New Barudan

I bought a new 6 head barudan a little over a year ago.

I am new to embroidery. I wanted to get an awesome machine so I could spend my attention on learning to embroider not fight a machine.

That machine is awesome!

One thing I did learn...if anything ever goes wrong...It is most likely human error....hehehehehe
For instance...If I have trouble with thread breaking....look closely...something is wrong the way I ran the thread....like once It accidently went behind one of the very small pulleys.

That machine doesn't lie...if it is wrong....you did something wrong.

Go For It!

Deal or no deal advice:

Is whatever the Brand Cost Effective for you?
Does Brand (whatever it is) SAVE you TIME (all brands produce same end product, 99% sew out DST).

Consider initial but include overall long-haul Cost and Operator Time.
Seek least expensive Lease to get into, lowest initial cash output.

Consider Mortality General Maintenance and Travel Costs during Warranty period. Warranty is void unless you pay travel and parts for their Brand Specific Certified Factory Trained Service Tech, is there one in your area to service your machine for next 5 yrs while under warranty?

Are Cap Drivers, Cap Frames, Cap Hooping Device, Cap Station, etc. included in cost of machine? (Capability 270, 280, 90 and/or 360)?
Cost difference nothing to sneeze at for a multi-head.
Embroidering Sides and Backs of Caps is great, but do you have a customer base willing to pay for same. Higher Stitch Count, TIME involved, just as with Jacket Backs. Will your market support the higher costs?

What is X & Y Capability? Is it Cost effective to gain or loos a .25 quarter inch, etc. Industry standard is 2.25" Y (High).

Consider Market and your TIME.
Time spent to switch over from Flats to Caps is incidental variable in the emboirdery industry. Time spent hooping sides of caps if you only have a 90 cap driver is a variable. Unless you have 360 cap driver, you'll always have to hoop backs separately.

If you're experienced, have cash, go for Used. MANY, MANY perfectly good used machines out there, wanna a bee's that unfortunately came into the industry during the last Ten Years, you know what I mean if you've been around.

BRAND cost effectiveness that best suits your needs/market is what you need to go for, being experienced end user, you should know exactly what I mean. Exactly how many new designs do you load each day? Is Cost of USB, direct connect, etc. effective for your specific business, only difference is a few moments of your TIME. Consider TIME and all COSTS.

TRUE comparison is run Apples-To-Apples.

Same Design, Thread, Bobbin, Backing and hooped same, is the true test.

Most machines made last 15 yrs have 1,000 SPM ability.
Most sew "complicated" cap designs at 700 - 750 SPM Optimally.

I too can create a design that sews well at 1,000 SPM, but most customers don't want uncomplicated designs. Customers want what are considered complicated designs, have multiple stitch angles, stitch types, multi-color change.

The sew out success of a design includes operators ability to hoop correctly other variables (Only true test of Speed, is Apples-To-Apples, Same Operator hoopiong and running same Design, using same Thread, Bobbin and Backing. You can't compare BRANDS without an Apples-To-Apples Test. Take your Design and identical Variables with you to test (Design, Thread, Bobbins, Backing, Product and use their Hooping Device, it's only way you can get a factual result).

Same Design, Thread, Bobbin, Backing and hooped same, is the true test.

Most machines made last 15 yrs have 1,000 SPM ability.
Most sew "complicated" cap designs at 700 - 750 SPM Optimally.

I too can create a design that sews well at 1,000 SPM, but most customers don't want uncomplicated designs. Customers want what are considered complicated designs, have multiple stitch angles, stitch types, multi-color change.

The sew out success of a design includes operators ability to hoop correctly and the other variables (True test of Speed, is Apples-To-Apples).
Same Operator hoops and runs same Design on same product, using same Thread, Bobbin and Backing.

It's not an accurate factual comparison of BRANDS without an Apples-To-Apples Test.

If going to a show, do your own comparison.
Take your DST Design File, use identical Variables on each Brand, same DST File, Product, Thread, Bobbin, Backing, but use their Hooping Device, it's only way you can get a factual result. Time each test, steps you must perform on their specific Brand, begin with changing over from Flats to Caps through end product. It's only factual fair test to make a sound buying decision.

Barudans are great machines. Our company has several multiheads and they've been workhorses.

If the 6-Head Happy you compared productivity wasn't a New Machine, same year as New Barudan, then not a fair comparison for anybody reading results if they are shopping for a new machine. Technology, manufacturer upgrades, machine capabilities are enhanced, increased, with each new model.

Factual comparison would be to compare Same Model Year Machines were Manufacturered, run same design on same YEAR Different Brands, then compare Cost, productivity, amount of time/steps, etc. to produce same end result. Result then Apples-to-Apples, a sound buying decisions could then be made. Good to know info for anybody comparing Brands/Shopping.