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What is the best embroidery machine to buy to start my business?

November 13th, 2012 Leave a comment Go to comments

I want to eventually have a substantially large embroidering and altering business and need a few pointers on what to start with.

You should call Mr. Vac and Mrs. Sew and ask them about their commercial machines. I know my friend just started an embrodery business (she is doing great by the way) and she just purchased the Ricoma 12-Needle Commercial Embroidery Machine. The Ricoma is the best commercial machine available that gives you the most bang for your buck. The Ricoma is a true commercial machine. It will run at 1,000 Stitches Per Minute. The Ricoma also has twelve needles which is great for a person starting a business or is producing the same thing over and over again. I know from experience that many designs, logos etc. use more than 6 colors (say like the PR-600) and changing the thread colors constantly is gets fairly boring and eats up a lot of time. However with the Ricoma you can have up to 12 Needles and you can sew many designs and logos that have over 6 colors. The Ricoma also comes with many more extras. With the Ricoma you have an embroidery field of 13" x 19.5" THAT IS HUGE!!! The Ricoma comes with 2, that’s right , 2 cap hoops and is able to embroider on an astonishing 270 degrees of the cap. You also receive with the Ricoma 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 9 cm (3.5"), 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 12 cm (4.7"), 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 15 cm (5.9"), 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 23 cm (9"), 2 Jacket Back Square Hoop 30 x 30 cm (12" x 12"), 1 Sash Frame 56 x 38 cm (22" x 15") and of course the 2 cap hoops. But they give you 2 sets of every hoop (except the Sash Frame) which is important because if you were going to embroider say 50 bags. You can hoop one bag and embroider on that one, then hoop the other and wait until the one being embroidered on is done and put the hoop that is already hooped in the machine. This will save you a lot of time because you can always have the machine embroidering and there would be no lag time in between because you will always have a pre-hooped hoop on hand. With the Ricoma you also will receive a FREE!!! full digitizing program worth well over $2000 .This state-of-the-art software package allows you to create your own embroidery designs from scanned images, clip art, logos, and more. The Embroidery Software’s easy-to-use drawing tools make digitizing a simple task, even for beginners. This software has no limitations and grows with your business. Adding text to your designs is easily accomplished using the lettering tool, which is compatible with true type fonts as well as the pre-digitized fonts included with the software. Import bitmap or vector graphics and use the embroidery software’s One-Touch auto-digitizing feature to convert them to stitches with a few easy clicks. With this software you be easily and quickly able to transform artwork and lettering to high quality embroidery. The Ricoma also comes with a stand with wheels for easy movement FREE!!! You also receive 8,000 Stock Embroidery Designs with the machine FREE!!! You also will receive a Gunold Introductory Kit which is full of a variety of top embroidery products. It contains Sulky‚rayon spools, Gunold Poly‘ spools, bobbins, scissors, needles, touch-up pen, small can of KK-2000‘, Puffy Foam‘ pack, Perforated Solvy‚ Filmoplast‚ three types of backings, color cards, information sheets and more. This kit is great for Embroidery businesses just starting out.

And if that was not enough you will receive a FREE!! Approx. 7 hour training on how to use your machine.

Best of all my friend got the Ricoma on sale for only $9999 with free shipping and no tax because she does not live in New York.

Here is a link:

http://www.mrvacandmrssew.com/go/product/id/832

  1. Debbie B
    November 13th, 2012 at 18:29 | #1

    It depends on how much you want to spend. I personally like the Brother Innovis 4000D but this is not an industrial machine. It has worked beautifully for me (and I have worked it like a horse!) with only minimal service.

    A more industrial Machine would be the Brother PR600. I also have this one and love the fact that I can put 6 spools of thread on it and then let it run. It works faster (since you don’t have to change spools) thank the other machines. It is easy to learn and great to use.

    But whichever machine you use, look into it thoroughly including if there are introductory lessons thrown in where you purchase it, and the cost of any additional features. I love the fact that I don’t need to use cards with either of these machines but can just load the designs onto my USB flash drive, plug it into the machine and run!

    There are also many yahoo groups which can help you get started with free designs and advice. Feel free to join one and talk to the members about what they use and how they feel about them. Good luck! Happy Embroidering!
    References :
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dcdesigns/
    http://www.diamondcottagedesigns.ca
    http://www.aadmall.com

  2. kckt98
    November 13th, 2012 at 18:48 | #2

    I bought a Viking Designer SE 2 years ago with the hope of starting a small business similar to what you are thinking of. Here are some of the things I learned along the way.
    1. A home machine (regardless of brand) is too slow to complete with embroidery businesses that use industrial machines. You don’t think about speed until you do a 4 color embroidery that takes over an hour on a home machine and is done in 15 minutes on an industrial. Multiply that time by 100 T shirts and you get the idea. If I had it to do over, I would buy a used 12 thread industrial machine like Tajima that has computer capabilities.
    2. You need a good software program to edit, convert and do custom work. I like 4D pro by Viking because it can convert different formats and send them anywhere (directly to the machine, a disk, a jump drive, etc.)
    3. Do your homework now by browsing professional embroidery sites like http://www.stitches.com. It is a free site that has great info on pricing, finding blanks, digitizing–everything.
    4. I attended a free seminar featuring Jimmy Lamb of Hirsch and his advice is priceless and right on the money. He has published several articles and it is worth the time to Google them and read them.
    Good luck!
    References :

  3. Yah00_goddess
    November 13th, 2012 at 19:17 | #3

    I would start with a commercial machine that has the capacity to expand and have multiple heads. Understand that a commercial machine will require some training and additional software. I also would suggest getting at least one cap frame to add to your capabilities.

    We have been looking at several machines in order to expand our gift shop capabilities. This won’t be cheap. When you include training time, delivery, and software, we expect to pay around $12,000.
    References :

  4. terminator2760
    November 13th, 2012 at 20:04 | #4

    You should call Mr. Vac and Mrs. Sew and ask them about their commercial machines. I know my friend just started an embrodery business (she is doing great by the way) and she just purchased the Ricoma 12-Needle Commercial Embroidery Machine. The Ricoma is the best commercial machine available that gives you the most bang for your buck. The Ricoma is a true commercial machine. It will run at 1,000 Stitches Per Minute. The Ricoma also has twelve needles which is great for a person starting a business or is producing the same thing over and over again. I know from experience that many designs, logos etc. use more than 6 colors (say like the PR-600) and changing the thread colors constantly is gets fairly boring and eats up a lot of time. However with the Ricoma you can have up to 12 Needles and you can sew many designs and logos that have over 6 colors. The Ricoma also comes with many more extras. With the Ricoma you have an embroidery field of 13" x 19.5" THAT IS HUGE!!! The Ricoma comes with 2, that’s right , 2 cap hoops and is able to embroider on an astonishing 270 degrees of the cap. You also receive with the Ricoma 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 9 cm (3.5"), 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 12 cm (4.7"), 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 15 cm (5.9"), 2 Shirt Front Round Hoop 23 cm (9"), 2 Jacket Back Square Hoop 30 x 30 cm (12" x 12"), 1 Sash Frame 56 x 38 cm (22" x 15") and of course the 2 cap hoops. But they give you 2 sets of every hoop (except the Sash Frame) which is important because if you were going to embroider say 50 bags. You can hoop one bag and embroider on that one, then hoop the other and wait until the one being embroidered on is done and put the hoop that is already hooped in the machine. This will save you a lot of time because you can always have the machine embroidering and there would be no lag time in between because you will always have a pre-hooped hoop on hand. With the Ricoma you also will receive a FREE!!! full digitizing program worth well over $2000 .This state-of-the-art software package allows you to create your own embroidery designs from scanned images, clip art, logos, and more. The Embroidery Software’s easy-to-use drawing tools make digitizing a simple task, even for beginners. This software has no limitations and grows with your business. Adding text to your designs is easily accomplished using the lettering tool, which is compatible with true type fonts as well as the pre-digitized fonts included with the software. Import bitmap or vector graphics and use the embroidery software’s One-Touch auto-digitizing feature to convert them to stitches with a few easy clicks. With this software you be easily and quickly able to transform artwork and lettering to high quality embroidery. The Ricoma also comes with a stand with wheels for easy movement FREE!!! You also receive 8,000 Stock Embroidery Designs with the machine FREE!!! You also will receive a Gunold Introductory Kit which is full of a variety of top embroidery products. It contains Sulky‚rayon spools, Gunold Poly‘ spools, bobbins, scissors, needles, touch-up pen, small can of KK-2000‘, Puffy Foam‘ pack, Perforated Solvy‚ Filmoplast‚ three types of backings, color cards, information sheets and more. This kit is great for Embroidery businesses just starting out.

    And if that was not enough you will receive a FREE!! Approx. 7 hour training on how to use your machine.

    Best of all my friend got the Ricoma on sale for only $9999 with free shipping and no tax because she does not live in New York.

    Here is a link:

    http://www.mrvacandmrssew.com/go/product/id/832
    References :
    http://www.mrvacandmrssew.com

  5. thruthevalley
    November 13th, 2012 at 20:40 | #5

    The others who have answered this question have suggested a commercial machine. Because of the time advantages of using a commercial multi-head embroidery machine this is probably the best choice if you want to go into business. Expect to spend at least $12,000 absolute minimum. Also consider the cost of obtaining hoops (as someone else suggested, you need at least 2 of each hoop since you need to be able to embroider with one hoop and prepare the next item). Consider the cost of other supplies such as stabilizers (you will need a wide variety of these) and thread. Good rayon embroidery thread is not cheap, but is critical to obtain a professional result. Cheap threads available on the internet may not be a wise choice. Often they are wound inconsistently or have "fuzz". These threads will break frequently and cause your machine to require more frequent servicing as thread fuzz clogs your machine mechanisms. Take into account the cost of good needles. Different types of needles are required for different fabrics. A multi-head machine requires one needle for each head–so the cost of needles can add up.

    You will also need to plan to purchase "stock" embroidery designs. These are sample designs from which your customer can prepare their custom embroidered item. Look carefully before purchasing CDs via internet. Many designs are available and often very cost efficient. Companies who advertise for "10,000 embroidery designs for $20" are almost always violating copyright laws. Purchasing these designs makes you liable for violating these copyrights. Embroidery designs are almost always copyrighted.

    An absolute "must" is good embroidery software. Expect to have a learning curve to learn the best packages. Software will be used to create custom monograms or to digitize a customer’s logo into embroidery stitches. Do NOT buy this via internet–go to a local store that offers training! I teach extensive embroidery software classes and learning to adequately use good software is essential, but time-consuming. For example, I provide 15 hours of instruction for the Pfaff/Viking 4D Embroidery Suite software package. This software is multi-format so that embroidery designs can be used on nearly any brand of commercial or home embroidery machine. Invest in training classes in your area and buy from a local dealer so you can call them with questions as you learn to use it. Plan to purchase a good laptop computer with Windows Vista, a dual processor, at least 2 GB of Ram and a good video processing card. Expect to spend around $800+ for this level of laptop. Whichever brand of embroidery software you choose–you absolutely need the advanced version of the software to do any level of commercial business–do NOT even consider a basic software. As you become proficient in using the software, you may want to offer custom digitizing services to the public which will provide you with another source of income for your business.

    If you intend to do alterations, a commercial embroidery machines will not work because it does not sew, it only embroiders. Therefore you will need a good sewing machine as well. Needles and thread (usually cotton to do sewing and rayon to do embroidery) will be different for sewing than for embroidery. So once again, take these costs into account when preparing the cost to enter business.

    All in all, it could easily cost you $30,000 to get started well.

    If this is more than you are willing to spend to start your business, then consider a home embroidery and sewing machine to start with and then branch out into the commercial machine market.

    The store where I teach sells the Pfaff brand of sewing/embroidery machine. There also other brands available, but most of the better machine brands will sell in a similar price range. For example, the entry level Pfaff model 2124 sewing and embroidery machine retails for around $2800. The advanced version of 4D Embroidery software (4D Suite) retails for around $2200. Add a laptop for around $1000. Figure in at least $500 for a minimum start-up of threads, hoops and stabilizers. This sample set up will get you started for around $6500.

    With this type of beginning set-up, the laptop and software will be the same when you expand to a commercial embroidery machine later, the home model machine could be used for alterations and your thread/hoops and stabilizers will also be useable as you expand your business in the future. As your business expands, move into a good multi-head commercial embroidery machine.

    Good luck with your business venture.
    References :

  6. quackette
    November 13th, 2012 at 21:29 | #6

    TRY THE HAPPY! I LOVE IT
    References :
    HAPPY

  7. Blue
    November 13th, 2012 at 22:08 | #7

    Check out the AMAYA XT from Melco, it is by far the leader in industrial machines in terms of capabilities, maximized productivity, and features which make it very user friendly. The appearance of it far blows away any other machine and as your business grows you can add 1 machine head at a time. Other industrial machines come set as 1 head, 4 head, 12 head etc., and they all have to operate on the same design. With 2 heads of the AMAYA’s youy can have one doing a hat while the other sews out a shirt, this is all run through 1 CPU. Also financing is easy to get, if you are serious about starting a company then you would need an industrial machine. The sewing speed of an industrial versus a home machine is a huge difference, and the only way to maximize profits and productivity is to have a commercial machine.
    Another advantage of the AMAYA XT is that when a thread breaks you can program the machine to go to another needle (with same color thread) and continue to sew. The AMAYA XT is the only machine that has these capabilities, usually a thread break completely stops production and productivity.
    The software that comes with the AMAYA is also the best, the capabilities and features of it are numerous and there is too much to get into with it here. But Melco does offfer full training on the purchase of all new AMAYA machines and then with their tech support which is awesome and included with the machine, you would have all the tools you need to have a successful embroidery business.
    My biggest advice is that if you are serious about doing this you need to go at it, develop a marketing plan, find your customers and get the tools that you need to be successful.
    As for the supplies that you need, a salesperson can write that all into the machine lease, so you are not worried about having what you need to get going.
    If you want info on it e-mail me and I will put you in touch with a machine sales rep

    Best of luck to you!!!
    References :

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