EMC4/6-T versus 2 Amaya (original with upgrades)

[J&O Enterprises]

Dear Folks,

This is my first post to this group. I am considering trading in my Melco 4/6T for 2 Amaya, original release with some upgrades. I typically sew the 4/6-T around 500 stiches per minute and have the maintenance routine down pretty goood. However, I average sewing 3 heads at a time due to various reasons.

My questions are something to the affect of if I swap this for 2 Amaya's, am I going to see:
1. Higher quality product
2. At least same production level as the 4/6-T
3. Less thread breaks, etc.

As a non-Amaya user, I am a bit fearful that I will trade in my limited (but predictable) machine that I own, for newer generation machines that may still break down. Would you Amaya users prefer 2 Amaya's, or to stick with a good running (owned) 4/6-T.

Thank You very much for any thoughts on this topic.
Jim W.

[Judy]

Jim: I'd jump for it. BUT, I am prejudiced. I am a dyed in the wool AMAYA fan.

The average stitching speed is around 1,200 per minute (depending on stitch length, thread type, etc), although caps do run slower. I'm not sure about your 4/6T, but with AMAYA, if head 1 has a thread break, head 2 keeps sewing. You can get each head to do something entirely different. If you decide you REALLY like it, you can add more, one at a time, up to 30.

Yes, there is a learning curve. There was one night I swore I was going to use it as an anchor, and then I discovered it was me, putting the needle in BACKWARDS at 11 p.m. that caused that particular problem...!!

If your two head comes with one week of training, and the ability to repeat that training within one year, I would definitely go for it. The tech support and after sales support just can't be matched.

The final point, for me, was that AMAYA is a Made in the USA machine.

HTH,
Judy

[Just Sew It]

If I had this to do again, I would work a deal to keep my old machine until my training took hold and the Amaya made sense. But really work hard to use just the Amaya, and only fall back on the old machine when you are rushed for an order to get done.
I know it is too easy to go back to old faithful, but once you are comfortable with the Amaya, you'll be happy to let the old machine go.
Anyway, these nice people are her to help.
JO

[Aaron]

I just traded in my EMT 4-Head for 3 AMAYA's. The first job I ran was full back jackets. They were taking 1 1/2 hours on the 4 head and 36 minutes on the AMAYA which saved me 2 1/2 hours for every dozen jackets.

My tech is here now (Kevin Wasik rocks) and we just setup and ran hats on all 3 XT's at 1200 SPM. Ran one of my more difficult helicopter logging designs with 12k stitches and out of all 3 had only 2 thread breaks which I average at least 1 thread break per run on my Tajima 2 head.

There is a learning curve going from a conventional machine to the AMAYA so if you do make the trade I would strongly suggest going to training ASAP on the AMAYA. I have run conventional machines for 10 years now and the switch to the AMAYA 4 years ago was a learning curve but one you have it down you will see your production increase alot.

[J&O Enterprises]

Thank you Judy and Jo,

I will actually retain a Melco 10 needle 1-head, and trade the much older 4-head 6 needle for the 2 Amaya. So in a sence, I'll still have an "old-faithful" for small orders and samples.

My business, ran at home, has averaged small sales per month as my full time job and family take some time too. I am thinking that the two new machines can go in the office, where as the 4-head was a garage item, and the new "payment" will invigorate me to gain new sales. Perhaps that is misguided, but I sort of view this as a giant-jump in technology with real versatility, for the price of a nice used car.

I would be purchasing from the same gentleman I met on-line 3.5 years ago, whom I purchased my other equipment from.

Thank You,

Jim

[J&O Enterprises]

Thanks Aaron! Sounds like you prefer the Amaya over the Tajima???

I really want to grow my customer base. This may be a rookie-dumb question, but do all of you use a phone book add?

What would be maybe the best 1 or 2 ways to increase the customer base?

We can digitize really well and often throw in that service for free if we get the production work.
Thanks,

[Aaron]

I like all my machines. They all have good/bad things. I mostly use the Tajima for caps but in buying the 3 new XT's my hope was to sew caps on them as well since I have been getting several cap orders over 250 pieces. I am more familiar with the Melco machines and software so they are easier to setup but the Tajima does run hats very consistant for me at 600-700 SPM. Now I can run caps on the XT's at 800-1100 that will be nice for production. I use my single head EMT's for smaller jobs, names, etc and I would have a real hard time giving them up although replacing them with XT's over the next several years is definitely an option.

As far as advertising I took my ad out of the yellow pages 8 years ago cause all I ever got calls for was small monogram jobs which I will do but prefer the larger jobs the way I am setup. My biggest advertisement has been word of mouth but that could be different in your area. I also talk to alot of people and hand out cards wherever I go. There are lots of people out there that don't even know about having local embroiderers or just dont think about embroidery until you mention it and show them samples.

[oldkush]

We all have our favorite machine[s] for one reason or another and there really is no one "best" commercial machine out there. Each machine has it's own advantages and disadvantages over others, so often the choice of machine will boil down to the type of work being done, comfort of use, dealer support available and just plain personal preference.

Now having said that, when it comes to quality of machine, dependability and features ... I think some machines may be better than others and for many, the Amaya will be one of the better machines. The Amaya [along with other newer machines] will certainly be faster than the older Melco's but does that mean they are a better machine ? That each of us have to decide for ourselves.

As far as quality of stitchout .... that often will be more dependent on the quality of the design and the machine operators ability to properly service, maintain, adjust and run the machine than which model or brand of machine is used. Sometimes we tend to blame the machine when in fact, its the operators fault.

I think you will find the majority of members on this list will highly recommend the Amaya [same as you will find those on the Barudan list recommending Barudan machines or members of a Tajima list praising the Tajima, etc.]. There is no doubt that moving away from your older Melcos to the Amaya will involve a learning curve [especially when it comes to thread tensions, press foot adjistments, software, etc] but if you are commited to learning the Amaya ... it will likely serve you well.

Bob

[J&O Enterprises]

HI All,

We have decided to make the trade/purchase of the Amayas for the older 4/6T! I have read where some of the XT's now have newer adjustments recommended like "tighter belts." My Amaya's to be are 2004's with some upgrades. Is there any specific equipment related issues I should ask to have adjusted or looked at prior to picking them up in two weeks? I will be driving 11 hrs 1 way to get the machines.

Thank You.
Jim

[Steve]

Make sure it has the newer rollers. I think they came out around the beginning of this year. Aaron has a bunch of Amayas so whatever he says, take his word for it. He is probably sleeping now though. It's only 8:30am there.

[Digital Stitchz / LaserWorkz]

We purchased a 2004 Amaya and put it on extended maintenance contract. A service tech came out and tightened the belts to the newer spec. So as far as I know you do not need anything additional to bring them up to spec.

[J&O Enterprises]

I just wanted to post that I'm becoming easier and easier with this decision. The person I'm buying the Amay's from sewed a design of mine with about 60 trims in it in 23 minutes, where as it was taking me 45 minutse on the older machine! Thats worth it to me!
THanks,

[J&O Enterprises]

Hi,

I picked up my two Amaya's Saturday in a whirl wind 1250 mile round trim, 22 hrs driving in 1.5 days! I set them up and sewed last night. I really think this was a good decision. It is sort of like going from a 1995 Ford Escort to a 2005 Ferrari! I will post questions and tips as I learn.

Thanks,

[J&O Enterprises]

Sewed my first production last night. It was some Names in a font similar to Times New Roman. Letter height was 0.4". I used centerwalk underlay and no solvy. Of the three names I sewed one on the older 10-Needle, and the remaining two on the Amayas. The sew quality on the Amaya was just a bit nicer and cleaner. Also, I like the tubular hooping style better than the older hoops.
Thanks,

[Steve]

You will learn to love the tubular style hoops. My parents had a EMC6 which they used for 14 years before I took over the business. I got rid of the EMC and bought an EMT(same hoops as the Amaya) and love the tubular hoops much better than the flat table. I leave the tabletop down all the time. A lot less garments getting caught under the machine, no more fighting to keep items flat during sewing, and much faster turnaround time from finishing one job to hitting the 'start' button for the next one.