Passap E6000 too complicated?

[Terence French]

I've been told that it is quicker to knit on a Passap DM 80 without a motor
than on a E6000 with a 3000A because of the complexity of the E6000- is that
true?

Terence

[Anne Croucher]

I have Duomatics with and without a motor, and a newly aquired E6000.

I don't know what all the fuss is about with the E6000, as it is simple
enough to use, just there are some things it either can't do or you are not
told how to do. It can't do two things at once, and it tells you what to do,
constantly, but it can't tell what you are up to most of the time.

I was put off buying one for a long time, and then I worried about using it,
but once you get to grips with the instruction book - you need to start
making an index as it doesn't seem to have one, then the possibilities begin
to become clear.

I have begun with a couple of ordinary little items just to get the thing
used to being used again. The needles were in need of polishing, and I had
to realise the need for weights with tuck fabric, and it is useful to have
the console remind you of every last little thing even if it does get to be
a bit of a pain when things don't go right and you are casting on again for
the fifth time in half an hour.

By ordinary I mean double bed tuck st in just one colour, by the way, to see
how much smaller the E6000 tensions are when compared with the Duomatic 80.
The first item was much smaller than I expected - I would have swatched if
it had been important, but the machine may require a bit more running in
after not being used for quite a long time.

I woul not be put of an E6000 by what anyone tells you, see what one can do
first. Mine is just the console and reader for input, no software yet, but I
am having fun.

Regards

Anne

[smo...@gmail.com]

I have both a DM80 and an E6000. I do not use the machines extensively so far, but I can tell you that the lock settings are somewhat different between the two machines, and if you get used to one, you will be rather confused trying to switch to the other. Most of the problems I have had were because of not having suitable yarn to use available locally. The machines are both quite capable of making great fabric, and very interesting textured and colored patterns, but there is a fairly high learning curve. I have a training manual for the E6000 which purports to teach you how to use the machine in 10 lessons. (LOL) It has been my experience that what the book says occasionally differs from what you can actually expect the machine to do. It is obviously possible to get the machine to do some beautiful work, but it also comes complete with a boat load of aggravation. The E6000 is fairly straight forward, but expect to devote a lot of time trying swatches using the various techniques. A finished product may be a ways down the road.