OT - used serger

Hi everyone,
I know some of you own sergers so I have a couple of questions. I am
looking at a used serger. Here are some details; I have never owned
or used a serger so I am considering a used one to see if I'll find
one useful. The one I called about is a 5-thread Singer model 14U
10-stitch overlock. The owner says it's about 10 years old. My first
question is, how much "life" is left in a serger of this age? I
probably won't use it as much as she does, as I don't sew for
customers.

The owner bought another serger because the older one needed timing
fixed and was in the middle of a sewing project. This has happened
one other time since she's owned it. It is now fully serviced and
ready to go, but she doesn't want two sergers. My second question is,
what situations cause timing problems? What plans do I have for it?
I have a bunch of shirt weight flannel for pj's and nightshirts, and I
am hoping to leave my sewing machine set up for quilting. Does anyone
use the serger for quilting?

Nina
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ae862/RCTQ/

Hi Nina...
I am from Norway. I can not findthe word serger in my dictonary. What is
it.
With love from Vigdis

"NinaJ" wrote in message
Does anyone use the serger for quilting?


I have used my serger for quilting. It is used for the 6-Hour Quilt that
Kaye Wood did once on Simply Quilts. She has an e-book on that on her site:
http://www.kayewood.com/onlinecat/6hr.html
it is real easy, and after doing one, you want to do another, at least that
is what happened to me.
sorry I don't know the answer to the first part of your post as to how long
a serger lasts, most likely if it is a good machine, it should last a long
time, and also depending on how often you use the serger. But if I were to
purchase a used machine that had broke twice for the same thing, it will
probably happen again eventually.
well good luck.......

Maine-iac Rose
@---
remove the thorns to email me

Vigdis, A serger is an Overlock sewing machine. The seams on a
tee shirt would be finished with that. Hope this helps.
PAT in VA/USA

Vigdis wrote:

Hi Nina...
I am from Norway. I can not findthe word serger in my dictonary. What is
it.
With love from Vigdis

It is a sewing machine that makes over locked (or "serged") seams like the
ones you often see on commercially made clothing. Here are some examples:
http://www.sewserg.com/products/abc0259.html

--
Anne in CA
"It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." -- Sheryl Crow

http://home.covad.net/~arudolph/annes.htm



Vigdis wrote:

Hi Nina...
I am from Norway. I can not findthe word serger in my dictonary. What is
it.
With love from Vigdis

remove NOSPAM to reply

On Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:03:07 +0200, "Vigdis"
wrote:

Hi Nina...
I am from Norway. I can not findthe word serger in my dictonary. What is
it.
With love from Vigdis


Hi Vigdis,

A serger is a special purpose sewing machine, sometimes called an
'overlock', that is most often used in clothing construction to sew
and trim the seam allowance and to wrap thread around the raw edges to
make a nice finished look that doesn't fray. Look inside a t-shirt or
other knit garment and you will see this. It is an additional machine
used in the sewing room. You still need a conventional sewing machine
for sewing the pocket on the T-shirt for instance. Sergers sew much
faster than a sewing machine and make those very long straight seams,
as in window drapes for example, go so much quicker - which saves
time. Some sergers have decorative stitches and some sewists are able
to take advantage of this and create some lovely designs on the
outside of clothing, I've seen some of this work in the sewing
magazines.

Hope this helps to explain what it is.
Nina

Ah Nina, such a question. I have an old serger with lots of miles on it that
did beautiful stitches but it was really tough to thread. I have a new one
that is a joy to live with. I'm very concerned about the "timing" problem
you know this serger has had. I haven't ever had such a problem and am
hesitant to recommend buying this used one which may be a bummer. Unless, of
course, the price is really, Really good. Would the seller be willing to do
a hands-on session with you to get you truly familiar with its threading
system? How many miles have the blades been and what (and who?) would
replace them? HTH, Polly

On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 18:13:03 -0400, "Maine-iac Rose"
wrote:

"NinaJ" wrote in message
Does anyone use the serger for quilting?


I have used my serger for quilting. It is used for the 6-Hour Quilt that
Kaye Wood did once on Simply Quilts. She has an e-book on that on her site:
http://www.kayewood.com/onlinecat/6hr.html
it is real easy, and after doing one, you want to do another, at least that
is what happened to me.
sorry I don't know the answer to the first part of your post as to how long
a serger lasts, most likely if it is a good machine, it should last a long
time, and also depending on how often you use the serger. But if I were to
purchase a used machine that had broke twice for the same thing, it will
probably happen again eventually.
well good luck.......

Maine-iac Rose
@---
remove the thorns to email me



Thanks for your advice, I will certainly keep it in mind - I have a
few more days to decide

Nina

Thank you all of you,,, now I know..
Looked at one here the other day.
A serger is on my Christmas list. Hope
Santa will send me one :0))

Stay away from Singers. It will go out of time constantly. Very poor
quality.
Gen

"NinaJ" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,
I know some of you own sergers so I have a couple of questions. I am
looking at a used serger. Here are some details; I have never owned
or used a serger so I am considering a used one to see if I'll find
one useful. The one I called about is a 5-thread Singer model 14U
10-stitch overlock. The owner says it's about 10 years old. My first
question is, how much "life" is left in a serger of this age? I
probably won't use it as much as she does, as I don't sew for
customers.

The owner bought another serger because the older one needed timing
fixed and was in the middle of a sewing project. This has happened
one other time since she's owned it. It is now fully serviced and
ready to go, but she doesn't want two sergers. My second question is,
what situations cause timing problems? What plans do I have for it?
I have a bunch of shirt weight flannel for pj's and nightshirts, and I
am hoping to leave my sewing machine set up for quilting. Does anyone
use the serger for quilting?

Nina
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~ae862/RCTQ/