This machine is a pain in the rear! I would advise anyone thinking about buying this serger to save up and purchase a better quality machine. I used it while attending college for fashion design and struggled with it the whole way. The tension never stays put, threads come undone too easily, and the blade is so fickle! Needles constantly broke and thread would tear - I could never keep my seam allowances looking alike! Please don't buy this equipment, I beg you!

Bought this Singer Serger NEW, from the Viking/USEW center in Joann's January 2008. I have 30 Years sewing experience and am a ASG member.
This machine has been horrendous. I gave it a try, thought it was a good price, it was on sale, and with the present economy was hoping it would be a good buy. Save Your MONEY and BUY A Better BRAND! You are going to want to pay the few extra dollars and go with something better. After numerous trips to MANY Joanne stores, this has been used once!
For a first timer you will be so frustrated , it will turn you off Sergers!
I am trading it in for a Huskavarna or Babylok

Bought from WalMart in 2005 and have used it a lot. Just replaced with Brother 1034D which is quieter and easier to thread. Singer vibrates a lot and walks all over the place even with suction cups and I use a rubber sink mat under it. I do use regular sewing machine needles with it and have not had a problem. The tension is extremely difficult to adjust and it won't hold. Even if it does hold, it will sew differently from one session to the next. That has frustrated me a great deal - plus having to re-thread frequently. But, it has held up through many hours or sewing.

I have been using a similar priced brother serger for years and when it broke I couldnt find it in my town so i purchased this singer machine.

I am returning it tomorrow.
i am rather good at threading sergers and have used many other models besides my own with no dificulties (its still a pain though). but this machine makes it as dificult as possible.

the #1 & #2 threads go through these loops that they seem to come out of pretty easily while the machine is in use.
the #3 & #4 thread that go through the needles could not be harder to thread. the machine has an arm that sticks out just to the right of the needles (it is for the cutting blade i believe) which makes it nearly impossible to thread with your right hand. and even while threading with your left the arm blocks most of your view. making this very dificult.

the tension dials already began slipping from the factory setting after no more then 10 min of use and had to constently be adjusted to keep them at the right tension.

i did like how the threading instructions were very well marked on the machine (although a very important part for thread #2 was left off the drawing which makes it inoperable without this one instruction which you do find in the manual). i also liked how the tension was clearly marked on the machine. but after 10 min of use those settings were already wrong.

the machine itself does not feel as quality as the similar Brother 1034D model. at first i thought the threading looked easier but after threading it several times it in fact is much more time consumming and much more dificult. the machine also sergers at a slightly slower pace.

i am very disapointed with this machine and will be returning it and ordering the Brother 1034D instead. that seems to me to be the best machine for the cost (although once the coil inside stretches it is not repairable (says the guy at the repair shop). although i had the same machine for 4 years and i used it on a daily basis for my evening business. so it got lots of use. after the 1st year i had to baby the tension but it still worked!).

I love my Serger. I am still getting use to it but from what I have seen so far it has been one of my best purchases yet.

My biggest problem was probably the needles that came with the machine, but I was working on a project sewing canvas and denim, so what do you expect?! I took the needle information to my local Bernina store. They didn't have the same needles but told me to use Bernina 130/705 H Universal (90/14) needles. They have been just fine! I haven't had any problems since I am no longer sewing canvas and denim.

I haven't messed with the differential feed yet, but I'm not a big sewer.

I recently figured out how to use the rolled hem stitch and love it!