My Chinese 246 clone arrived!

[TonyD1948]

ElfLeather; you've had your Jiang Long a few months now and I'm wondering how it's working out for you. I'm an old geezer with a limited budget and just can't put the $3k together for a known brand 1341. Jiang Long is quoting $666 (ominous I know) for their 1341 head only plus $130 shipping. Huge savings - what's your opinion of the Jiang Long now that you've had a chance to work with it?

Thanks

[NerdyLeather]

These 246 clones can be surprisingly decent once you clean out the shipping oil and sort the timing. The casting looks pretty normal for this tier.

I still lean toward lighter new models because they hold their settings better and you don’t end up fighting worn parts or mystery fixes from previous owners.

When I wanted a clear reference point for how the originals are built, I bought from Lords Sewing and their Brother lineup made it a lot easier to understand what a proper spec should look like and what a clone needs to match.