Brother Sewing Machines - Run Screaming Away!!

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LadyFaire

New Member
I am an experienced seamstress. Some time back, I decided that I wanted to add to my bag of tricks and add "machine embroidery"!! Since I make items that I sell, I figured that if the embroidered items sold well, I could justify buying a commercial embroidery machine, right? But, in order to do that, I have to have something that will do embroidery in the first place...

Ummm. Can't just jump in with a commercial machine - they cost several thousand dollars (of course, I've since found out that so do some of the 'home' embroidery machines!!), and my business is quite small. So. I need a lower end unit to get started with, right? What to get?

I looked around, compared the end product, and decided to get a Brother embroidery machine. The local store had one on sale, what better?? I soon found out WHY the machine was on sale - Brother was discontinuing the model. OK, that's not a big deal. Sewing machine models are coming and going all the time, right? Well, yes and no.

I have since gone through 9 months of pure misery with Brother Corporation and my piece of garbage embroidery machine! It is so bad that I even put up a web-page about the entire mess: Brother Sewing Machines where I lay it all out.

Personally, if anyone out there has one of these machines, and actually likes it, and can use it without trouble, please let me know! Because I think you would be the only one I've found!!
 
W

WildCherry

Guest
LadyFaire said:
I am an experienced seamstress. Some time back, I decided that I wanted to add to my bag of tricks and add "machine embroidery"!! Since I make items that I sell, I figured that if the embroidered items sold well, I could justify buying a commercial embroidery machine, right? But, in order to do that, I have to have something that will do embroidery in the first place...

Ummm. Can't just jump in with a commercial machine - they cost several thousand dollars (of course, I've since found out that so do some of the 'home' embroidery machines!!), and my business is quite small. So. I need a lower end unit to get started with, right? What to get?

I looked around, compared the end product, and decided to get a Brother embroidery machine. The local store had one on sale, what better?? I soon found out WHY the machine was on sale - Brother was discontinuing the model. OK, that's not a big deal. Sewing machine models are coming and going all the time, right? Well, yes and no.

I have since gone through 9 months of pure misery with Brother Corporation and my piece of garbage embroidery machine! It is so bad that I even put up a web-page about the entire mess: Brother Sewing Machines where I lay it all out.

Personally, if anyone out there has one of these machines, and actually likes it, and can use it without trouble, please let me know! Because I think you would be the only one I've found!!
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:confused: I've had my cheapo $99.00 Brother for almost 12 yrs. and have never had a lick of trouble out of it. I guess you got a bad apple. :shrug:
 
K

KWAK

New Member
I've got one of the Project Runway Limited Edition models - it's an embroidery machine - and it kicks butt!
 
L

LadyFaire

New Member
"I've had my cheapo $99.00 Brother for almost 12 yrs. and have never had a lick of trouble out of it. I guess you got a bad apple." Posted by WildCherry

You are SO lucky. But then again, the machines made back several years ago were made so much better than the ones they are turning out today, don't you think? I have a serger that I bought over 20 years ago (Babylock), that I have run hard and put away wet [grin], and it is still running strong! I put it in the shop once in a great while for a clean and adjust, and that is all it takes. I wish more of them were built like that!
 
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sweetpea

sweetpea

Bjo
WildCherry said:
:confused: I've had my cheapo $99.00 Brother for almost 12 yrs. and have never had a lick of trouble out of it. I guess you got a bad apple. :shrug:
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:yeahthat: But I had a little bit more expensive one. I had mine for about 10 years and passed it on to a girlfriend 4 years ago when I bought a new machine. And it's still going strong. I actually like the Brother better to be honest.
 
Cowgirl

Cowgirl

Well-Known Member
I've only had mine for maybe a year and a half, but I love it. It's not a fancy machine...but works great.
 
L

LadyFaire

New Member
Cowgirl said:
I've only had mine for maybe a year and a half, but I love it. It's not a fancy machine...but works great.
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OK, but do any of you have the SE-270D? I have had Brother machines ("plain" sewing machines) in the past, and they were OK - nothing to write home about, but no complaints. My entire complaint here is that, yes, I got a lemon, and NO, I can't get any support from Brother. My machine is still in warranty. But Brother is more interested in what brand thread and how many layers of stabilizer I am using rather than to try and actually FIX the problem with the machine.

The other people I have talked with who have similar problems with THIS MODEL, all tell me the same thing: they can't get the machine to work, and they can't get Brother to help.
 
H

HouseCat

Guest
I bought a cheap $99 Brother sewing machine from Wal-mart. Lasted about a year, and threw it away. POS. Don't buy anything from Wal-mart as far as sewing machines are concerned....IF YOU ARE A FREQUENT SEWER.

If you're just looking to hem something or make a pair of curtains and you sew like, once or twice a year, sure...its not a bad deal, but for ppl like me who sew constantly, you DO get what you pay for and it is a waste of money.

I reccomend Janome myself. Excellent repair/warranty coverage up to 10 years. Still using mine. Had it since 2001. ... still works like a charm. Paid over $400 for a basic model, but it works!
 
mamissa3

mamissa3

New Member
I have a brother SE-2700, I have had some issues but i still like it. I dont use it as often as i'd like:(
 
mamissa3

mamissa3

New Member
When it is stitching it bunche up sometimes and i have to redo it. I dont think i have had a prolbem with the cartridge its self
 
L

LadyFaire

New Member
mamissa3 said:
When it is stitching it bunche up sometimes and i have to redo it. I dont think i have had a prolbem with the cartridge its self
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Bunching up, if underneath, is a problem with the upper tension. I had that in SPADES with mine. The upper tension was so fouled up that I had to set it as high as it would go, or I had 'bird nesting' something fierce underneath. That was the upper tension problem I was referring to that Brother did NOT consider to be a warranty problem, even though the machine came that way. With a machine that has a straight threading path, sometimes you will get linting in the tensioning spring. You can 'fix' the problem by threading a good, strong thread through the pattern and then "flossing" the thread back and forth a couple of times before (clipping it at the top of the machine) pulling it through to the bottom. That normally clears out that problem without having to take it into the shop for a really minor fix. But with the SE-270D, you can't get TO the tension path, and can't tell if it is linted up or anything.
 
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exquisitegowns

Guest
LadyFaire said:
Bunching up, if underneath, is a problem with the upper tension. I had that in SPADES with mine. The upper tension was so fouled up that I had to set it as high as it would go, or I had 'bird nesting' something fierce underneath. That was the upper tension problem I was referring to that Brother did NOT consider to be a warranty problem, even though the machine came that way. With a machine that has a straight threading path, sometimes you will get linting in the tensioning spring. You can 'fix' the problem by threading a good, strong thread through the pattern and then "flossing" the thread back and forth a couple of times before (clipping it at the top of the machine) pulling it through to the bottom. That normally clears out that problem without having to take it into the shop for a really minor fix. But with the SE-270D, you can't get TO the tension path, and can't tell if it is linted up or anything.
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Hi LadyFaire!

First of all, I visited your website, and your work is beautiful! :) Kudos from a fellow seamstress! :)

I'm sorry to hear about your problem with your Brother Embroidery machine. I have a Brother PE-700II and bought it February of last year. I just finished a red wedding dress with black celtic embroidery on it using this machine, and so far, it didn't give me a hard time. I do understand what you meant with access to the tension path. I don't have access to the tension path either. A couple of times, even if I would set the tension to the lowest level to loosen up the tension, I would still break my thread. It came to a point where the accumulated lint was like a "ball", so I squeezed in the tweezers that I use for my surger and was able to take it out.

Anyway, I know I wasn't much of a help because I have a different machine, but I hope you can find a way to fix the problem with your Brother machine. :)
 
L

LadyFaire

New Member
exquisitegowns said:
Hi LadyFaire!

First of all, I visited your website, and your work is beautiful! :) Kudos from a fellow seamstress! :)

I'm sorry to hear about your problem with your Brother Embroidery machine. I have a Brother PE-700II and bought it February of last year. I just finished a red wedding dress with black celtic embroidery on it using this machine, and so far, it didn't give me a hard time. I do understand what you meant with access to the tension path. I don't have access to the tension path either. A couple of times, even if I would set the tension to the lowest level to loosen up the tension, I would still break my thread. It came to a point where the accumulated lint was like a "ball", so I squeezed in the tweezers that I use for my surger and was able to take it out.

Anyway, I know I wasn't much of a help because I have a different machine, but I hope you can find a way to fix the problem with your Brother machine. :)
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Thank you so much for the compliment! I LOVE to sew and create. I guess that is why I get so frustrated when my machines act up. Plus, there aren't any decent techs in this area. The ONE shop here that will service machines other than the ones sold in the 'boutiques', is incompetent and breaks as much as he fixes - and he charges a minimum of a $100 a pop, so you are out a bundle, even if he doesn't fix the problem or makes it worse!!

I have talked to several other people who have had "service" issues with Brother. Meaning that you can NOT get any. That is my main Bi**h with this entire scene. I understand that things go wrong with any design. I've had lemons before. What I cannot understand is Brother's attitude. They simply do NOT CARE. When I explained that I had a lemon and wanted to trade it in for a different machine/model - I was laughed at. I bought it, it was mine. If I have problems with it, take it to a service technician. Period. The fact that I have to take it back continually for the same problem (yes, my upper tension is fubar'd again!!), and the threading STILL doesn't work is beside the point. I bought it, deal with it. I should have bought a more expensive machine. Right. One of the people who PM'd me about this told me about buying a machine she paid over $3000 for (top of the line Brother), and how during the class to learn how to use it, the instructor stripped out the gearing! Well, they fixed it - sort of. Then the touch panel went out. They fixed that - sort of. The gearing went out again. They fixed it again - sort of. The touch panel went out again - oh, I'm sorry dear - the fix on that is only covered for 90 days!! You'll have to guess what it is displaying, unless you want to pay for a new display yourself? And the gearing went out again... So. I should have spent more money if I wanted better service from Brother, huh? Looks like it. She says she just lets it sit in a corner. It won't work, but it's too expensive to throw in the garbage. That is sad.:cds:
 
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exquisitegowns

Guest
So far, I haven't brought any of my machines to the shop for repair yet-- **knock on wood** When I searched for an affordable embroidery machine, I stumbled onto the Brother PE-700II that has a touch screen. I have always been a Bernina loyalist, Bernina is just way too expensive. I wouldn't be using it as often as I would use my regular sewing machine and serger, so I settled for a Brother. Is that guy you're going to a licensed Brother technician? I think there is a Brother dealership in Hughesville...that's the closest to our area. Here's the info I found. They might be able to help you:

MICHELLES QUILTS N THINGS
8132 LEONARDTOWN RD
HUGHESVILLE , MD 20637
301-274-1919

Good Luck and keep LOVING sewing!
 
SillyFurby

SillyFurby

New Member
Good and bad machine

I bought a Brother Disney SE-2700 machine because of the embroidery. Now that is about all that works. How long did it last Mere days after the warrenty expired. :faint: It had been sewing fine, and then one day when I turned it on there were problems. First of all, it will only form long stitches. It will not change the length even though the screen shows shorter stitches. Also, it will no longer sew in reverse. When the reverse button is pushed, the machine sews forward, in those long stitches. When the wheel is manually turned in reverse, the fabric does feed backwars. Only no stitches are formed. None! I have cleaned the shuttle and the comparment, even though it wasn't dirty. The bobbin being used is the correct size. I am very disappointed in this sewing machine.
 
luvscats

luvscats

New Member
SillyFurby said:
I bought a Brother Disney SE-2700 machine because of the embroidery. Now that is about all that works. How long did it last Mere days after the warrenty expired. :faint: It had been sewing fine, and then one day when I turned it on there were problems. First of all, it will only form long stitches. It will not change the length even though the screen shows shorter stitches. Also, it will no longer sew in reverse. When the reverse button is pushed, the machine sews forward, in those long stitches. When the wheel is manually turned in reverse, the fabric does feed backwars. Only no stitches are formed. None! I have cleaned the shuttle and the comparment, even though it wasn't dirty. The bobbin being used is the correct size. I am very disappointed in this sewing machine.
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I don't know where you live, but you might want to try to sew/vac shop in Dunkirk. they have worked wonders with my older machines
 
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