Well... I bought a new machine

[Bree]

When you get set up, I would love to know how stable it is on the smaller base. I looked at this model several months ago and they were kind of saying that because of the weight and arm length it needed that giant stand. I would love it if you can get away with using the smaller one. That would probably prompt me to purchase one. Let me know how it works out....

This is certainly something to think about. The PED 600 stand is by no means petite the way they set it up for this machine. The table is 34" wide and the metal wings it sits on are about 28" wide! It will NOT fit through a door. To get it through the door we had to remove the table completely and bring the head, table, and stand in separately and then reassemble the stand in the sewing room. On the plus side the stand has a base that is I-Beam shaped so it has good spread of the load.

The casters are about 3" and they are the factor that destabilizes the stand. They are good locking swivel casters but 3" is probably too small for such a big machine and all the weight of it. You can remove the casters and get the stand planted on terra firma. That is probably wisest but it then becomes immoveable. So I guess you just lock them down and deal with a little bit of shakiness. It won't flip or fall over or anything like that. It is just shakier than one might be used to. The machine is a very smooth sewing at slow to medium speed and the shakiness has no effect unless you are at max speed.

I don't think that I care too much about it as of right now. It is a trade off... rock solid stand... versus the ability to easily move the machine around the room at the cost of some instability. Also remember that you have to get 675 pounds into your sewing room with the big stand versus 465 pounds with the PED 600. BIG difference. In my case we had to unload it at the freight terminal. It was MUCH easier to unload the PED 600 that it would have been to unload the full size stand.

I think that I am happy with what I got. Time will tell but so far so good. There are some annoyances about the stand. It has a nasty and hard to isolate squeak when you hit the foot pedal. Thee manufacturer didn't use any bearings on the foot pedal assemblies... at least none that I can see so somewhere there is metal on metal and it makes a terrible sound. But I will track it down and get it greased up somehow. I am not worried about it. Little stuff like that can bug you. But that kind of thing happens with just about any machine these days so whatcha gonna do?

If I need to get it more stable I can simply remove the casters or increase their size. Those things would help enormously.

[esantoro]

What about rolling and locking each of the casters onto a 12" x 12" poundo board (1/4" rubber mat) from Tandys. Or you could use a square piece of thick veg tan. I would try something like this to counter the chatter.

I have a bit of leather underneath each of the legs on my 441 stand for the very same reason.

Ed

[bruce johnson]

Bree,

Now to accessorize it.... I have machines from a different supplier, but I shop Artisan for a few things. Their buck apiece thread snips work well for me. I buy a strip every so often. Stick a cow magnet on the machine somewhere and the thread snips to the magnet.

I like their halogen gooseneck lamps pretty well too. Better than an incandescent and less heat. At the show this spring I bought two of their magnetic base LED lights for my machines. They mount facing down on the bottom of the head around the needle bar opening. They have 7 LED lights in an L shape. They are the ticket for lighting up the sewing area. I rarely turn on the goosenecks anymore. If they didn't give you one with the machine, call them up and beg for one.

[esantoro]

Bree,

Now to accessorize it.... I have machines from a different supplier, but I shop Artisan for a few things. Their buck apiece thread snips work well for me. I buy a strip every so often. Stick a cow magnet on the machine somewhere and the thread snips to the magnet.

I like their halogen gooseneck lamps pretty well too. Better than an incandescent and less heat. At the show this spring I bought two of their magnetic base LED lights for my machines. They mount facing down on the bottom of the head around the needle bar opening. They have 7 LED lights in an L shape. They are the ticket for lighting up the sewing area. I rarely turn on the goosenecks anymore. If they didn't give you one with the machine, call them up and beg for one.

I also liked the LED lights, but the cable broke off on mine and I'm waiting to re-solder it and provide some kind of support for the wire to be able to flex without breaking off from the contact.

Since I've ordered the danray lamp, I may just forgo the LED lights, though I am very interested in the very bright light that CREE LED chips put out.

Ed

[superchute]

Bree we cross the chains for the pettles so the right on is go and left one lifts the foot up and that shere helped me. I have toro 3000

Russ

[Bree]

What about rolling and locking each of the casters onto a 12" x 12" poundo board (1/4" rubber mat) from Tandys. Or you could use a square piece of thick veg tan. I would try something like this to counter the chatter.

I have a bit of leather underneath each of the legs on my 441 stand for the very same reason.

Ed

It doesn't chatter at all. The arm is so large and heavy that it kind of rocks the machine on the casters. It isn't very pronounced because it is so heavy but there is a little movement. I like being able to move the machine so I don't see it as much of a problem. But I think I will try your suggestion and see what happens. It sure can't hurt anything!!

[Bree]

Bree,Now to accessorize it.... I have machines from a different supplier, but I shop Artisan for a few things. Their buck apiece thread snips work well for me. I buy a strip every so often. Stick a cow magnet on the machine somewhere and the thread snips to the magnet. I like their halogen gooseneck lamps pretty well too. Better than an incandescent and less heat. At the show this spring I bought two of their magnetic base LED lights for my machines. They mount facing down on the bottom of the head around the needle bar opening. They have 7 LED lights in an L shape. They are the ticket for lighting up the sewing area. I rarely turn on the goosenecks anymore. If they didn't give you one with the machine, call them up and beg for one.

LOL!! I use welder's positioning magnets. I have two of them on my Juki with Paiva snips, angled surgical scissors, regular surgical scissors, seam rippers, long angled tweezers, regular scissors of various kinds, and an awl. The LA-25 scares me because there is so much room on top of the arm for magnets and all the junk I can hook onto them!They told me about those LED lights but I didn't get any with the machine. They were pretty frugal with freebies. But that's OK because I didn't buy the machine to get free stuff. I bought it to make money with and that's what I intend to do. I finished setting up my spot setter and got the skiver working. Did a nice graduated skive today so I am getting the feel of it. Tomorrow, I will start working on getting a variety of needles and threads as well as a few customizations. I have some ideas for cool stuff.

Bree we cross the chains for the pettles so the right on is go and left one lifts the foot up and that shere helped me. I have toro 3000 Russ

Now that's something that I didn't think about! Does that reduce the play in the servo motor foot pedal?? Right now the way that I have it, there is way too much freeplay before the pedal motion actually starts actuating the servo.I will take a good look at that tomorrow.Thanks!

[Bree]

I wanted to update the discussion about my Artisan T-4000 LA-25. Because they made a special stand for this machine and mine was the first of this type, there were some problems and not all of the items that should have shipped with the machine did ship with the machine.

When Steve became aware of this, he jumped! He has been a busy beaver sending me things and helping me get the machine working at spec. I have to tell you that he has earned his pay. Anybody that is thinking about an Artisan machine... get on the phone with Steve Tayrien at 888-838-1408. Tell him Bree sent you!

Steve will not only give you great technical advice, he will make sure that you are happy!! I like Artisan's competition... that's no secret... I was intending on buying one of their competitor's machines right from the very start. But neither company showed up at the IFoLG to demonstrate their equipment and sell me on why they are best.

Artisan showed up and they spent a lot of time with me. They gave me good sound advice and they are sure working hard to become #1 in my mind... even after the sale has been completed. They are impressing me more and more each day. We had a rocky start but they are doing all the right things and earning their wings every day. Great job Steve and Artisan team!!

You all are rapidly improving my total cost of ownership which includes service and satisfaction after the sale. You are earning my recommendation. Buy from Artisan without fear. They will do right by you.