Looking to get in to Embroidery Melco

Hi Guys as we have moved to a new shop we get a lot of small business guys turn up and wanting T shirts done , lot of ppl asking for embroidery which we don't do right now . So decided to add a machine as it can open up lot of new paths . I was looking to buy a used machine but don't really find any good deals , contacted Amaya for Melco and they offered a one @10900 (Free Cap attachments and hoops etc ) . What do you guys think , what do you think about Melco machines (I like the fact that they work as a modular system so you can add more heads any time ). They dont offer a digitising software ( Cost £1750).Please share your ideas guys .Thanks in advance .

If you are looking for used equipment then Ralawise run a site called the Print Exchange for used equipment. Worth checking, but remember that you are buying from the seller, so usually sold as seen.
https://www.theprintexchange.com/

Embroidery has never appealed to me - I have enough 'slow' one at a time processes as it is. I occasionally sub embroidery out to a local supplier.
The consensus among a lot of smaller embroiderers is find an outside digitiser. There is a learning curve to doing it yourself, and until you know what you are doing it can be time consuming to get it right.

Personally, for £10k+ before making a decision I would also be considering either a DTF printer (much faster than embroidery) or a solvent printer ( opens up even more avenues).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pw66

If you are looking for used equipment then Ralawise run a site called the Print Exchange for used equipment. Worth checking, but remember that you are buying from the seller, so usually sold as seen.
https://www.theprintexchange.com/

Embroidery has never appealed to me - I have enough 'slow' one at a time processes as it is. I occasionally sub embroidery out to a local supplier.
The consensus among a lot of smaller embroiderers is find an outside digitiser. There is a learning curve to doing it yourself, and until you know what you are doing it can be time consuming to get it right.



Personally, for £10k+ before making a decision I would also be considering either a DTF printer (much faster than embroidery) or a solvent printer ( opens up even more avenues).

---

Thanks for the input . Ive tried Ralawise print exchange , no one ever replied to me in there , tried to message ppl many times !! . I have a eco Sol Printer Cutter and also a DTG and Embroidery is the one missing .Embroidery is different to all the others and I thought having it on offer we can build up other sales too .I know its a lot of Money and this is why I was looking for s used machine and for nearly 6 months I couldn't get a good deal .

I own Brother but if I was buying it again now, I would go for Melco.
Regarding modular, everytime you would like to expand, it would cost you not as a new head. It's a new machine. So cost is much higher then buying 2 head machine.

Melco are good machines but I was put off by their thread tension system which is different to other embroidery machines. Support will be very important too. No support then its a waste of time. The Melco was also the most expensive machine to buy.
All single heads are modular and can be added to so dont be tricked by that.
And 10,000 plus is expensive. I was just offered a single head Barudan for 7K.
You will never get rich from a single embroidery machine. In one hour you can embroider 3 to 4 front logos at 10 pounds each if you are lucky. In the same time you can print at least 10 t-shirts, front and back with a win of around 5pounds each.
But if you go with it you will not be disappointed provided you find the customers. After a year you could be buying your second single head and then a few years later a 4 head. And thats when you can start making money.
Digitising software is needed too. I went with Wilcom and upgraded every few years to keep up to the latest version. Really not sure you need a full , all singing and dancing software to start with as a basic version that can be upgraded when you get more customers could be the way to go.
What embroidery will give you is an advantage over other print shops. Once the customer is with you they will stay with you as you will have their design in your computer.
Other advice I can give you is dont offer cheap prices. Customers dont know embroidery prices. If they say the guy down the road offers to do it at half your price then tell them to go to the other shop.
Anything else you want to know then please ask. I run Barudan and Tajima machines.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Earl Smith

Melco are good machines but I was put off by their thread tension system which is different to other embroidery machines. Support will be very important too. No support then its a waste of time. The Melco was also the most expensive machine to buy.
All single heads are modular and can be added to so dont be tricked by that.
And 10,000 plus is expensive. I was just offered a single head Barudan for 7K.
You will never get rich from a single embroidery machine. In one hour you can embroider 3 to 4 front logos at 10 pounds each if you are lucky. In the same time you can print at least 10 t-shirts, front and back with a win of around 5pounds each.
But if you go with it you will not be disappointed provided you find the customers. After a year you could be buying your second single head and then a few years later a 4 head. And thats when you can start making money.
Digitising software is needed too. I went with Wilcom and upgraded every few years to keep up to the latest version. Really not sure you need a full , all singing and dancing software to start with as a basic version that can be upgraded when you get more customers could be the way to go.
What embroidery will give you is an advantage over other print shops. Once the customer is with you they will stay with you as you will have their design in your computer.
Other advice I can give you is dont offer cheap prices. Customers dont know embroidery prices. If they say the guy down the road offers to do it at half your price then tell them to go to the other shop.
Anything else you want to know then please ask. I run Barudan and Tajima machines.

---

Thank you very much for your detailsed explanation .

I was just about to buy a Melco but had a chat with a Ricoma sales guy and he kind a changed my mind about these Modular machines , he said the samething as you , e offered me a Ricoma 15 needle at 8500 and a SWF for 9k .Also Ive got a offer for a Tajima Sai 8 needle machine nearly new used about 2 hrs max for £4200.
What do you think I should go for ??. How about the Tajima Sai ??.

Hi . Dont know the Tajima Sai. They have so many models but this looks like a "starter" or hobby machine. A bit like the Brother PR machines. As its a Tajima it will be very good Im sure. https://sai.tajima.com/en/ At 4,200 that seems to me like a good price. You will be limited with the size of sewing field If you are planning on doing backs of Polos for example you will need to be able to do 25cm wide. Ive recently run some Jkt backs at 41cm wide on my Barudans so you will eventually be asked to do that size.
Ricoma, Ive not heard good reviews and SWF I believe its hard to find replacement parts if it goes wrong.
If I was you I would get in touch directly with the UK Tajima and Barudan people. If Ive been offered a Barudan single head at 7K in Germany then Im sure you will find something similar over there.
There is one other very good machine you have not mentioned and that is the ZSK. Made in Germany, just down the road from me.
Feel free to PM me if you want and I will do my best to help.

Hi, we supply DTG trade printing service, no minimum order quantity or setup charge with good margins. Is that an option for you, Bernard

Should have added we have Kornit Avalanche great results on dark garments.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Earl Smith

Hi . Dont know the Tajima Sai. They have so many models but this looks like a "starter" or hobby machine. A bit like the Brother PR machines. As its a Tajima it will be very good Im sure. https://sai.tajima.com/en/ At 4,200 that seems to me like a good price. You will be limited with the size of sewing field If you are planning on doing backs of Polos for example you will need to be able to do 25cm wide. Ive recently run some Jkt backs at 41cm wide on my Barudans so you will eventually be asked to do that size.
Ricoma, Ive not heard good reviews and SWF I believe its hard to find replacement parts if it goes wrong.
If I was you I would get in touch directly with the UK Tajima and Barudan people. If Ive been offered a Barudan single head at 7K in Germany then Im sure you will find something similar over there.
There is one other very good machine you have not mentioned and that is the ZSK. Made in Germany, just down the road from me.
Feel free to PM me if you want and I will do my best to help.

---

Great Thanks for your reply and ill defo pm you if I need to .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BERNARDS

Should have added we have Kornit Avalanche great results on dark garments.

---

Thanks for your Offer , We have a DTG in house . We need a Embroidery as we get asked lot of times and handy to have a one I thought .tks

I'm happy with my 2 PR brother machines, everything Earl says about the time is true. There are a lot of lockdown bargains out there where people purchased machines and now they are going back to their real job, they are looking to sell of the machines they bought during lockdown having not made the fortune they thought. You will get a newish PR670 for around 3.7-4K cheap enough to have a play, will come with the PE software - easy to use think corel draw. If it does not work for you, sell it. It is a steep learning curve, but I have enjoyed the challenge.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mrs maggot

I'm happy with my 2 PR brother machines, everything Earl says about the time is true. There are a lot of lockdown bargains out there where people purchased machines and now they are going back to their real job, they are looking to sell of the machines they bought during lockdown having not made the fortune they thought. You will get a newish PR670 for around 3.7-4K cheap enough to have a play, will come with the PE software - easy to use think corel draw. If it does not work for you, sell it. It is a steep learning curve, but I have enjoyed the challenge.

---

Thanks for your reply , I was nearly going to buy a new Meloco and endup buying a Ricoma new , I know not that good recomandations about ricoma but lot of supporting vedios etc and better price , wanted a bit of a industrial machine too .Still waiting it to be delivered tho .I know its a completly different thing but looking forward to it .Good thing is we get 2 days training for machine and support and this is the only reason I went for a brand new one ..thanks again

I am enjoying the embroidery so much, I am going to get rid of a lot of my T shirt vinyl bits.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mrs maggot

I am enjoying the embroidery so much, I am going to get rid of a lot of my T shirt vinyl bits.

---

How you digitise ?. Do you outsource ? How about simple things ?. cant we do simple things by our selves . I wouldn’t have a free digitising softwear so thinking of buying a digitising software for small jobs so anything you recommend ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ravisteam

How you digitise ?. Do you outsource ? How about simple things ?. cant we do simple things by our selves . I wouldn’t have a free digitising softwear so thinking of buying a digitising software for small jobs so anything you recommend ?

---

I use PE Design, there are lots of different softwares out there, but this does enough for me at the moment, some really complex designs I outsource, but most of it I now do myself, it is a learning curve, but if you use Corel or similar you will find it all strangely familiar.