Joe -

Most of the current machines that people get for quilting and/or embroidery run closer to $2,500 than to $250 now. Recollection is that Lin's Bernina was around $1,800 16 (she reminds me frequently) years ago.

The fancier machines are actually built about as sturdily as the majority of the cheap ones, but it seems we're more reluctant to "push the limits" with the fancy ones. "Cheap" doesn't necessarily mean sturdier, althugh there probably are some fairly cheap ones that are more of what you'd expect for "heavy duty use." Up to a point "Pricier" possibly does connote more consistent durability, although the connection of either to "higher capacity" is an open question.

An old $125 Kenmore that I had worked fine for punching "perforation lines" to make separable stubs on 30# card stock party tickets for the raffle (just take the thread out first); but she got nauseous when I suggested doing it on her Bernina. The old one didn't do well on belt leather, but was strong enough for wallets or art canvas.

Unfortunately she gave "my" machine to a friend when she got "her" Bernina, because "we" didn't need it any more, so I only got about 20 years out of it to assess the durability before it was gone. By the time I noticed it was gone she couldn't remember who she gave it to, or when, so "we" probably weren't using it enough to justify keeping it around.

John