I know there was a topic in the other forum on sergers, but.......
I have an old 4 strand serger. The cutting blade is dull.
Can I....
A) Sharpen the cutting blade? (How?)
B) Buy a new blade? (I know I can, but where do you recomend?)
Or, should I just....
A) Buy a new serger? (I bought mine over 15 years ago, used :P )
If I do buy a new serger....
A) What kind, brand do you recomend?
B) Should I go with 5 strand?
C) Which do you think is best for the heavy fabrics we use?
D) Which is easy to thread?
E) Which seems to have the least repair?
F) Are there any specialty feet you recomend?
G) What is a "must have" feature?
H) What is the "you'll never use it" feature?
I) Which is easy to change the stitch and tension? (and get it right)
J) Buy from: Chain Store (Joanne's), Sewing machine shop, Internet?
K) How much do you use yours?
Besides needing the information myself, I thought this post might make a great reference for anyone looking to purchase a serger. I love having my serger. It is wonderful not to have to worry about your fabric fraying. When I have fabric the frays when you just BREATH on it I serge all of my pieces first then I can work the fabric over all I want when I'm sewing it.
Until she pops back in to sing its praises, Kate owns and has recommended this Brother serger (http://www.amazon.com/Brother-1034D-Lay-Thread-Serger/dp/B0000CBK1L/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=IFKHQL12FQVXE&colid=38QQ6WQEGJTHW). (I stuck it in my Amazon wish list for whenever I do eventually decide I need one.)
Sergers, good ones, are an major investment. I suggest you get a new blade and then work toword the new serger.
Do you have the manual for your machine? IT should tell you how to change it. If not, find a sewing Machine shop near you that will help you OR go online and look for your modles manual.
Quote from: jaunvie on May 17, 2008, 10:51:37 AM
I know there was a topic in the other forum on sergers, but.......
I have an old 4 strand serger. The cutting blade is dull.
Can I....
A) Sharpen the cutting blade? (How?)
No, not really...
B) Buy a new blade? (I know I can, but where do you recomend?)
Your local shop will order it for you if they don't have it in stock. You'll need to tell them the make and model number.
Or, should I just....
A) Buy a new serger? (I bought mine over 15 years ago, used :P )
If I do buy a new serger....
A) What kind, brand do you recomend?
I've owned two Toyotas, both of which were excellent.
I had a Huskylock 910, which was brilliant (expensive, but fab until I wreaked it!)
I now have a Brother 1034D, which is a mid-range 3/4 thread machine. For the money, it's an excellent machine.
I also have a Bernina 1150MDA, which is brilliant, but cost a bit more than twice what the Brother cost!
B) Should I go with 5 strand?
I've never bothered. The onlt 'advantage' they have is the cover stitch, which ios fine if you sew a lot of knits. However, they are all a pig to convert to cover stitch mode, and a decent facsimile can be had with a double needle on the regular sewing machine: NOT worth the extra dosh IMHO! ;D
C) Which do you think is best for the heavy fabrics we use?
A heavier duty machine like the Huskylock or the Bernina.
D) Which is easy to thread?
The Huskylock and the Bernina. I hardly ever use tweezers to thread. The easiest to thread is the Babylock Air Threading r\ange, but I never think that feature is worth paying the extra for.
E) Which seems to have the least repair?
Bernina, Huskylock, Pfaff, Babylock...
F) Are there any specialty feet you recomend?
This will depend on what you like doing. I like to have a piping foot, and a beading foot, but other than the regular foot, the rolled hem facility is the most used 'feature'.
G) What is a "must have" feature?
Built in rolled hems! No more changing the stitch plate...
H) What is the "you'll never use it" feature?
I never used the memory on my Huskylock 910, so when I replaced it I looked at the 905, which does exactly the same and it £100 cheaper!
I) Which is easy to change the stitch and tension? (and get it right)
Most of the modern 2/3/4/5 thread machines are pretty easy, but it always takes practice and you do have to test every singe time!
J) Buy from: Chain Store (Joanne's), Sewing machine shop, Internet?
Sewing machine shop!
K) How much do you use yours?
Well, I managed to wear out a Huskylock 910 in seven years... :o :o
LOTS!
Besides needing the information myself, I thought this post might make a great reference for anyone looking to purchase a serger. I love having my serger. It is wonderful not to have to worry about your fabric fraying. When I have fabric the frays when you just BREATH on it I serge all of my pieces first then I can work the fabric over all I want when I'm sewing it.
Me too! Then you have to learn where NOT to use the blessed thing... ;D
I use my serger for anything I can get away with. Fraying materials (ok, all materials ;)) get the once over on all cut edges and I tend to use it to sew instead of using the sewing machine. I mean, why sew and then serge the seam when it can be done all in one swoop? ;D
I have a Huskylock 901. It's not an auto anything, but I adore him. He's a sturdy, solid machine.
{moderator} The Admins would prefer that we do not use tiny url dot com anymore. This was announced on the other forum for nearly a year. {/moderator}
Not sure how I missed this, it's fixed now. Sorry.
I have a Viking 910 and love it. The fabric guide screen makes it so easy to switch from light to heavy fabrics. I've had mine for almost 3 years and have never had to have it serviced.
I agree with 'Stah. I own a Viking sewing machine and a Viking embroidery machine, and my next purchase will be a Viking serger, as soon as my two Singer sergers die - which won't be long. I can't recommend Singer sergers. Mine are terrible.