Tabletop Hatters of The Lounge

[deadlyhandsome]

Yes i made the block Myself. [emoji3] are You talking about those plastic ones?

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Your block is obviously wood (as a block should be), but the shape does remind me of the straight-sided dome made by Hat Shapers out of plastic. Your block has a great shape and looks to have straighter sides than the revered #52. Excellent work!


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[Hat and Rehat]

I think it was Bob Roberts who posted once about wetting them, then putting them over a light bulb. But I don't know if that shrinks the felt or just the sweat. You might ask him.

Thanks Jack. In theory, that should be the way to shrink felt. Fur felt barbs together differently than wool felt, but more as a matter of degree than a completely different, cause and effect, event. My thought was that a heat gun or hair dryer could accomplish the same thing. Who hasn't shrunk at least one wool garment by putting it in a load of cottons? Heck, it might even be your wife's favorite skirt!
Something like that could get you banned from the laundry room. If necessary, try, "Hey babe, that skirt looks tight. Are you gaining weight?" Be careful though, the bedroom may come into play as well.

Maybe, just for fun, I'll soak a $2 thrift store wool hat, then dry it on high heat in the clothes dryer.
How small will she go? I can start a pool, $2/square. After I get everyone hooked, I can up the ante. Maybe $100/square for 7X clear beaver? I could surpass Nick Fouquet as the curse word most often used at Fedora Lounge.
I've heard infamy can generate returns equal to fame. Or, maybe I just made that up.

Ermatinger's Scientific Hat Finishing and Renovating has been my primary source as I venture into butchering hats instead of wood. I certainly seek outside, supplemental information, but SHFR is my touchestone, so I get a little skeptical of claims that seem to conflict with it. I hoped Terry would respond, because I don't reject his claims out of hand. I'm just trying to reconcile them with my earlier (handed down from mount SHFR on stone tablets) impression that a hat fitting loosely on a block should be blocked a size larger because trying to steam it down could result in a hat too small. This is in Ermatinger's chapter on blocking stiff hats, but he seems to have viewed shrinking a hat down as risky, and suggested drawing or drumming a sweatband for fit safer.

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[Hat and Rehat]

Yes i made the block Myself. [emoji3] are You talking about those plastic ones?

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Nice work. Does your block have any taper from the band line to where the radius to the top of the crown begins?
I'm producing my own blocks as well, but have been trying to duplicate established crown shapes, either by studying pictures of blocks, or by studying hats with the crown open.

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[Hurricane Jack]

My thought was that a heat gun or hair dryer could accomplish the same thing.

Better ask those who have maybe tried it. My thought would be that a light bulb would be a slower process (if it works) & therefore easier to control. A heat gun might work on your sweat like it does on heat shrink tubing! Everything looks to be working great...then it's too late.

 

[Frunobulax]

Better ask those who have maybe tried it. My thought would be that a light bulb would be a slower process (if it works) & therefore easier to control. A heat gun might work on your sweat like it does on heat shrink tubing! Everything looks to be working great...then it's too late.

The light bulb method works as it is radiating the heat fairly evenly, and is slow. A hair dryer would shrink where it hits, and no telling what it would do.

We're just talking about taking a felt body down a size or so. As long as it conforms to the new block, it shouldn't go too far.

I'll keep y'all posted.

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[Hurricane Jack]

The light bulb method works as it is radiating the heat fairly evenly, and is slow. A hair dryer would shrink where it hits, and no telling what it would do.

We're just talking about taking a felt body down a size or so. As long as it conforms to the new block, it shouldn't go too far.

I'll keep y'all posted.

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I can just see that heat gun now, "Looks good...looks good...whoops!

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

The light bulb method works as it is radiating the heat fairly evenly, and is slow. A hair dryer would shrink where it hits, and no telling what it would do.

We're just talking about taking a felt body down a size or so. As long as it conforms to the new block, it shouldn't go too far.

I'll keep y'all posted.

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Etc....setting a wetted hat brim down flattened on top of a warm running dryer works too. It’s a uniform low heat and you can test size and stop anytime.
YMMV
B

 

[Hat and Rehat]

I can just see that heat gun now, "Looks good...looks good...whoops!

For the record, I wasn't endorsing the heat gun method. Just saying that it WOULD shrink a felt.

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[TimothyF]

Nice work. Does your block have any taper from the band line to where the radius to the top of the crown begins?
I'm producing my own blocks as well, but have been trying to duplicate established crown shapes, either by studying pictures of blocks, or by studying hats with the crown open.

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I don't Think so... What do You mean?

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[Hat and Rehat]

I tried my hand at brim curling last night. This is a .... reverse conversion, maybe?
It's a velour Stetson sovereign I started "westernizing" for my wife, but she doesn't want it. I hope someone does.
I've been meaning to weld up a curling iron and make a wooden curling tolliker to match it. I did this with some bent steel rod and a wood spatula.

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[Cornshucker77]

I tried my hand at brim curling last night. This is a .... reverse conversion, maybe?
It's a velour Stetson sovereign I started "westernizing" for my wife, but she doesn't want it. I hope someone does.
I've been meaning to weld up a curling iron and make a wooden curling tolliker to match it. I did this with some bent steel rod and a wood spatula.

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Looks like you got a nice uniform curl there. Nice work.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Dark moss on the block. Block is #51 with 5 3/4 inch open crown. Pouncing and brim pressing to happen next weekend.

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[Frunobulax]

I finally finished this D'Aquino rebuild. When I ordered it, I asked for a 58.5 because my first was a tad snug. It came in closer to a 59 and was more tapered than I requested, so I haven't worn it much. I put it on a #52 last weekend, and was able to get to the finishing steps yesterday.

Original pics in the D'Aquino thread, but I can't believe I don't have a "before" pic of it open crown.

On the block...

And finished out yesterday afternoon. I kept the original ribbon.

All in all, very happy with the results. A big thank you to Terry for an assist and advice.

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[T Jones]

I finally finished this D'Aquino rebuild. When I ordered it, I asked for a 58.5 because my first was a tad snug. It came in closer to a 59 and was more tapered than I requested, so I haven't worn it much. I put it on a #52 last weekend, and was able to get to the finishing steps yesterday.

Original pics in the D'Aquino thread, but I can't believe I don't have a "before" pic of it open crown.

On the block...

And finished out yesterday afternoon. I kept the original ribbon.

All in all, very happy with the results. A big thank you to Terry for an assist and advice.

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Looks great, Jim!

 

[Frunobulax]

Looks great, Jim!

Thanks, Terry!

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[DaveSobel]

OK, asking for advice. I need to shrink a felt about a half to a full size to bring it down to fit me. I've stretched, but never shrank. What is the best technique for shrinking the felt to the size block I want?

I’ve shrunk a few oversized hat bodies so far, and there is a really easy way to do it. Moisten the felt, put it on your smaller block, and then run your string down the block to the bottom. Once you’ve done that, iron the heck out of the crown and it will shrink to fit the block. If you’re using a modern iron, I recommend setting it to the highest setting. The brim will be wrinkly and wavy, but working carefully with plenty of water you’ll be able to shrink that and flatten it as well.

 

[Frunobulax]

I’ve shrunk a few oversized hat bodies so far, and there is a really easy way to do it. Moisten the felt, put it on your smaller block, and then run your string down the block to the bottom. Once you’ve done that, iron the heck out of the crown and it will shrink to fit the block. If you’re using a modern iron, I recommend setting it to the highest setting. The brim will be wrinkly and wavy, but working carefully with plenty of water you’ll be able to shrink that and flatten it as well.

Thanks.

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[Hat and Rehat]

My arthritis has flared up worse than ever before the last few days, which has made trimming the grandchildren's hats a bit painful, and difficult regarding dexterity knotting thread, etc.
Liberty's was done before we flew out, and Molly's now just needs the bow sewn in place.
Here's Lib's, which we're calling the Buccarita.
Molly was stepping on it a few minutes ago, so I decided to get photos before it's too late.

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[Cornshucker77]

My arthritis has flared up worse than ever before the last few days, which has made trimming the grandchildren's hats a bit painful, and difficult regarding dexterity knotting thread, etc.
Liberty's was done before we flew out, and Molly's now just needs the bow sewn in place.
Here's Lib's, which we're calling the Buccarita.
Molly was stepping on it a few minutes ago, so I decided to get photos before it's too late.

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Beautiful.

 

[Cornshucker77]

I finally finished this D'Aquino rebuild. When I ordered it, I asked for a 58.5 because my first was a tad snug. It came in closer to a 59 and was more tapered than I requested, so I haven't worn it much. I put it on a #52 last weekend, and was able to get to the finishing steps yesterday.

Original pics in the D'Aquino thread, but I can't believe I don't have a "before" pic of it open crown.

On the block...

And finished out yesterday afternoon. I kept the original ribbon.

All in all, very happy with the results. A big thank you to Terry for an assist and advice.

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Nice work Jim. Looks great.