Photos of hatters tools

[humanshoes]

An interesting little addition to the arsenal. This early 1900's electric brim curling iron needed some TLC, but, after a quick rewire with a NOS vingage appliance cord, we're good to go. I think I can achieve a variety of brim curl configurations without ever having to break out a flange block.

 

[belfastboy]

You sir are what I consider a "Tool Whisperer" or perhaps a "Tool Conjurer"

 

[deadlyhandsome]

An interesting little addition to the arsenal. This early 1900's electric brim curling iron needed some TLC, but, after a quick rewire with a NOS vingage appliance cord, we're good to go. I think I can achieve a variety of brim curl configurations without ever having to break out a flange block.
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Great tool, Rick. It’s nice to see you posting too...long absences make me worry.

 

[humanshoes]

You sir are what I consider a "Tool Whisperer" or perhaps a "Tool Conjurer"

I deninitely buy them if I find them bb. I'm all too aware that they'll never make any more of them.

 

[humanshoes]

Thanks Brent. A whirlwind of outside influences have distracted me from my creative pursuits. Spent the better part of a month helping to sell my parents house, managing their estate sale, and moving them into a safer, more manageable living arrangement.
Then came long hours implementing Covid precautionary measures on the treatment center campus. We've essentially quarantined 60 men in 12 buildings with little or no guidance from local or state agencies. What a shite show.
I had hoped to ease quietly into my semi-retirement and get caught up on everything, but now I'm more behind than I've ever been. I'll keep plugging away and it'll all get done.
One of my biggest goals right now is just to stay alive long enough to collect my first Social Security check in April. Should be doable.
I hope you and yours stay safe and healthy my friend.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks Brent. A whirlwind of outside influences have distracted me from my creative pursuits. Spent the better part of a month helping to sell my parents house, managing their estate sale, and moving them into a safer, more manageable living arrangement.
Then came long hours implementing Covid precautionary measures on the treatment center campus. We've essentially quarantined 60 men in 12 buildings with little or no guidance from local or state agencies. What a shite show.
I had hoped to ease quietly into my semi-retirement and get caught up on everything, but now I'm more behind than I've ever been. I'll keep plugging away and it'll all get done.
One of my biggest goals right now is just to stay alive long enough to collect my first Social Security check in April. Should be doable.
I hope you and yours stay safe and healthy my friend.

Sounds like you’ve had, and have, your hands full. A nice slow and peaceful retirement!

Please don’t let my projects weigh on you. I plan on wearing hats for a long time so I’m not in a rush. I’m also mindful of what’s really important and what only seems so at the time. This virus is impacting us all and I’m more aware then ever how we are a community and that we thrive or fail as a group.

Stay well, and stay sane...find some quiet hours for yourself.

Brent

 

[humanshoes]

Sounds like you’ve had, and have, your hands full. A nice slow and peaceful retirement!

Please don’t let my projects weigh on you. I plan on wearing hats for a long time so I’m not in a rush. I’m also mindful of what’s really important and what only seems so at the time. This virus is impacting us all and I’m more aware then ever how we are a community and that we thrive or fail as a group.

Stay well, and stay sane...find some quiet hours for yourself.

Brent

Thanks for your caring and consideration Brent. You know I'm excited to get my hands on the hats you sent me though. I will admit I was feeling a bit overwhelmed today until I watched this video. It drove home the fact that we are all in this together. Best thing I've seen in a while and just made me feel better about...everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph1GU1qQ1zQ&list=RDph1GU1qQ1zQ&start_radio=1

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks for your caring and consideration Brent. You know I'm excited to get my hands on the hats you sent me though. I will admit I was feeling a bit overwhelmed today until I watched this video. It drove home the fact that we are all in this together. Best thing I've seen in a while and just made me feel better about...everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph1GU1qQ1zQ&list=RDph1GU1qQ1zQ&start_radio=1

There’s a lot of garbage on the internet, and there’s a lot of mindless fluff. THAT, however, was awesome. Very inspiring! Thank you for sharing that.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

A recent acquisition from ebay. It has been recently retired. At first I didn’t think the heating elements worked, but later found that the GFIC had popped. I took it to a 20amp circuit in my garage and it heated up fine. It’s in great working condition and does what it’s supposed to do; however, it’s missing one of the guide bars that keeps the hemispheres aligned. With the missing bar there is perhaps one degree of runout, but it causes no issues when using it. As with my fixed dome heated “block,” I don’t think I’ll be using this heated often as heat causes more problems than it solves for me.

I don’t have a clue what the two prongs are that stick out of the base at the back of the unit. Any ideas?

 

[humanshoes]

A recent acquisition from ebay. It has been recently retired. At first I didn’t think the heating elements worked, but later found that the GFIC had popped. I took it to a 20amp circuit in my garage and it heated up fine. It’s in great working condition and does what it’s supposed to do; however, it’s missing one of the guide bars that keeps the hemispheres aligned. With the missing bar there is perhaps one degree of runout, but it causes no issues when using it. As with my fixed dome heated “block,” I don’t think I’ll be using this heated often as heat causes more problems than it solves for me.


I don’t have a clue what the two prongs are that stick out of the base at the back of the unit. Any ideas?

Nice old machine there Brent and in beautiful condition. I don't use the heat on mine as I've not gotten around to rewiring and I don't trust the old, original wire. Yours appears to have had the wiring upgraded at some point. The prongs in the back were for the original, appliance style cord (see pic). I believe they removed the toggle type off/on switch and wired the new cord through that hole. As to the guide bar, a quick trip to the machine shop for some bar stock will take care of that in short order.

 

[Rmccamey]

Cool tool!

A recent acquisition from ebay. It has been recently retired. At first I didn’t think the heating elements worked, but later found that the GFIC had popped. I took it to a 20amp circuit in my garage and it heated up fine. It’s in great working condition and does what it’s supposed to do; however, it’s missing one of the guide bars that keeps the hemispheres aligned. With the missing bar there is perhaps one degree of runout, but it causes no issues when using it. As with my fixed dome heated “block,” I don’t think I’ll be using this heated often as heat causes more problems than it solves for me.

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I don’t have a clue what the two prongs are that stick out of the base at the back of the unit. Any ideas?

 

[Hat and Rehat]

A recent acquisition from ebay. It has been recently retired. At first I didn’t think the heating elements worked, but later found that the GFIC had popped. I took it to a 20amp circuit in my garage and it heated up fine. It’s in great working condition and does what it’s supposed to do; however, it’s missing one of the guide bars that keeps the hemispheres aligned. With the missing bar there is perhaps one degree of runout, but it causes no issues when using it. As with my fixed dome heated “block,” I don’t think I’ll be using this heated often as heat causes more problems than it solves for me.

View attachment 226553 View attachment 226554

I don’t have a clue what the two prongs are that stick out of the base at the back of the unit. Any ideas?

That's really nice, Brent. The size gauge is very cool. If you could put a rheostat in the circuit somewhere maybe you could discover the correct heat level for your work speed. Here's an idea that could be helpful if that runout twists crowns.
Some woodworking vices with the screw on one end and a guide bar on the other tend to rack. A trick is to run them slightly wide, insert a block or shim on the free side, then tighten to what you're shooting for, or the reverse if they rack the other way.
Good get, man!

 

[Hat and Rehat]

I have never sprung for or even used a Jiffy steamer. I noticed that they also sell a garment steamer with the same #s and guessed the hat steamer puts out gentle steam like garment steamers do, and have been using modified garment steamers myself.
I've watched YouTube's with high pressure steam on demand and have been trying to get it on the cheap. This attempt had promise I thought but it was a fail. The electric pressure cooker had a bad release valve and didn't build steam. I removed the valve and put a hose on with a blower valve on the end planning to switch to a foot valve if it worked. For some reason it still didn't pressure up. Back to the drawing board.

EDIT: I tried it the first time on high pressure. I just tried it on low and got steam ... low pressure steam, spitting a bit of water. Something must be wrong with the circuit board. I really don't think my wife wants me modifying her Instapot so I guess this will have to wait until the thrift stores reopen and I can grab another unit under ten bucks.

 

[humanshoes]

Back to the drawing board.

Nice try there Hat. I'm always intrigued by the work-arounds folks come up with. I can't even count the number of "back to the drawing board" incidents I had trying to replicate a pressurized, pedal operated steam unit. I finally realized that there are good reasons why they cost so much. Way beyond my budget and skill set.
In the end, this simple modification of a used Jiffy garment steamer worked out just fine. Granted, it's still passive steam, but plenty of it for my purposes. Not really what I wanted, but better than what I had. I dubbed it the Frankensteamer.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

An unusual hat stretcher:

 

[Rockwater]

An unusual hat stretcher:


View attachment 234053

Beautiful, definitely in ‘they don’t make ‘em like they used to’ category

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I like the idea of an adjustable flange, but it only adjusts on one axis:

And the gaps when extended could cause some problems too.

 

[steur]

I like the idea of an adjustable flange, but it only adjusts on one axis:

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And the gaps when extended could cause some problems too.

I have one of those. It is pretty versatile, but you don't want the gap too large and if you use it (with an iron) try to skip over that part to avoid causing marks on the brim. I wouldn't use it with a sandbag.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I have never sprung for or even used a Jiffy steamer. I noticed that they also sell a garment steamer with the same #s and guessed the hat steamer puts out gentle steam like garment steamers do, and have been using modified garment steamers myself.
I've watched YouTube's with high pressure steam on demand and have been trying to get it on the cheap. This attempt had promise I thought but it was a fail. The electric pressure cooker had a bad release valve and didn't build steam. I removed the valve and put a hose on with a blower valve on the end planning to switch to a foot valve if it worked. For some reason it still didn't pressure up. Back to the drawing board.

EDIT: I tried it the first time on high pressure. I just tried it on low and got steam ... low pressure steam, spitting a bit of water. Something must be wrong with the circuit board. I really don't think my wife wants me modifying her Instapot so I guess this will have to wait until the thrift stores reopen and I can grab another unit under ten bucks.

So...this was you Steve??
B

 

[deadlyhandsome]

A homemade wide oval stretcher?