Date: 5/3/03 3:45 PM

I am looking to buy by first Serger.  I am a light to medium use sewer with average ability.  I sew either curtains for our home or clothing for myself and my children.

I have narrowed by choices to the Janome 734D or Viking 910 or 905.  Can anybody give me help in deciding between the Viking and the Janome?

 They both seem to have the same warranty and they both are sold from the same dealers.

Lisa S

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Date: 5/4/03 8:28 PM

I just bought the (Viking) Huskylock 905.  It's the exact same as the 910 but non-computerized.  I'm a computer geek in the workplace but when it comes to sewing, I'm still mechanical, and I didn't want to hurt the feelings of my very capable mechanical Bernina sewing machine.  They'll have to live together peacefully.

I have serged quite a bit on the 936 in classes but couldn't afford the $1800 (Canada) price tag.   I paid $800 for the 905 . (taxes etc always extra, heh).   I spent about six months dreaming about the 936 and then came to this conclusion:

I sew a lot of activewear that requires twin needle, ie coverstitch.  On the sewing machine, it's pretty quick to set up a twin needle and then take it out.  Some projects I have to sew 5 steps, then step 6 is a twin needle, and then back to single for step 7, 8, 9 etc .  The 936 can be converted sort of quickly in serger terms but I didn't want to spend my time switching a machine around.  So I decided to get serger alone, and will set up my sewing machine to have twin needle, and use woolly poly in the bobbin.  (this will also save tremendously on serger thread, not needing so many cones) Then I can pop back and forth between the two.   The serger will replace almost all of the single needle stitching I used to do on activewear.

So once I figured out what my new sewing "style" would be, and that's what took six months, it was an easy decision to go with a basic serger, then just a question of computerized or not, and I felt I didn't need to have many stored settings in memory since I sew (serge) the same three or four things, and keeping track of those dial settings will become second nature.

The 936 is attractive in that you tell it what kind of fabric you're serging and it sets everything automatically, but I couldn't justify spending $1000 more considering what I would use it for.

I also think that if I really need coverstitch, I will get a separate coverstitch machine, but I need to make a heck of a lot of garments to make it financially worthwhile.

I'll write a review on the 905 eventually, I haven't quite yet put it through all it's paces, other than to say that it was very easy to serge out of the box, it came pre-threaded. Plug it in and go.

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Date: 5/5/03 6:28 AM

My advice is very much like kittykate's.  I have had a 2/3/4 thread serger (White 2000ATS) for six or seven years.  I do a lot of garment sewing, both wovens and knits, for myself and two children, and a little bit of home dec.  I use the serger a lot for seam finishes, edge finishes, seams on knits and I'll use a twin needle in the sewing machine for a cover-stitch look.  I can honestly say that I've never had the desire to spend the money to move up to the 5 thread.

Alana

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Date: 2/13/08 9:03 PM

Well when it comes to sergers I am a big fan of Janome, I have the Compulock, a 5 thread and I just love it. Vikings are nice, but not nearly as good as Janome, Elna has a nice 5 thread serger, but it is made by Janome! I also have a couple Babylock sergers, one I have set up just for roll hems, but hey I am a machine junkie! Know of any 12 step programs?

------
John 3:16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." NIV

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Date: 10/16/08 9:03 AM

I am looking to upgrade my serger to a Janome 1200D but I would like to hear any comments about this serger.

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Date: 6/20/09 7:53 PM

I was given a serger - Huskylock 1002 LCD and have used it a little bit. I didn't get oiling instructions with it and understand sergers need lots of oil. Where can I find out how to oil it?

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Date: 6/20/09 8:24 PM

I'll quickly add my views - I have a Janome compulock - it's a 5 thread, with coverstitch ability. Since last year (rather large birthday, with associated gifts from relatives) I've now acquired a janome coverstitch machine too... I wasn't all that interested in changing the compulock over to the coverstitch option.

however, I have just attended a sewing related show down here in sydney recently and they had the new janome top of the line overlocker on display.

My view - get a machine that is the easiest to adjust for the different stitches (which the compulock is) (and so is the new janome) - because reading about people having to learn how to adjust tensions and so on - well for me that sounds really tedious - i'd prefer to be sewing or playing - not fiddling with knobs on the machine...

go for the best and most capable machine you can afford - even if it means waiting and saving up for it...
I get a positive buzz *every* time i sit in front of the compulock... and I love the fact that it can do lots of different options... and i don't have to worry about 'mere' details.

anyway - hope that helps...!!!

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G
Sydney, Australia

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Reply to Quilting4Fun
Date: 6/20/09 9:07 PM

Quote:

I am looking to upgrade my serger to a Janome 1200D but I would like to hear any comments about this serger.

My advice would be to sew on this machine before you buy it. I liked the idea of this machine until I saw it in person and then sewed on it. I sewed for all of two minutes before walking out of the store without looking back.

This machine sews slowly for an overlocker at 1300spm, yet when I sewed flat out the machine walked across the bench and would have landed in my lap if I hadn't stopped. It vibrates terribly. That alone was enough to convince me against this machine but also the cheap plastic body, poor stitch quality, it's noisy and how cumbersome it is to set up with all it's bits and pieces.

As I said sew on it before making any decisions, which of course goes for any machine. My two cents.

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Belinda. Melbourne, Australia
http://sew-4-fun.blogspot.com/
**Sew for the fun of it**

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Reply to Sew4Fun
Date: 6/20/09 9:39 PM

Oh Wow, this is good to know. I don't have a Janome dealer locally and thought the Janome and Elna sergers were very similar and I guess they are NOT.
I think too that it depends on the model. I have been saying how sturdy the Elna coverlock models are because I have an Elna 744 and it is heavy, very quiet, and very sturdy..does not budge or vibrate. I did sew on an Elna serger that was not a coverlock once and it did the shimmy as I did a little test on it and I immediately walked away..and thought I would never own an Elna. I also owned a Janome (New Home) serger at one time that was an on line purchase and that thing required so much oil, was noisy but did a fair enough job for the price that it was.
I do always say as you.. to sew on a machine before purchase. Models vary even in the same brand and good to know of others experience with certain models and brands because their two cents worth of opinion is worth several hundred dollars for some.

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Reply to Kit M
Date: 6/21/09 8:48 AM

Kit,
Were you given the instruction manual? If not, I would see about finding a manual. Besides your oiling issues, it would help you with all the other functions of the machine. I have the 1002. There are several spots to put a dot of oil. I wouldn't be able to accurately describe them to you.
If you can't find anything, let me know and I will mail you the info.

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