Photos of hatters tools

[Frunobulax]

So...

Anybody here pick this up?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/132484189990



Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Marcelle]

What continues to amaze me is the geographic diversity of the hat makers I've sold tools to. I have, literally, sent them all over the planet. Belgium, Finland, England, Scotland, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Austria, Germany, France, Wales, Ireland, and Denmark, just to name the countries I can remember. If only these folks would stop being so cheap and pay my airfare to hand deliver...

Best tool I have Human shoes and keep recommending it to others! keep up the good work!!

 

[humanshoes]

Best tool I have Human shoes and keep recommending it to others! keep up the good work!!

Thanks so much Marcelle. I'm more than happy that the rounding jack is working out well for you and appreciate the recommendations. Rock those hats!

 

[humanshoes]

Okay, so I have it in my head to build a hand held hat crown iron that can be used in conjunction with my electric crown block spinner and used without an ironing cloth. I need to figure out how to build the block ironing element that was used in the old monster automatic crown irons and then somehow attach a handle to it. The iron would be moved manually over the crown as it spins (slowly). Any ideas out there?

 

[DaveSobel]

Okay, so I have it in my head to build a hand held hat crown iron that can be used in conjunction with my electric crown block spinner and used without an ironing cloth. I need to figure out how to build the block ironing element that was used in the old monster automatic crown irons and then somehow attach a handle to it. The iron would be moved manually over the crown as it spins (slowly). Any ideas out there?
View attachment 106894

I’ve been thinking of something similar myself as I’m getting all of my gear set up. I’m thinking of using an iron used for covering remote controlled planes with a heat sensitive film. They are heat adjustable, and have a non-stick coating. And they are light, so wouldn’t be hard to handle.

 

[RJR]

Okay, so I have it in my head to build a hand held hat crown iron that can be used in conjunction with my electric crown block spinner and used without an ironing cloth. I need to figure out how to build the block ironing element that was used in the old monster automatic crown irons and then somehow attach a handle to it. The iron would be moved manually over the crown as it spins (slowly). Any ideas out there?
View attachment 106894

Would this do the job,Rick?

 

[humanshoes]

Fantastic idea here DaveSobel and RJR. So much so that I've just ordered a 21st Century sealing iron which I will cover with a 100% cotton sock. My only concern is that it won't get hot enough to do the job, but we will see and I'll keep you posted. Thanks!

 

[DaveSobel]

Fantastic idea here DaveSobel and RJR. So much so that I've just ordered a 21st Century sealing iron which I will cover with a 100% cotton sock. My only concern is that it won't get hot enough to do the job, but we will see and I'll keep you posted. Thanks!

Sweet! I look forward to seeing how it works out for you. These do get very hot from what I recall. Something like 275° or so. I think they were originally designed for another use before the RC coverings.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Fantastic idea here DaveSobel and RJR. So much so that I've just ordered a 21st Century sealing iron which I will cover with a 100% cotton sock. My only concern is that it won't get hot enough to do the job, but we will see and I'll keep you posted. Thanks!

I am very much interested in how this goes for you. A crown iron is on my list since I just received my brim plating machine.

 

[humanshoes]

I am very much interested in how this goes for you. A crown iron is on my list since I just received my brim plating machine.

I priced out a crown ironing machine and cost vs production savings would have had me upside down for years to come which is okay because I don't have room in my little shop for the big iron. That doesn't keep me from lusting after it in my heart (subtle Jimmy Carter reference).

 

[humanshoes]

Sweet! I look forward to seeing how it works out for you. These do get very hot from what I recall. Something like 275° or so. I think they were originally designed for another use before the RC coverings.

The one I purchased heats to 350 so I'm hoping it will be sufficient. I really don't mind hand ironing, but I hate messing around with the pressing cloth.

 

[DaveSobel]

The one I purchased heats to 350 so I'm hoping it will be sufficient. I really don't mind hand ironing, but I hate messing around with the pressing cloth.

I think that should be sufficient. I picked up a copy of the Scientific Hatmaker (I think that’s the title) and the author actually recommends using a bare iron and ironing until you get a shine. I’ve been doing that way, and it seems to work nicely to let me know I have the felt nice and compressed.

 

[humanshoes]

Thank you again for the covering iron suggestion gentlemen! This is just too cool for Sunday school and I'm laughing about the beautiful simplicity of this workaround even as I type this post. The iron came with one sock and I purchased several more for different color felts thus eliminating the clumsy ironing cloth and the big steam iron. I set the covering iron to the highest temp setting (350), misted the felt with distilled water, and pretty much just went to town. The iron was plenty hot to create a good bit of steam from the damp hat body and the results are far better than I expected. Of course, I will spend much more time on the ironing process than my clumsy YouTube video indicates, but it's enough for one to get the general idea.

 

[DaveSobel]

Thank you again for the covering iron suggestion gentlemen! This is just too cool for Sunday school and I'm laughing about the beautiful simplicity of this workaround even as I type this post. The iron came with one sock and I purchased several more for different color felts thus eliminating the clumsy ironing cloth and the big steam iron. I set the covering iron to the highest temp setting (350), misted the felt with distilled water, and pretty much just went to town. The iron was plenty hot to create a good bit of steam from the damp hat body and the results are far better than I expected. Of course, I will spend much more time on the ironing process than my clumsy YouTube video indicates, but it's enough for one to get the general idea.

That’s awesome! I’m glad it works. I also plan on setting up a makeshift crown ironing machine and it’s good to know that those irons will work as well as I’d hoped they would.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Thank you again for the covering iron suggestion gentlemen! This is just too cool for Sunday school and I'm laughing about the beautiful simplicity of this workaround even as I type this post. The iron came with one sock and I purchased several more for different color felts thus eliminating the clumsy ironing cloth and the big steam iron. I set the covering iron to the highest temp setting (350), misted the felt with distilled water, and pretty much just went to town. The iron was plenty hot to create a good bit of steam from the damp hat body and the results are far better than I expected. Of course, I will spend much more time on the ironing process than my clumsy YouTube video indicates, but it's enough for one to get the general idea.

Very cool, I may have to copy you on this. The large non-steam iron I use currently is a bit cumbersome and this solution looks great. Nice work.

 

[humanshoes]

That’s awesome! I’m glad it works. I also plan on setting up a makeshift crown ironing machine and it’s good to know that those irons will work as well as I’d hoped they would.

It's great for my purposes anyway Dave and thanks again for the tip. I used the iron for almost an hour on that 50/50 rabbit-beaver blend hat body from Winchester and the result is much better than I have achieved with hand ironing. Plus, it's an easier process. Hold iron with right hand, drink coffee with left hand.

 

[humanshoes]

Very cool, I may have to copy you on this. The large non-steam iron I use currently is a bit cumbersome and this solution looks great. Nice work.

Thanks and copy away CWV! One of the things I love about the Lounge and this thread in particular is the sharing of ideas on how to make a better hat. Btw, I'd be interested in seeing a pic of your plating machine.

 

[DaveSobel]

View attachment 80089 View attachment 80090 So, you wake up one morning and decide you want to make straw hats for these brutal Tennessee summers. No problem. First, find a 100 year old straw braid hat sewing machine. Second, source the straw. Third, learn how to use the damn machine. Fourth, brush up on your profanity vocabulary. And last but not least, be prepared to start over about a 100 freaking times. After many, many hours bent over the old Willcox & Gibbs machine, and many failures to launch, a Downton Abbey Milan straw hat for a friend (she plans to use a silk scarf for a hatband) and a hemp braid tobacco brown hat for me (temporary hatband I think).

I was just reminded of your post about this. I just recently got one off ebay, and plan to have it running soon. There are a few videos on YouTube of people sewing hats with these, and there is a sewing machine company in NYC that services and has parts for them. They also have a few videos on using and adjusting them. The place is called City Sewing. Figured I’d pass along the info in case you hadn’t found much info on resources.

 

[humanshoes]

I was just reminded of your post about this. I just recently got one off ebay, and plan to have it running soon. There are a few videos on YouTube of people sewing hats with these, and there is a sewing machine company in NYC that services and has parts for them. They also have a few videos on using and adjusting them. The place is called City Sewing. Figured I’d pass along the info in case you hadn’t found much info on resources.

Thanks for the info DS. Robin at City Sewing is an invaluable source of parts and information for these machines and I actually purchased one of my machines from him. Pricey, but completely rebuilt, painted, and in perfect working order. I've also had a local machinist make a few parts that are so good they are difficult to tell from the original. I watched all the videos I could find before I made my first straw braid hat, but those videos aren't really too instructional as to the intricacies of the process. Lots of trial and error involved (for me at least) and, as I indicated in the previous post, lots of profanity.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

It's great for my purposes anyway Dave and thanks again for the tip. I used the iron for almost an hour on that 50/50 rabbit-beaver blend hat body from Winchester and the result is much better than I have achieved with hand ironing. Plus, it's an easier process. Hold iron with right hand, drink coffee with left hand.

Can't think of a better way to work!! I wish I had a dollar for every cup of coffee that either got too cold, or ended up with felt dust in it from sitting on my bench!!!