Jaguar Supa Lock 486 Sewing Machine

My husband bought me the Jaguar 487 overlocker for Christmas. I had been reviewing overlockers since mid November on various sites and YouTube . I don't have a huge choice of sewing machine stores nearby and I was a bit dubious of purchasing something like this without having a trial run. I have never used an overlocker before so I really was relying on reviews of other users and purchasers and so know how important it is to get a detailed review of each aspect of the experience. I had been on the GUR website amongst others several times since the summer as I was also looking for a sewing machine to restart the hobby of clothes making and household crafting I had let lapse for about ten years. I have a daughter studying fashion who was in need of an overlocker and sewing machine to help save on the late hours in college so we borrowed my mothers singer sewing machine and I decided I'd try and get hold of an overlocker for her, then I discovered how much you can achieve with an overlocker via all the websites I had been visiting...so I decided I could certainly sort several problems at the one time. I compared overlockers on the GUR site and amazon site and saw that the Brother 1034 for £189.00 had several really good reviews, was good value for money for an entry level machine but would it actually be sturdy enough for an art student and her challenging variety if materials? The last thing I wanted was to buy a machine that would not be up to our requirements. I went on GUR Facebook page and left a comment about the various overlockers I was researching at that stage requesting any feedback. I got a reply from Billy from GUR commenting on some of my choices also suggesting I phone for further assistance. I phoned on December 20th and spoke to Steven who was a mine of information and went through the 5 machines I was considering . He was patient, knowledgable and explained the differences with the machines, deciphered what I would most likely require and guided me towards the Jaguar 487. He said this machine would be sturdy, capable of dealing with my daughters projects include from basic lightweight seams to heavy materials while at the same time being fully capable of allowing me to explore the various crafts I want to do and easy enough for me to keep in working order, thread and service with telephone assistance if required. He also explained that it would be highly unlikely I would receive the machine in time for Christmas but that he would try his best to get it dispatched ASAP I said this didn't really matter as I would not be using it before Christmas at that stage. The machine arrived in Ireland at my front door before 9 am on 24th Dec, in time to be wrapped and placed under the tree! Happy days! I was very impressed with every aspect of my experience with GUR on receipt of the machine and would have given a review of my experience at that stage but I hadn't opened or used the machine at that point and in reading reviews during researching it was one of the things I found least helpful - reviews about the great service and speedy delivery but no feedback on the specific machine. The Jaguar 487 is easy to thread as each route is colour coded , easy to access the the workings under the needle plate as this part can swing all the way open allowing a very clear view of all the mechanism housed here ( so I can see what he was saying about being talked through any repair/ service via a phone call ). The manual that comes with it is very comprehensive, the only part that wasn't that clear was the exact points to apply the oil to but I looked that up on YouTube as I had taken note of that information during my research. We changed threads for a couple of skirts my daughter is working on and I found it easy enough to explain and demonstrate to her how it all works ( I thought she would know more about it but so far they have just been using the overlockers in college for edging single layer seam allowances) We had a bit of a play around with diff tension, stitch length, stitch width and over edge cutting width, threading referring to the manual when we weren't sure what we had adjusted. We were impressed with the speed, clean cutting seam edge, sturdiness, manual and ease of use. There is a scrap collection bin that attaches neatly to the front of the machine, which also attaches in an upside down position when the machine is not being used. There are great accessories with this machine, some stored in the front drop down door in allocated click in slots - spare needles, a lint brush, a small screwdriver, a needle threader, a two thread converter, a 2nd stitch finger. There is also a nifty little slot that houses a measuring tape ( included!) , and above that there is a pad to stick your machine needle in if you are only using one needle so you don't lose it. The accompanying ziplock accessory bag contains a screwdriver, machine oil, a moving cutter, spanner, , tweezers, 4 thread nets , 4 spool discs, 4 spool caps, 4 spool holders. There is also a dust cover for the machine but to be honest I will prob make a more substantial cover that will also hold the foot pedal, the accessory bag , instruction book and scissors. ( I'm dying to make something!!) it's a sturdy machine, nice looking , it is set on 4 sucker feet and it doesn't budge when your using it. My daughter thought it was noisy but whether that is in comparison to ones she uses in college which would be in huge high ceilinged rooms or in comparison to a domestic sewing machine we are not sure. She says she will pay more attention to details when she gets back after the festive break. The noise doesn't bother us really as it is so quick you would not be spending ages at any one time , more like short bursts and it didn't interrupt the other people in the room from their conversation. There were also loads of complimentary threads, some needles and a pair of scissors which were all very much appreciated. I hope this review has not been too long winded but when you are buying without getting a hands on try of any machine you do look to reviews for insights to what a purchaser experiences . There are some great reviews on an American website sewing.patternreview.com for others out there looking for practical info on machines although some of the model no.s are diff to the European models but you can usually work them out. Anyway thank you GUR sewing machines I am delighted with your service thanks for initially responding to my request on fb and a huge thank you to the person for his input which was informative, helpful, patient and a big part of why I decided to purchase I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending you to any of my friends or clients and have already recommended you to my sisters, friends and relations.