I spent 3 years looking at machines before finally jumping in last year and purchasing a Juki. I looked local (Seattle) but wasn't able to find a dealer (apparently I didn't look deep enough). But based on the great reference from Rachel at Stitched in Color and her online shopping and service experience. I gave it a go with the same on-line vendor and purchased this beauty with a 5 year warranty …
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| Juki TL2010Q |
Within 2 weeks, the problems (and service problems) started. The lower thread guide broke while I was sewing … I contacted the people I bought the machine from and began the "well which part is it" exchange of emails. They are on the east coast, I am on the west coast, so there was never a time where I could sit at the phone and have a conversation with them about it. After pouring through different manuals they sent me. etc. I finally zeroed in on the correct piece. They ordered it, I waited a month and then it arrived and I had no idea how to install it … yup … more emails.
During the time this thread guide was missing, I made adjustments to tensions so I could continue to sew … BIG mistake … it's never sewed properly since.
The plastic knob on the top came off in my hand in December … the stitching was still poor … so I decided to contact the vendor I purchased the machine from … I was told that they would only service it if I had the original packaging and shipped it back to them in the original box. A) would have been nice to know from the start might have tried to save packaging and B) ship it back … isn't Juki a national company with a product still under warranty? No dice, and I might add, little interest in helping me. Seem's when you have a blog with a large following like Rachel … vendors are a bit more focused on helping you then when you're just someone who saved for 3 years to buy a new machine.
Giving up on them, I opted to pay for repairs, took it to my local shop where they said they don't fix Juki's, but sent it out to someone who does and it came back $0 charge as it was still under warranty!!! How excited was I. Finally, a machine that works properly. Kinda … the stitching still wasn't as good as my 40 year-old portable Pfaff … but by now I was resigned.
Fast forward to last month … used my walkingfoot for the first time this year and it completely turned the shaft that holds the needle … yup, not the part that holds the needle, the ENTIRE shaft. Needing to get a quilt completed, I ripped out what I had stitched and started again with a free-motion foot. But unfortunately, the twisted shaft was hitting the foot. Desperate, I grabbed pliers and completely turned the shaft back to where it belonged. Worked fine, if you consider breaking thread every 60 seconds fine, but at least it was stitching with the free motion foot on.
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| Juki TL2010Q twisted shaft |
That's when I discovered my problem isn't just with the vendor I purchased it from … it is with Juki. First they started down the return it in the original box challenge. I seem to have gotten through that and they are going to send me a box to ship it in … but apparently I am responsible for any damage that may occur in shipping it EITHER direction.
Totally frustrated and leaving for Paris … I let it sit. Until today. Today, I put the walking foot back on and within 169" of quilting on a new quilt, had completely shifted the shaft again which you can see in the photo below.
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| Juki TL 2010Q shaft shifted by walking foot - side view |
Any of the problems that I have had in isolation would just be part of owning a new machine … the challenge is that they are non-stop and this machine is about to hit 1 year, ending the warranty. And for those of you following my blog this year … you know I haven't done that much quilting due to family issues in 2013.
Terribly disappointed by the whole thing … the machine is a lemon, the online purchase racket is rife with issues none of which are disclosed up front and the e-mail communications I have had with Juki's Assistant Sales Manager, North America, are focused on "rules never disclosed" and little to no interest in helping a customer with major challenges with their machine.
The Pfaff Grand Quilter is looking better every day …
All the best
Lisa
