[AndTees]

Here's a shout-out to Hooptech... I upgraded from my old round medieval torture device to a Hooptech cap clamp... oh man am I happy!

Did a couple of pesky specimens right off the bat... no problems. Now I think I will look forward to hat orders instead of with fear.

Great product.

 

[crackerjackshack]

What is this? I don't really mind caps, but I'm always interested in something that's going to make it easier )

 

[AndTees]

What is this? I don't really mind caps, but I'm always interested in something that's going to make it easier )

Looks like this:

It grabs the cap on 3 sides... really easy to hoop up and sews well.

Love these things.

Been using one like this:

As the Raven said... "never more, never more"...

 

[lizziemaxine]

Fabulous. I've seen demos of these but never tried one. Might put it on my equipment wish list.

 

[Ruby MHarvey]

This looks like what I have and I have not been doing hats, I think it is too much trouble people have asked if I do caps. I might look into this. the on you been using looks likt the one I have it goes to a tajima.

 

[designconcepts]

Make that a second shout out

The Hooptech system is well worth the cost, if you do any hats period. The system is MUCH easier to use, I can't imagine even the thought of going back to the old one! (like the one posted, seems to be quite a universal design??)

http://www.hooptechproducts.com/ They have a bunch of other products as well, some are....well, interesting.

 

[thutch15]

I hate hats so I am in. What all do you need to get started... just a cap frame and the cap gauge?

 

[designconcepts]

Yes, the cap frame and framing gauge is all that's needed. The frame just snaps onto the machine's regular cap driver as usual. The framing guage "holds" the frame. The hinged P-shaped bar on the bottom -- actually, just the little piece on the top; the rest is simply a handle -- is supposed to go inside the hat (on the bottom if you're emb. the front), and you push down on it to stretch/pull the hat's front down. Honestly I don't use it -- for as much as it stretches the cap it doesn't seem to help that much. But that's just probably me.

 

[BML Builder]

How funny these look just like the original conventional hat frames that I started with years ago on my first commercial machine. I still have a couple of them and then I have 4 of the extension frames and 4 of the new extension frames. The extension frames like Frank posted that he currently used were made so that you could sew almost all the way around the hat. Funny how most people are going back to the original conventional frames for the ease of hooping. The extension frames are harder to hoop, but if you do it correctly you get more area to sew on the hats.

 

[AndTees]

How funny these look just like the original conventional hat frames that I started with years ago on my first commercial machine. I still have a couple of them and then I have 4 of the extension frames and 4 of the new extension frames. The extension frames like Frank posted that he currently used were made so that you could sew almost all the way around the hat. Funny how most people are going back to the original conventional frames for the ease of hooping. The extension frames are harder to hoop, but if you do it correctly you get more area to sew on the hats.

That's a great point, and I will not throw away the old hoop because I have used it for other items, and for that very reason... but they really do not do standard billed caps well.

I'm glad I tried the new (old?) Hooptec variety.

 

[BML Builder]

That's a great point, and I will not throw away the old hoop because I have used it for other items, and for that very reason... but they really do not do standard billed caps well.

I'm glad I tried the new (old?) Hooptec variety.

I have to admit. That was always my favorite hat hoop. It is the easiest to hoop with. The only drawback to it was the size limitations to the designs. But truthfully most of the designs I do on hats will fit in this hoop which makes it the most used hoop. This is where it is best to hang onto all your hoops. You just never know when you may need one you haven't used in a while.

I'm glad you like it and I'm glad they brought it back to the newer users out there. I think it will be beneficial to a lot of users!!!

 

[thutch15]

Did you find any good deals on them? I am ready to buy and tried finding a used one...that looks like it is not going to happen.

 

[AndTees]

I purchased directly from the manufacturer.

 

[thutch15]

Just purchased... hope I can tell a difference!

 

[mschampers]

I've used these for 5 years-I would never use anything else