I've had it with the Cap Frame!

[Tricia]

I have tried and tried to use this cap frame on my XT since 2008. My designs usually sew crooked on the cap and/or it slips while sewing and the registration gets thrown off. I'm sure it's user error and partly (in my opinion) a bad engineering design. I have watched the video posted on this site for help.
I'm close to turning away cap business, it's not worth this stress!

Don't know what else to do, thanks for letting me vent!

Tricia

[Judy]

Are you using the wide angle cap frame -- with those wires with teeth to hold it in place? If you are, easiest solution is to order the conventional cap frame from ShopMelco.com SO MUCH EASIER. Granted, only an area on the front, but it makes life easy.

Judy

[John]

I have tried and tried to use this cap frame on my XT since 2008. My designs usually sew crooked on the cap and/or it slips while sewing and the registration gets thrown off. I'm sure it's user error and partly (in my opinion) a bad engineering design. I have watched the video posted on this site for help.
I'm close to turning away cap business, it's not worth this stress!

Don't know what else to do, thanks for letting me vent!

Tricia

Tricia:

Herb - the zen master of hats will tell all.

Go to the tips/tricks section of this site and watch the hooping video again, and again.

Hats are able to be done and done well with the Amaya. I just ran 72+ pieces the other day with ZERO thread breaks, small lettering and a decent amount of details.

The keys in short...

1) Hoop the hat correctly. Seriously. Get the caps as flat to the frame as possible and have a tight sewing surface. Use backing. Rub the front of the hat. Clamp it tight.

2) Design for caps. Bottom up, inside out. Get an expert to digitize for you. Quite frankly, most folks should outsource their digitizing anyway if they care about productivity and quality. Most people don't know how to digitize well - and it leads to a LOT of problems on flats and caps.

3) No bigger than 2 inches tall - give or take. You can get about .5 inches from the brim and you can take your designs to a max of about 2 - 2.25 inches but I wouldn't go bigger.

4) Sew at 850-900 spm - slow the machine down a bit.

5) Presser foot all the way down or one click up. We also stopped using the raised needle plate but that's a personal decision. Make sure your bobbin tension is correct.

Reality is most mistakes are 1 or 2. Crooked or slipping is hooping.

I'm assuming you have the WACF. I struggled with them too. Herb showed me the way. I got better at it. Suggest you buy a dozen cheapo hats and practice. It's well worth.

When all else fails, do what we did and get the CCF frames instead. The WACF (wide angle hoops) that Herb shows in the video are great but the reality is, the CCF (conventional cap frame) is good for 99% of what we do and is quicker and easier to hoop.

Bottom line, I guarantee if I came buy, I could sew a great cap on your machine.

Pictured below is the EMS Hooptech 270 - CCF. It's what we use on our original RED Amaya's

largecap.jpg

http://hooptechproducts.com/t/capframe-original

[John]

While we are talking frames, anyone tried the "Dream Frame"?

http://hooptechproducts.com/t/capframes-dreamframe

[Linda H]

Hi John

That was an excellent explanation on how to do a cap design. I inquired about the price on the dream frame and I can see why they call it a dream frame. Seemed a little pricey to me.

Linda

[levelbest]

Hi John

That was an excellent explanation on how to do a cap design. I inquired about the price on the dream frame and I can see why they call it a dream frame. Seemed a little pricey to me.

Linda

Thanks ��

What was the price of the frame. Now you have me curious!

[Linda H]

Okay

You better be sitting down for this
1 Frame is $349.95 and if you would like the Gauge to use to hoop it on it is another $399.95.
It's a dream alright... In my opinion an expensive one I would rather spend the money on some Mighty Hoops to do my Carhardt jackets with.

Linda

[levelbest]

That's a good Benjamin more than a standard cap frame. Yikes!

[Tricia]

John;


"Bottom line, I guarantee if I came buy, I could sew a great cap on your machine."



LOL, I'm sure you could. I have the WACF with the teeth. I line them up in the crease of the hat but the design seems higher on the opposite side of the clamp. So the cap is hooping closer on that side. Thank you for the link, I had no idea there were other frames that could fit my machine.

I have some misc free hats that I will practice on before each design, thanks for all of the tips everyone!

Tricia

[Impressive Threads]

Will the EMS Hooptech 270 - CCF. work on Amaya Xt's? Is an additional purchase of a new frame driver required as well as a frame gauge? I also am tired of issues with caps, particularly Flexfit and New Era. I also have the same issue with designs sewing crooked and I know it is partly due to the fact these caps have the bills sewn on crooked. All you have to do is look at them straight on and you can see how lopsided they are. So if I can spend a few $$ and make my life easier, with less waste on damaged caps, I am willing to do so.

Cindy from Phoenix where we are melting

[John]

Should work fine as I believe the cap driver is the same on the Amaya's and the XT's. I'm sure Hooptech can confirm.

Also, GET THE T-BAR

See the demo here - and a hooping how to video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frqvW5dwA_o

[Rod or Sharon]

John,

Quote....."Should work fine as I believe the cap driver is the same on the Amaya's and the XT's. "

As far as the frames being discussed here....yes they will work on any of the Amaya, XT series, Bravo and the EMT16. As far as being the "cap driver" being the same.....no. There are differences in the original Amaya, the early XT, later /older XT', XTS , Bravo, up to the new EMT16.

I am sure that you probably knew this, but thought I would jump in and clarify the statement.

Version 9 and newer software also has the "Laser alignment" tools that will help align any garment without the need to "re-hoop" the garment including caps.....neat tool. For those that have not used it or do not know that it exists, should by all means check it out. It is the perfect fix for what Trica has posted about.

Rod Springer
Amaya Tech & Trainer

[Wishes]

Cindy, if you want to come over to Chandler and see what we use before making a decision. We have the cap frames that came with our machines (XT). We also use the EMS/HoopTech green handled CCF. call us at 480-216-3163 and we can set up a date.