Hi all, I am new here and fairly new to the world of industrials. I would like a little help on what to do choice wise.
I am in need of a machine and on a pretty limited budget. I would mainly do bags and wallets on it. However, I don't work with leather right now, just vinyl (still fairly a beginner) so I am wondering whether it would be better to buy what I can get that could work for me now and get something else later or buy something I can grow into nicely. Like something that wouldn't be an overkill, too much for my current needs, but could accommodate my fast growing appetites.
My issues is that I am very limited in choices and budget.
Firstly, I have no option of trying out anything. I live too far away from anything so whatever I get will have to be sent to me and it will have to be just based on a video or something.
Buying a new compound feed is way out of my budget. Waay out.
What I might be able to get is a regular walking foot (top and bottom feed) one of the juki clones, new - as I said, to work for me at this moment (and look into something better later on if I am able to) or buy a used compound, an old(er) one.
My options here, within a reasonable distance (still would have to be sent to.me, just not that far) would.be a pfaff 335 or 545 mainly. Not sure on exact models but there are several and I don't want to ask for details until I able to buy (it'll be in a couple months time). These models are usually often seen in ads in the (wider) area.
I have my heart set on a Juki lu 563 (a few others as well but that one is on top of the list) however those I can only find online (ebay and stuff), with warranty and whatnot, but it would mean shipping to my country, shipping pretty far and that worries me.
Also to note, where I live there are no options of having it serviced if something goes wrong. There is probably one guy that travels once or twice a year around the south of the country and that is my only bet if I need repairs unless it is like dead or something and I'd need to spend an arm and a leg on shipping to and from where it can be looked at.
So I'd like to get something reliable.
It would likely be possible to get a professional to look at it while.buying and fix whatever needs fixing right away amd put in a servo motor, but from there on out, I'm on my own.
I want it to be happy with t92 thread, that is my only... condition. I mean not.just be able to work with it but be happy with it lol
Also wondering how comfortable would a 335 be as a main machine (not just a "specialized one") with something.like an extension table to make it a flatbed. Does it work well full time or is it not really great for a main machine.
Thank you all for reading and for your time.