Photos of hatters tools

[ChicagoWayVito]

Just received my GMB curling iron. After watching his video and hearing how @belfastboy likes his I thought I would give it a try and compare it to the JW Hats irons I have. I think there is and additional benefit to being able to use two hands with the GMB version. I know that there are all wood and 3D printed versions out there but something in my gut tells me that there needs to be some amount of metal in the construction that gets heated so it can actually "iron" the curl in.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

A while back, I picked up a full set (12 sizes) of these hat stretchers on eBay. They are made new by a retired forester named Mart Allen. I use them to gently hold the hat body in place on the plate when I put into my brim press. They are pretty good.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

I picked up two Fedora hat shapers in two different sizes. My thought is to either fill them with concrete to make the plastic more robust or go the expensive route and fill them with urethane and use just the urethane piece for blocking on. Either way I think the "brim flange" on these need to be cut off, they just get in the way stretching the felt imo.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Was fortunate enough to get two expandable brass band blocks. These are kind of amazing tools. I use them for both holding the shape when pressing the brim in my press and when I am flanging the brim.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

This is my best score as of late. A D'Orsay curling iron, it is the only one I have ever come across and I feel very lucky to have gotten a hold of it. Unfortunately, someone welded a piece of pipe as the handle (really no idea why they would do that as you heat this up). Recently loaned it to Mike Miller at Northwest Hats, hopefully he can find someone to reproduce it. It was also coated with cerakote to keep it from rusting.

 

[belfastboy]

Just received my GMB curling iron. After watching his video and hearing how @belfastboy likes his I thought I would give it a try and compare it to the JW Hats irons I have. I think there is and additional benefit to being able to use two hands with the GMB version. I know that there are all wood and 3D printed versions out there but something in my gut tells me that there needs to be some amount of metal in the construction that gets heated so it can actually "iron" the curl in.
View attachment 268492

I am really eager to get your feedback on this. It is the only curling iron I have used so have nothing to compare it with.

 

[jlee562]

Just received my GMB curling iron. After watching his video and hearing how @belfastboy likes his I thought I would give it a try and compare it to the JW Hats irons I have. I think there is and additional benefit to being able to use two hands with the GMB version. I know that there are all wood and 3D printed versions out there but something in my gut tells me that there needs to be some amount of metal in the construction that gets heated so it can actually "iron" the curl in.
View attachment 268492

Yes, I got about 30 seconds into using the Randal Alan brim curler when I realized the inherent design flaw of it not being an "iron" to speak of. Maybe it takes more finesse and practice, but I suspect a heated metal tool would be superior.

 

[belfastboy]

Yes, I got about 30 seconds into using the Randal Alan brim curler when I realized the inherent design flaw of it not being an "iron" to speak of. Maybe it takes more finesse and practice, but I suspect a heated metal tool would be superior.

The learning curve with the GuyMorseBrown model had two aspects; the first was getting the heat level of the metal right and then developing a flexible wrist movement, a swoosh through the range. Once I was comfortable with that it moved along quickly. Then a bit more work on the finish and evening out the curl throughout the 360 degrees. I don't consider myself terribly adept at hand work but it came around more easily than I anticipated.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Brim binding:

 

[abe ny]

Brim binding:

View attachment 281874

where can i get that?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

where can i get that?

No idea. Sorry.

 

[T Jones]

Brim binding:

View attachment 281874

I may have to break out the 201 and work with it until I get it figured out.

It would sure beat hand sewing.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I may have to break out the 201 and work with it until I get it figured out.

It would sure beat hand sewing.

Hand sewing isn’t any fun for me either. It’s one of the reasons I don’t have a go at making a hat from scratch.

I’m really interested in the piece in my photo that looks to guide the ribbon binding. That piece looks to be the key, but I have no expertise in this. Maybe @humanshoes or @ChicagoWayVito can shed some light on it.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Hand sewing isn’t any fun for me either. It’s one of the reasons I don’t have a go at making a hat from scratch.

I’m really interested in the piece in my photo that looks to guide the ribbon binding. That piece looks to be the key, but I have no expertise in this. Maybe @humanshoes or @ChicagoWayVito can shed some light on it.

You are correct that for machine brim binding the easiest way to do it is with an attachment that easily allows you to center the ribbon around the brim edge and hold it in place until it is stitched down. I haven't seen an attachment like the one in your picture before though. Looked to me like someone with some fabrication skills made it, unfortunately, we can't see the working end.

If someone has the patience, you can still machine sew the binding on without the attachment. It is all in the preparation and going slow with the machine. For example you could hand baste it in, and if you were accurrate with centering the ribbon then you could stitch it down with a regular sewing machine.

Below are pictures of two attachments that help with the brim binding, these do nothing to help with doing an under/over welt (that is another attachment).

This first one is mine that I bought from Tennessee Attachment Company for $650; the second one is at JW Hats and I used that one for a week when I was down there with JW. I called about 5 months ago and the new owner said that they could fabricate another one for $1,250 (I didn't need one that bad). Both of these are meant for the 108w20/21 machines that are cylinder arm.

TAC Attachment

JW Attachment:

 

[steur]

This is a perforating machine for monograms in sweatbands. It's currently on auction on Ebay (not mine).

 

[Frunobulax]

I didn't know exactly where to put this but must relate it to the FL masses.

My lovely bride, God love her, has been buying Christmas presents for me on line, but forgets to use her email address instead of mine for her orders. So the past couple of weeks I've treated to a stream of "spoilers," if you will.

So it was no surprise when this showed up on the porch yesterday...

It's been sitting there since Wednesday afternoon and neither one of us are acknowledging it's there.

Meantime, everything I have ordered for her is delayed or on backorder, LOL.

 

[belfastboy]

You are correct that for machine brim binding the easiest way to do it is with an attachment that easily allows you to center the ribbon around the brim edge and hold it in place until it is stitched down. I haven't seen an attachment like the one in your picture before though. Looked to me like someone with some fabrication skills made it, unfortunately, we can't see the working end.

If someone has the patience, you can still machine sew the binding on without the attachment. It is all in the preparation and going slow with the machine. For example you could hand baste it in, and if you were accurrate with centering the ribbon then you could stitch it down with a regular sewing machine.

Below are pictures of two attachments that help with the brim binding, these do nothing to help with doing an under/over welt (that is another attachment).

This first one is mine that I bought from Tennessee Attachment Company for $650; the second one is at JW Hats and I used that one for a week when I was down there with JW. I called about 5 months ago and the new owner said that they could fabricate another one for $1,250 (I didn't need one that bad). Both of these are meant for the 108w20/21 machines that are cylinder arm.

TAC Attachment
View attachment 282207



JW Attachment:
View attachment 282208

We picked up an attachment on Amazon for $20. My wife says it will work well. We have yet to try it as I need to buy some inexpensive grosgrain for her to practice on not my vintage. She did the first one without any attachment just her Janome sewing machine. Thinks this attachment will increase her speed greatly

 

[belfastboy]

I didn't know exactly where to put this but must relate it to the FL masses.

My lovely bride, God love her, has been buying Christmas presents for me on line, but forgets to use her email address instead of mine for her orders. So the past couple of weeks I've treated to a stream of "spoilers," if you will.

So it was no surprise when this showed up on the porch yesterday...

View attachment 290557

It's been sitting there since Wednesday afternoon and neither one of us are acknowledging it's there.

Meantime, everything I have ordered for her is delayed or on backorder, LOL.

You just might have a keeper there.....a fortunate son.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

We picked up an attachment on Amazon for $20. My wife says it will work well. We have yet to try it as I need to buy some inexpensive grosgrain for her to practice on not my vintage. She did the first one without any attachment just her Janome sewing machine. Thinks this attachment will increase her speed greatly

If you wouldn't mind post some images of the attachment.

I just bound a brim last night, working on making the wind trolley now and tested a new method to get a tight fit of the hat band. Working great as long as I do a two piece hat band. The one I am putting on is a two direction sharksgill bow.

 

[Frunobulax]

You just might have a keeper there.....a fortunate son.

Yeah, it'll be 29 years next May, with a few years before that, even. I'm thinking this might be the one.