tried several and my vote is for the Inova also.

candlequilter

I love my Gammill Optimum. It works like a charm and they are a great company for support should you have any questions.

ckcowl

you need to take Tech support and service into consideration when making your decision---
it does not matter how great the machine is if the closest service/help is hundreds of miles away from you. also you will want a class or two- to learn your new machine- that sucks if you have to travel...

tupoms

Keep this in mind. You will be the performing maintenance yourself. Can't haul these mega machines in every week. I wish my LA had a better maintenance manual. Setting the timing was a bugger.

Just Me...

The Machine Quilters Showcase is the first weekend of May, if you can go. You can try all of the different machines there and see which machine best suits you. It is like anything else, a matter of personal preference, what your budget is, and what options you are looking for. I, personally, have two Gammills and wouldn't trade them for anything. But, again, it is about personal preference, etc.

I will say, one thing to keep in mind is the throat space. The more throat space you can afford, the better, especially when doing customer quilts!

Good Luck!

the casual quilter

I agree with the other posts that having a reliable, certified repair person in fairly close proximity is an important thing to consider before you make your purchase. If you have to ship one of these things to get maintenance it is going to cost an arm and a leg, plus you are without your machine for a long time. If the person who maintains your machine is not certified by the company, the warranty could be invalidated. Just my thoughts.

Candace

Definitely try out an Innova before you make your choice!

soccertxi

I say test drive every machine you can get your mitts on! A large show is the best and they usually have deals. BUT, that being said, when I decided what I wanted I looked on some on the 'gently' used sites and found one local to me in my price range. Don't take someone elses word and just buy. You need those opinions, but you need to see what fits YOU too.

here are two links to get you started!
http://www.houseofhanson.com/formerlyowned.html

http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/forumdisplay.php?fid=31