Kinda bummed that no one has answered this question. I am thinking the same thing... I don't want to fork over the big bucks for a Hotronix at the *moment*... I need something to fill the gap until I can justify the $$$.
Hat/Cap Heat Press recommendations
Can someone one recommend any good Hat Heat Press? I've been looking in there no really reviews on youtube on one. I'm mainly doing Trucker and skully hats.
Something that not going to break the bank gives me the good output. I've seen cheap one that give bents into the hat or don't heat up well.
For volume wise, I'll produce 50 hats a week. This is a business but a new add-on to what I have now. I'm not sure if it will increase or not. I want something around $100 -$300 if it goes well I will eventually go and buy a Hotronix.
Something that not going to break the bank gives me the good output. I've seen cheap one that give bents into the hat or don't heat up well.
For volume wise, I'll produce 50 hats a week. This is a business but a new add-on to what I have now. I'm not sure if it will increase or not. I want something around $100 -$300 if it goes well I will eventually go and buy a Hotronix.
1 - 18 of 18 Posts
Good quality equipment is always the way to go.
A geo knight hap/hat press goes for about $550 NEW
Or you can get them used for $200-$400
(Dual model is a few hundred more)
(Stahls are fine too...I just prefer GK)
We have a few of them and they work great, have changeable platens for size, easy to use, comes in a model that you can load one hat while pressing another.
Buy a quality press and it will last forever.
I dont like to take a job on and "hope" my press will work, that it is heating evenly, etc.
Everyone says "i want to by a cheap one to test out things" then they are back here asking why something is not working. Give yourself the best chance of success and Get good equipment in the beginning. Besides it has good resale value...cheap presses do not.
A geo knight hap/hat press goes for about $550 NEW
Or you can get them used for $200-$400
(Dual model is a few hundred more)
(Stahls are fine too...I just prefer GK)
We have a few of them and they work great, have changeable platens for size, easy to use, comes in a model that you can load one hat while pressing another.
Buy a quality press and it will last forever.
I dont like to take a job on and "hope" my press will work, that it is heating evenly, etc.
Everyone says "i want to by a cheap one to test out things" then they are back here asking why something is not working. Give yourself the best chance of success and Get good equipment in the beginning. Besides it has good resale value...cheap presses do not.
I use the the interchangeable platen with Geo knight. may not be cheap but works great. Also check craigslist you might be able to find aone at a good price.Can someone one recommend any good Hat Heat Press? I've been looking in there no really reviews on youtube on one. I'm mainly doing Trucker and skully hats.
Something that not going to break the bank gives me the good output. I've seen cheap one that give bents into the hat or don't heat up well.
For volume wise, I'll produce 50 hats a week. This is a business but a new add-on to what I have now. I'm not sure if it will increase or not. I want something around $100 -$300 if it goes well I will eventually go and buy a Hotronix.
Good luck
The Stahls press is pretty good.
We had a couple cheap hat presses for a few years and printed hundreds of hats just struggling to get decent impressions. I knew we needed a dependable hat press so I studied them a lot before I finally bought the Stahls Auto Cap with four different platens. Of course I needed about a thousand bucks to buy it and when I did buy it our hat printing headaches were over. We have printed thousands of hats with it and still will print thousands more. That is my testimony about getting a decent hat press. I gave one of my old cheap hat presses away and sold the other for $50. To tell the truth, I never thought I could sell so many hats with a heat press.
I was afraid that I would read this. I know it's not a good move to start cheap, but I can't justify $500+ for a system I have zero experience with and have no idea if it will actually end up creating sales. Currently our hats are all outsourced, embroidered, and are our least popular products so I am hoping that by changing to heat pressed trucker style caps, they would become more popular.
We currently have an older Hobby Lite flat press that we've been using for single color metal transfers for years with little to no problems, so I was hoping to get lucky with a hat press as well.
I have been researching and narrowed it down to a few (budget friendly) options;
TransPro Cap Heat Press from ProWorld ~190+shipping (The only press with reviews)
EnduraPRESS SA-CP36 from Sign Warehouse ~ 260+shipping
Transforsa Clamshell from USCutter ~ 180+shipping
I would love to get a GeoKnight & the attachments for hats and mugs, but as I said, I don't think I can justify it to my financial department.
So, I suppose I am attempting to get either reviews or personal experience from these three presses, or (more likely from what I've read here) a sales pitch that I can use to convince my financial department that another couple hundred bucks would save us down the road (and then a recommendation for a press as well).
We currently have an older Hobby Lite flat press that we've been using for single color metal transfers for years with little to no problems, so I was hoping to get lucky with a hat press as well.
I have been researching and narrowed it down to a few (budget friendly) options;
TransPro Cap Heat Press from ProWorld ~190+shipping (The only press with reviews)
EnduraPRESS SA-CP36 from Sign Warehouse ~ 260+shipping
Transforsa Clamshell from USCutter ~ 180+shipping
I would love to get a GeoKnight & the attachments for hats and mugs, but as I said, I don't think I can justify it to my financial department.
So, I suppose I am attempting to get either reviews or personal experience from these three presses, or (more likely from what I've read here) a sales pitch that I can use to convince my financial department that another couple hundred bucks would save us down the road (and then a recommendation for a press as well).
Hey CherrBear/PrintNerd,
What did you guys end up going with? I'm looking for an inexpensive hat press to replace labels on back of shirts, but wouldn't mind being able to do some hats as well.
What did you guys end up going with? I'm looking for an inexpensive hat press to replace labels on back of shirts, but wouldn't mind being able to do some hats as well.
Every one looking for an affordable cap press to start with:
I was, and am still in that category. My novice advice so far (and I'm looking for advice from experts), is to match the press to the types of caps you are, or are envisioning being used on the press.
Example: I have provided the trucker (Elmer Fudd) type hats to a small business at a very small volume, using a heat mitt and a regular heat press. This was for construction employees and it worked well. Then, my customer decides he wants the Richardson six panel two tone hats, 48 of them! With the seam down the middle, and not knowing anything about this type of hat, I started researching cap presses. I felt my current method was not going to work well. There is not much out there on pressing this type of cap, so I'm sharing my experience, and looking forward to comments. If you don't already know this, these Richardson hats are also called "dimensional" hats. The front is slightly stiffer and the seam down the middle offers a challenge without proper equipment (at least I thought so). My budget was low, and I was willing to go with $300 to $400 dollars, not knowing anything about these, other than my research (not much available). I landed at the ProWorld TransPro Semi-Auto Cap press. Before ordering these hats, I emailed ProWorld, asking if this press would be good for hats with the seam down the middle, and gave the Richardson model. The response was if I would send them one, they would try it and let me know. Well, I didn't have the hats and I was in a time crunch to provide the finished product, so I took a chance. The press appears to be a really nice press, except there is only "one" rigid pallet. For other novices, that appears to be an issue. And, this press clearly does not work for dimensional hats. That gets back to my point to know you are buying a press that will match the contour of the type of hats you plan to use. When the dimensional hat is placed on the pallet correctly, the middle of the hat (middle 2-3 inches) does not come in contact with the pallet, thus ruining the HTV design.
Shortly after I received the press, I received an email from ProWorld, interested in my business. I shared that the pallet does not fit the type of hat, and that I thought ProWorld should have known that when I asked. But, I admit, that I will own this error, "Let the buyer beware". Do your research thoroughly before buying the press. Don't count on the seller to help you out. They just want the money.
I now know I need a cap press with changeable pallets!
And, after ruining about ten hats, I've discovered this press has a heat element issue. I took a reliable heat temperature instrument and found that my press, when set at 309, is actually 126 in the middle and about 114 on each end. I turned it up to 400, and now it's 146 in the middle and 134 on the ends. Just to be sure it's not the instrument, I tested my regular heat press, showing accurate measurements.
Unless there is something I'm unaware of, this press has an issue, which when I think about it, that is why my HTV was not sticking to the hats very well.
I will contact ProWorld now, but invite comments on others that have pressed Richardson 112 hats. What press are you using? What temperature? How long? Any tips for me, and others!
Oh yes, and when I get this press operating properly, I still won't need it, I am will to sell it $250 plus shipping. It only has about 6 hours on it.
Jim
UPDATE: ProWorld did respond to an email I sent. In regard to the temperature, there technician stated heat temperature instruments do not work accurately on aluminum, causing the misreading. They asked for, and I am sending pictures of what is happening to seek possible solutions.
I was, and am still in that category. My novice advice so far (and I'm looking for advice from experts), is to match the press to the types of caps you are, or are envisioning being used on the press.
Example: I have provided the trucker (Elmer Fudd) type hats to a small business at a very small volume, using a heat mitt and a regular heat press. This was for construction employees and it worked well. Then, my customer decides he wants the Richardson six panel two tone hats, 48 of them! With the seam down the middle, and not knowing anything about this type of hat, I started researching cap presses. I felt my current method was not going to work well. There is not much out there on pressing this type of cap, so I'm sharing my experience, and looking forward to comments. If you don't already know this, these Richardson hats are also called "dimensional" hats. The front is slightly stiffer and the seam down the middle offers a challenge without proper equipment (at least I thought so). My budget was low, and I was willing to go with $300 to $400 dollars, not knowing anything about these, other than my research (not much available). I landed at the ProWorld TransPro Semi-Auto Cap press. Before ordering these hats, I emailed ProWorld, asking if this press would be good for hats with the seam down the middle, and gave the Richardson model. The response was if I would send them one, they would try it and let me know. Well, I didn't have the hats and I was in a time crunch to provide the finished product, so I took a chance. The press appears to be a really nice press, except there is only "one" rigid pallet. For other novices, that appears to be an issue. And, this press clearly does not work for dimensional hats. That gets back to my point to know you are buying a press that will match the contour of the type of hats you plan to use. When the dimensional hat is placed on the pallet correctly, the middle of the hat (middle 2-3 inches) does not come in contact with the pallet, thus ruining the HTV design.
Shortly after I received the press, I received an email from ProWorld, interested in my business. I shared that the pallet does not fit the type of hat, and that I thought ProWorld should have known that when I asked. But, I admit, that I will own this error, "Let the buyer beware". Do your research thoroughly before buying the press. Don't count on the seller to help you out. They just want the money.
I now know I need a cap press with changeable pallets!
And, after ruining about ten hats, I've discovered this press has a heat element issue. I took a reliable heat temperature instrument and found that my press, when set at 309, is actually 126 in the middle and about 114 on each end. I turned it up to 400, and now it's 146 in the middle and 134 on the ends. Just to be sure it's not the instrument, I tested my regular heat press, showing accurate measurements.
Unless there is something I'm unaware of, this press has an issue, which when I think about it, that is why my HTV was not sticking to the hats very well.
I will contact ProWorld now, but invite comments on others that have pressed Richardson 112 hats. What press are you using? What temperature? How long? Any tips for me, and others!
Oh yes, and when I get this press operating properly, I still won't need it, I am will to sell it $250 plus shipping. It only has about 6 hours on it.
Jim
UPDATE: ProWorld did respond to an email I sent. In regard to the temperature, there technician stated heat temperature instruments do not work accurately on aluminum, causing the misreading. They asked for, and I am sending pictures of what is happening to seek possible solutions.
I am about to print 12 Richardson 112's .... with our Stahl's Auto Hat press. We have the different platens. Like I said before on this thread, our hat heat press jobs are no longer a problem. I have printed hundreds of Richardson hats with it.
That is great to know! Can you send me some detail on the model number? And, when you use the correct platen, does it fit the Richardson closely, without getting pushed down much?I am about to print 12 Richardson 112's .... with our Stahl's Auto Hat press. We have the different platens. Like I said before on this thread, our hat heat press jobs are no longer a problem. I have printed hundreds of Richardson hats with it.
Stahl's MAXX press line is great! They have the same capability of their Hotronix line minus the bells and whistles. I have a few Maxx presses. The hat press is, well, pretty impressive! Rarely found used, but there's a reason - they're very, very good. I also have a DC16 w/ hat attachment. Also impressive. But MAXX is a great starting point that will give you resale value should you ever decide to sell it. The Geo Knight hat press (stand-alone, not part of the DC16) is another great one. It may be less pricey than the MAXX. Those are my recommendations.
Hotronix Auto Cap press.
Made by Stahl's. See the attached picture of a couple of the Richardson 112's I printed this afternoon. I used the "Rookie" platen. No creases, no problem, nice product. My customer resells them.
Richardson hats.jpg
Made by Stahl's. See the attached picture of a couple of the Richardson 112's I printed this afternoon. I used the "Rookie" platen. No creases, no problem, nice product. My customer resells them.
Richardson hats.jpg
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That is a nice job. I had to build a pillow, shown on the pic. ThenHotronix Auto Cap press.
Made by Stahl's. See the attached picture of a couple of the Richardson 112's I printed this afternoon. I used the "Rookie" platen. No creases, no problem, nice product. My customer resells them.
Richardson hats.jpg
, using heat tape, cut my HTV and do the words first, then the logo. The hat pick is what happened to about nine hats, trying all sorts of ideas, then I built the pillow. Even with that, it took too long to make each hat. But they did turn out nice then.
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If you keep getting hat orders, your frustration should dwindle once you make the big move to getting a hat press like the Stahls Auto Cap press, or, even the Maxx press with the interchangeable platens.
You could confide in the fact that I used to play around with different techniques like you did with your press. I had printed hundreds of hats with our old press before I made the move to the more expensive Stahls Auto Cap.
One thing is when maybe one letter from a word or name is wrecked, you can carefully remove the one letter and place another letter in it's place.
You could confide in the fact that I used to play around with different techniques like you did with your press. I had printed hundreds of hats with our old press before I made the move to the more expensive Stahls Auto Cap.
One thing is when maybe one letter from a word or name is wrecked, you can carefully remove the one letter and place another letter in it's place.
Hotronix Auto Cap press.
Made by Stahl's. See the attached picture of a couple of the Richardson 112's I printed this afternoon. I used the "Rookie" platen. No creases, no problem, nice product. My customer resells them.
Those look great! I have the exact same press but I'm having trouble getting similar results.
Are those plastisol or vinyl transfers? What temperature and how much time on the press?
Vinyl transfers.
Also, I do not hold the cap down tight because a crease is made when I hold the hat down tight.
Also, I do not hold the cap down tight because a crease is made when I hold the hat down tight.
Thank you. I've been trying plastisol transfers so that might be my issue.Vinyl transfers.
Also, I do not hold the cap down tight because a crease is made when I hold the hat down tight.
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