Is it always this difficult?

[TomE]

Now that my machine is dialed in, I'm glad I learned more about the mechanics can make adjustments.  I tinker with the walking foot movement whenever I switch to an in-line presser foot set.  The narrow feed dog and needle plate is an improvement but I filed the underneath edge of the needle plate slot to eliminate slight interference with the arm of the feed dog.  It's like maintaining a car from British Leyland.  Always tinkering. 

[Tequila]

On 2/19/2022 at 4:22 PM, jamextras said:

I'm sure that all the good things I've read about Bob Kovar are true. But my experience with him yesterday was anything but good. I was left with the strong impression that he had too many orders to be bothered with me.

You’re not the only one, I had the same experience a few weeks ago.  When I spoke to him he seemed distracted with awkward silences. 

[JLSleather]

54 minutes ago, TomE said:

 Always tinkering. 

fair enough - each his own.  Personally, when I buy a car, I don't want to "tune" it, I want to DRIVE it.

I have no objection to REPAIRING a car, though I would EXPECT that if it needs repair it's because it's USED, and it should have a corresponding price tag.  I don't pay NEW price, AND fix it.  

OH WAIT>. you bring up a GOOD point.  Now that you've made the machine do what it was SUPPOSED TO (but didn't) DO when you bought it. is it worth MORE, or LESS?  I mean, is it now ADJUSTED CORRECTLY, or is it USED? 

Edited February 21, 2022 by JLSleather

[Rubicon04]

This isnt a comforting thread to read knowing that I'll be ordering a machine in the next month but was unsure from where. And it seems everyone on my list to look at is mentioned in this thread. 

[JayEhl]

I'm still waiting from a response from Techsew customer service that I sent on the 16th.  It's just for a part and I guess it doesn't rank as importance as would a new machine inquiry but boy I can only imagine much trouble I would be if I didn't answer an email in almost a week.  I am going to give it a few more days before I send a reminder but gosh, I didn't think I had to.

 

[JLSleather]

34 minutes ago, JayEhl said:

I can only imagine much trouble I would be if I didn't answer an email in almost a week

Yup, indeed.  OR send the wrong product. or the right product but substandard.  or missing parts.  

Folks around here actually ENCOURAGE this type of behavior, I think.   I once posted here about a company (advertises here) I wasn't happy with at all, and I asked why so many seem to like the place.  A SWARM of people who know little about leather and even less about business flooded on to tell me how happy they were with that place .. .so I ASKED what it was that caused them to think that.  One poor guy said he was pretty new, and had only ordered there 4 times... one they sent partial order, one they sent the wrong items, one had some things backordered... etc...  SO THEN I said.. wait.. you ordered FOUR times, they messed up EVERY order, and because they "made it right" he would continue to shop there.  Which doesn't matter to me - not up to me where OTHERS shop.  I just don't "get" why people would order something, get the WRONG thing (or a cheap IMITATION of the right thing), or get it LATE, and continue to shop there.  

A flat tire could happen to anybody.  You could be late for work, even though that's not your style.  When it happens consistently, I'd be letting you go and hiring somebody who will do what I'm paying for.

[TomE]

I’ve been pleased with SLC customer service, in store and for online orders. They just missed on checking my machine. Learning how to maintain tools is a fulfilling part of the craft for me. The sewing machine expertise and generosity found on this forum is a treasure. 

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, Rubicon04 said:

This isnt a comforting thread to read knowing that I'll be ordering a machine in the next month but was unsure from where. And it seems everyone on my list to look at is mentioned in this thread. 

lol I don't have a machine for leather, but have others and have read through the thread, i would love to get one someday so gathering all the info i can. Seems a leather sewing machine is just like any sewing machine, from what i have read, can use a number of threads, needles feet and any number of add ons that will do whatever one needs.

 I guess my question to all the folks on here knocking the sellers is how in the heck can they send you a machine tuned and ready for every single thread needle combo and gadget that you can think of? How do they know what you are sewing? what you may sew in the future and or what thread, needle and gadget combo you may dream up during your morning shower?

Sewing machines are amazing machines and at one time almost in every house, with a company or more selling and repairing in every town, not now they are dinosaurs living on borrowed time now and finding someone that even sews let alone can work on one is rare.

I had the great fortune in my working career to buy equipment for a number of trades including textiles it was always in our purchasing contracts to provide initial setup and training but on our part we had to know what we were going to be making start to finish, we had few problems but most all the machines no matter the trade had to be setup or fine tuned for what we wanted. I don't see how any company could provide this service to the private citizen without it costing a lot of money that the private citizen or the industry simply doesn't have.

Every person who has ever tried to machine sew anything will tell you that you have to know how to maintain them and tune them.

With that said if you cant get reliable training and service and have to be self taught buying a brand new machine isn't cost effective imo. 

[Daffy]

Wow... 

Couple years ago or there about I bought my class 4 from the leather machine Company. one issue that was resolved here regarding an adjustment.  otherwise it has worked flawlessly once adjusted to my needs at the time.

I don't buy a car with the expectation that a mechanic sits on standby for me waiting to work on it or offer free advice on how to fix it.

[JayEhl]

4 minutes ago, Daffy said:

I don't buy a car with the expectation that a mechanic sits on standby for me waiting to work on it or offer free advice on how to fix it.

Maybe it's just me, but I do have an expectation that when I buy ANYTHING new it should work out of the box.  Sure, a little adjustment here or there for reasons of customization (which is alot of the side conversations here are about) and also when I call the vendor after buying something new I would also expect someone to pick up  with hopefully a smiling face/voice.

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by JayEhl
grammar