Okay, I went to the JoAnn store today that has the separate Viking department. The clerk there today didn't know much about the sergers, but she called the owner at the main store to ask about the White 2000 ATS. She said this machine was discontinued, and she sold the last one she had last month.
She said a comparible machine would be the Viking 905 which has the added features of a free arm and speed control that the White doesn't have. How important are these features?
Her cost for the Viking is $625. I'm thinking I'll go to the main store and look around. At least I found a dealer other than Brother!
I have a Viking 905 and like it very much. Easy to thread, good stitch.
The free arm isn't important because you quickly get the hang of serging from the inside of tubes. In fact, I never use the free arm.
What is meant by "speed control"? a) The speed varies according to how hard you press the pedal? Don't they all? Or b) you can set low and high speed? I never use low speed myself, because of a).
I have the 905 and love it. Got it the first year it came out and haven't had a lick of trouble. I use the free arm and most always sew on FAST.......but I sew with everything that way, foot to the floor LOL If you get that machine take the classes. I sewed on my serger for almost two years before I took any classes and I'm really sorry I didn't right off the bat. I was amazed at just what I could do with that machine and had no idea until I actually took a few classes.
Well, I haven't heard that the White Superlock 2000 is being discontinued. Lots of sewing ladies are buying them. My sewing store had plenty and said nothing about it being discontinued. In fact they were planning to order more in time for Xmas. The White is only $339.00 on ALLBRANDS.com. My sewing machine has the freearm and speedcontrol. I don't feel these features are worth paying $300.00 more. Check out ALLBRANDS and Mr. Vac and Mrs. Sew. I bought my Brother PC-6000 sewing machine from them and had a very good experience.
Hmmm, weird about the discontinue thing. I would like to get the machine cheaper online, but I also would like the class for it. Decisions, decisions! Just how good is the video??
A speed control controls the top speed of the machine. Both of my sewing machines have it, and while I usually keep them set on 'high', it's nice to have the flexibility of controlling the top speed. A slower speed is good for beginners or tricky stuff, and you don't need to worry about mistakenly mashing the foot pedal down and zooming off in a direction you don't want to go. I used it when I was doing some decorative edge stitching on a shaped lapel....
The foot control still works over its full travel, it's just that the range is smaller....
It doesn't affect the 'piercing power' of the machine.
Well, I have a Viking 910 - which is identical to the 905 with the added extra of a display screen. They are a lovely solid machine. If you are new to serging, or have some difficult serging to do, then the option to reduce your machines maximum speed, I find , is useful. The Vikings have two speed settings - slower (0 - 1000 rpm) and fast (0 - 1300 rpm) (or speeds something like that - I can't be bothered to find the manual). I also like the free aram, I find it makes doing fiddly small round things much easier - in fact it is almost (but not quite) as useful as the free arm on your sewing machine. The free arm gap is actually quite small, and angled, so it is not as easy to use as it could be - but a hell of a lot better than no free arm - IMHO.
Well, in the UK a 905 retails for 449GBP, and the 910 for 599GBP. I'm not sure what this translates to in USD, as I'm working off-line and can't get on line to check until later.
I would say that unless you are an experienced serger user, buying from a dealer that offers a free class with the machine is the way to go. Having said that, I got a new sewing machine recently and count myself as an experienced user, I got a free class with my sewing machine, went to the free class thining it would be boring, but came away having learnt some useful additional techniques (and have a new machine embroidered blouse to prove it!), so classes to my mind are the way to go!
I've had my new serger now since the beginning of Spetember, and have yet to have my free class as they had to cancel it at short notice. I'm serging OK, but I know I will learn a *lot* at the class when I finally get it as I am a total newcomer to serging. I have just got my Christmas present from my BIL - The Complete Serger Handbook by Chris James - so I'm reading avidly, and appling what I have learnt very soon.
Pretty good. The manual is pretty plain in explanations. I think you could probably take classes at your favorite sewing store without having to purchase the machine there. They probably charge for the classes whether you buy the machine there or not. I'd check into that. White also puts out a workbook. I plan on buying that after the holidays. I would sew on all the different machines and see which one is the easiest for you. That is what I did. I even had the store let me thread the machine and set it to do rolled hems, etc. The ease in which you can operate your serger is most important. The whistle and bells do you no good if you can't use them with ease.
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