Is there a good site or a FAQ about buying a serger? I'm looking at then, secondhand on eBay, but I don't know squat about them.
I bought my second sewing machine at a yard after reading something that was posted here, and I've never been disappointed.
Angie
These might be useful:
Thanks! I have already read a couple, but I'll read more. Also, if anybody wants to toss out any opinions about brands in general, feel free. I'm not too worried about being able to find somebody to service any machine. I'm outside of Chicago. They service just about everything here.
AIn article , Angrie.Woman of SBC
Just apply the same reasoning you did with the sewing machine, and you cannot go far wrong!
Watch Brother too... Recent ones seem to have improved, but they were dire for a while. Love my Huskylock! Also love its smaller cousin the Toyota. You can see both on my web site.
I love Janomie! I have a Janomie sewing machine and overlocker. I have a costume hire business (make all the costumes). Work for 2 dance studio's and dressmake. I would be lost without these machines! The overlocker never plays up and I have sewn heavy vinyl, foam, lycra.....all sorts of stuff. I also won a state of the art Viking overlocker and loath it (although Kate swears by them). It is gathering dust (I'll trade it in one of these days!) I found it a temperamental and arrogant machine, whereas the Janomie has proven an exceptional work horse...........Amelia
Considering the fact that Janome makes machines for everyone including Pfaff, Bernina and VSM they have a pretty good track record. Check out some of the lower end machines of any brand and you will see Janome......Sergers are made by only 3 companies now. All sergers are made by these companies and badged with what ever name orders them. Janome's are quite simple to use compared to most. VSM are Singers underneath and Pfaff and Elna share a company called Hosei. Asin Seiki is another company who does sergers, but there may be different manufacturers represented throughout the serger lines.The current Pfaff/VSM line includes sergers from all three manufacturers.
Well, my reasoning was "These people sure know a lot more than I do!" :)
Going in though, I knew what a sewing machine did, and how they worked. All I know about sergers is that they give garments a more professional, finished look. I sense a class or two coming on.
I do know now that I probably will never need 5 threads, which is a lot more than I knew yesterday.
A
When I bought my first one, I thought I would *never* need a differential feed. When I bought the second one, that was at the top of my list of "has-to-haves".
I also never used the rolled hem much on #1, as it required changing the foot and plate. On my #2, it's an easy couple of adjustments, and I have used it a lot.
In article , Kate Dicey of Customer of PlusNet plc
As a professional sewist, I use the 4 thread seam a LOT, along with three threads for really stretchy things, three for rolled hems and rolled seams on sheers, and a two thread rolled hem on really fine edges. % threads gives you cover stitch (looks like T shirt hems), but you can get close with a twin needle in the sewing machine, and it's a LOT easier to master. % threads can also give you a 'safety' seam line on some machines, but if you need that, just seam it first on the sewing machine and then serge it with 3 or 4 threads. I really only use this on very ravelly or thick projects, or things like furnishing where seams get a lot of stress. I personally don't think the fifth thread is worth the extra £100.
Think about your use: if you will make a LOT of sports stuff or stuff with cuffs, or if you use the free arm on your sewing machine a lot (I use mine a huge amount), then the Huskylock may be the way to go as it is the only one with a free arm. The 905 and the 910 are 4 thread, and do almost the same things. The 910 had the electronic sewing adviser and memory, and the conversion to two thread is built in. There are other minor differences. The 936 has the free arm, memory, sewing advisor, 2 thread built in, and the cover stitch, and a couple more things I forget.
I have to admit I have hated every Janome serger I have tried, and they are the *only* make that have danced off the table into my lap!
I have Janome, just got it for Christmas and I love it. The only problem I've run into so far is when I start a new color thread in the loopers I can't always get them to pull through easily. I finally figured out I was making my knots to big. The result was I'd have to start from scratch with rethreading. I want you to know that I can rethread that machine so quickly now that I never think of it as a problem. Oh and I do make better knots now also. At first I ithought I'd just use the machine for seam finishing. Not any longer. I've tried all kinds of projects with it and feel very comfortable with it. Now if I can just figure out a way to make buttonholes with it. Juno
He might want to take a good look at who actually makes the Toyota sergers......They are NOT considered an especially good serger either with Toyota on them or the other names they are sold under. Janome sergers sell well and require little in the way of repairs over the long haul.
Now if I can just figure out a way to make buttonholes with it.
Oooh - yours makes buttonholes? I read that was one thing sergers could not do. Zippers was another.
AIn article , Hanna's Mum of uttered
He has. He's been doing the job for donkeys' years. My experience of Janome overlockers has been limited to the three or four (belonging to other people) that I've used. All were lemons, although admittedly one of them was being thrashed like you wouldn't believe. One in particular spent more time back at Janome under warranty than it did at "home".
Fraid not, I was just being facetious. Juno
Zips yes - see my web site! Buttonholes, no!
The 900 series of HV segers are made by "Singer" as is anything with a free arm. Singer still owns the patent on that feature but do farm it out for a price to Hosei Corp. Hosei makes most of not all of the electronic sergers on the market including several of the Janome ones. It is hard to pin down one brand as the best because there are not as many manufacturers as there are Brands. Asin Seiki does most of the knob sergers on the market today. It kinda like working in a canning plant and seeing the same beans go into several differently labelled cans. Many are premium priced or purchased because of brand loyalty when in fact the beans all came off the same truck from the same fields.
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