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How much should I spend on a embroidery machine?

I want to start a very small embroidery business, because money is thight I can't spend too much on a machine. Can you please recommend a user friendly machine and not too expensive. Should I buy a used machine? Thanks a lot!

Public Comments

1. First: if this is for a business then don't waste your time with a home machine, look to a multi-needle professional industrial type machine. Why? Because they can operate day and night, they are far higher speed, meaning more customers and more profits -but most importantly, many commercial embroidery machine makers offer complete operator training and they offer credit terms and advice on setting up a business. And a few are cheaper than top-of-the-line home machines. Many will also carry embroidery thread in larger spools, which is far cheaper than buying little spools at the fabric store. (I buy all my threads on large cones, I haven't bought small spool in years) Melco/AMAYA machines are the machines that many cresting and embroidery shops use. The melco site has used machines available and they stand behind their products. Here's the Melco/AMAYA website, they have a small business start up guide. http://www.melcousa.com/index.php?s=1 Other commercial-only brands include Barudan, Tajima (the best) Toyota, SWF, and Juki. Enter "commercial embroidery machine (brand)" into the search box and you'll find lots of information about each brand. Brother, babylock and Janome have smaller commercial machines suitable for business. Here are the individual web pages: Brother machines: http://www.brother-usa.com/industsewemb/ Babylock: http://www.babylock.com/embroidery/embroidery-professional/ Janome: http://www.janome.com/index.cfm/Machines/Embroidery/MB-4#Machines_Overview (this one is more for home use, but it's a good starter machine) This is the bare bones basics of embroidery machines. Try a few searches with these brand names and try a few searches within dealer sites. There are several Yahoo groups devoted to embroidery and they might have some very knowledgeable people ready to help. But once again, don't buy a single needle home machine, commercial machines are made for speed and for durability.
2. Sorry, but if you buy any embroidery machine it should be from a sewing machine dealer. then you can buy a used one. My Viking embroidery machine is over 12 years old and works like a dream. But learning how to use the machine and how to embroidery takes lessons. You need special needles, thread, bobbin thread, You need to learn how to hoop, what stabilizers to use. Heck I took one class that taught nothing but how to stabilize. Many of the cheaper brands of embroidery machines, (brothers) have a very small area you can embroider on. And don't expect to be able to do custom work. You need special software to be able to digitized a logo. go to a sewing machine dealer and get a demo on an embroidery machine before you do anything else.