Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

[Kat 2]

Hi everyone!

I know of some one whom considering on selling her gammill classic long arm. She asked me if I would be interested in it, so I went to look. She purchased it in 1997 used and thought it was about 5 years old when she bought it. I tried it out and it seem to run well and she has used it for herself and just a few quilts for customers. She did say that she seems to have to adjust the tension with each quilt and I thought this sounded like that could be a problem. Do any of you think this could be a big problem or a easy fix if could find someone to service it?

Also asked her how much she wanted and can not get a straight answer. She just responds that if I know much about gammill that they are a workhorse which I have always heard that. She asked me to think about it and make her a offer. So what do you think would be a fair offer if I do make one?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or response.

Kat 2

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

I just looked at a new Gammill last week, and without the computer they wanted $12,000, with computer, $28, 000 - $34,000. The price depends on the length of the longarm and the length of the frame. So how big is this?

This company, closely affiliated with the Gammill Factory, also had a 10 year old machine, 26", no computer for $11,000 and a 2002 26" Statler stitcher for $22,000. They had a new 18" for $9000.

Hope this info helps. The tension issue should be something the user can adjust, unless it loses the adjustment part way through the quilting session, which to me would be a deal breaker. My longarm needs adjusting according to what thread I am using, but for the most part, can. E successfully adjusted. I have a Pfaff, which is made by Tin Lizzie.

[bhaggerty]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

I have a new babylock Crown Jewel with a frame large enough for a queen size (goes up to 100") and it was $10,000 new.
Gammills, I believe are commercial machines, so if you plan to do this for income they are supposed to be the best. I have a friend who has one and she nicknamed it "the beast".

[calicokat]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

I'll chime in and add my 2 cents. I have a 1994 Gammill Premier. I can vouch that they are workhorses and last forever, so this could be a good deal for you

What it's worth will depend on the throat size as someone else said - mine is a Premier, the smallest size (18"). I can't remember both of the other two names, (one is the Classic.) One is 26 inches, the largest, and the other is the in between size, probably about 22 inches? So you'll want to ask her which model hers is or what the throat length is - in order to get an idea of what it is worth.

Also, it would depend on what she is including -- thread, rulers, gadgets, tools, replacement parts, extra bobbins, books, pantographs, or anything else. Typically the older ones don't have any bells and whistles, I joke that mine only has a light and an on/off switch No laser light or stitch regulator. But that's ok. You can do everything you want without all that other stuff, just ask me!

What size table is it on? Usually they are 10 foot or 12 foot tables, but once in awhile you run across a special one that was made larger or small for a special order.

As to the tension, I would first guess that it's more of a user issue than a machine issue. It takes a while of quilting and getting the feel for your machine to figure out what it likes best. She may have not found the "sweet spot" that her machine likes the tension set at if she's only done a few quilts over some years. She may not have been using the type of thread that makes her machine happy. They seem to have personalities and once you "get to know" your machine, you will begin to understand how she (or he) ticks and what makes her happy, I promise!

Most Gammill owners (and really all Longarm owners I know regardless of the brand) become their own repair person. The trick for me is that the manuals are newer than my machine, so they talk about things I don't have (channel locks, stitch regulators, etc.) But if you get this machine and she doesn't have a manual, find me and I'll copy mine for you! Also, you can always call Gerald at the factory and he is amazing at figuring out what is going on with your machine over the phone. There are forums just for Gammill owners and you can find lots of fix-it help there, even diagrams and tutorials to help. It amazes me that I can work on this big machine just like a pro. If you aren't comfortable trying that, it seems like there is a Gammill dealer in Louisville KY, and I know there is one in Zanesville, OH - depending on how close that is to you.

So, how much should you offer? google: "gammill quilt machine (whatever model she tells you it is, like Premier or Classic) 1992" You should get some hits of other machines for sale and then you can really get an idea of what to offer. It won't be comparable to what a new one costs, because unless she has upgraded, you will be buying a very basic, older machine. My ball park estimate would be between 4,000 and 6,000 if she's including all her goodies. "House of Hansen" is a place where folks list their machines for sale, you can go through their listings and make notes of what others like hers were listed at and sold for, that will help you make an offer too. The good news is, she is talking to you and you are interested, so hopefully you don't have to rush and worry that someone will buy it out from under you.

Good luck, and I hope you get it, you will love playing on it!!

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

My guestimate offer would have been the same, $4000-$6000. Go low, maybe she wants to unload it and you'll get a bargain.

Gammills now come up to 30" harps, did you findout how big the one is that you are looking at?

[Kat 2]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

I have looked at the machine, the throat is 26 inches and it is on a 14 ft table. It has none of the bells and whistles that the newer machines have(and I have no idea if it could be updated to have any of them) I thought this machine could be right up my alley since all I want to do is quilt for myself and maybe a couple of good friends. She has about a dozen pantographs and about a dozen spools of thread some part use and some not even opened yet. The thread is Signature which I think is a pretty good thread. She also stated that she does not have a manual and that was a big problem for her in the beginning.

She is considering selling because she has had some serious health issues and she is not up to quilting much at all these days.

She has given me a couple of weeks to do some research on the machine and think about it before she lets anyone else know that she is considering on selling.

Thank you for all your interest so far I knew I could find some good info here.

[Mchelem]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

I have a 1983 Gammill (one of the first ones made) on a 14 foot Nolting table and I never have to adjust the tension. It has the 26" throat.
Mine doesn't have any bells and whistles, not even a stitch regulator, but she's 31 years old and still runs like a dream! My husband traded some plumbing work for her, so she cost us the equivalent of $800.00. I've had her a few months, and quilted quite a few quilts on her, and haven't had any tension issues.


Ask for the serial number, call Gammill and ask if they have a users manual for it.

[bhaggerty]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

I would go for it! Sounds like a great deal! It will last your lifetime and beyond!

[calicokat]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

My goodness! You will be getting a great machine!

When I got mine about 6 or 8 years ago, they told me there was no manual for it (since it was a 1994) but I could download the current manual. Luckily, the manual is still online. You'll just have the same issue as me - it includes a lot of stuff you don't need to worry about. It should be somewhere on their site, under "tips" I think. But if you can't find it, just search "gammill quilt manual online" and it should be find-able. It's a big book though, like 1.5 inches thick, so it will be a long print job on your home printer (luckily, I did it at work ) ) I took it to a local printer and had it ring bound and a plastic front and back page put on to protect it.

Signature cotton is the thread my machine loves, and lots of Gammills do, so again, I suspect that the tension issue is user related not machine related. There is a tension guide you can buy, a Towa Guage, and that will be a HUGE help. But it is pricey, like $60 -$80 if I remember correctly. But I use it to test my bobbin tension with every single bobbin I put in, every time. It could easily be her bobbin tension giving her fits, not the upper tension (that she's probably been making the adjustments to.)

You are going to be one happy camper and in quilter's heaven if this works out!!!

[Denis]

Re: Looking for info (suggestions) on longarm.

Get as much information on it as you can then call Gammill themselves and they can tell you what it's worth. Original Gammills were built and designed by Nolting. If this machine is from the early 90s as you say, it may be a Nolting model and parts may not be available in case you need major repairs. You can ask the present owner to have it serviced before you buy it by a Gammill dealer or at the Gammill factory in Missouri.

Gammill has 4 model sizes available. They use to have names for the various sizes but have dropped the names and only go by the throat size. They had the Premier (18"), Classic (26"), Optimum (30"), Supreme (36"). The Supreme is now discontinued. The introduced a 22" model recently. At one time, these machines were available with or without the stitch regulator. The Premier 18" is the only model available with this option. All other models are only available with the stitch regulator and are now referred to Gammill Visions.