Best / Repeatable Hooping equipment/method

[J&O Enterprises]

Hi All,

I should be picking up my two Amayas in two weeks. I feel like I need to improve my hooping practice so that garmet to garmet, the designs are positioned near-exact to each other. My current method for my older machines have a lot of play in it an each design may be canted one way or another. I want to improve my consistency, gain higher quality in the finished product, etc.

Being new to Amaya, is it better to hoop "on" the machine, or have a separate stand/hooping-station? At this point my typical order sizes are 1 through 1-2 dozen. To gain the improvement I think I could spend up to $1000 or so. Are there a few links handy to see the equipment? I like the idea of hooping on the machine - as this potentially saves steps and makes for a faster process.

Thank You

[signman]

I don't know who told you that you can hoop 'on the machine', but except for the 'speedframe' system, you cannot hoop on an Amaya!
There are several 'hoopmaster' systems that have a jig to hold the hoop and backing in place while you put the garment over it and then press down the top of the hoop. But this is done on a separate table or counter, not on the machine.
The speedframe system is a 'clamp' system, and has limited use on clothing because there is no place for excess material to go-like trying to hoop the back of a garment-can't be done. Or chest pocket of sweatshirt. But for zipper front or button front, it's great.
We set the shirts on our teeshirt printer platen and mark with tailor's chalk, then slide it on the speedframe for fast sewing.

[Steve]

I lay the garment on the table and either eye it or measure it depending on the garment. Sometimes I use masking tape on the item to mark it. I won't spend $600 on a hooper/piece of wood that cost them $50 to make.

[J&O Enterprises]

Thanks Guys,

I have only used the old-style hoops. It sounds like the Amaya style hoops easier to "eye-up". If so - GREAT [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks,

[J&O Enterprises]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to pass along last nights production experience, my 2nd with my Amayas. Two nights ago I sewed shirt front left, and placing the round unit under the shirt with backing was really quick. Inserting and aligning the top 1/2 was super easy. I was very pleased/impressed.

Last night production was for a larger back design, in which I had to use a square back hoop (14x11 or so). This is a different animal to hoop! I used strips of blue masking tape to hold the larger backing in place, then slid the large inner hoop inside the shirt, straightened the inner hoop, then placed the outer hoop into position, sometimes twice or three times to get it straight.

In short, I was not able to hoop the next garmets as fast as the next machine was done sewing. It was certaintly an exercise in hooping.

Is this an instance where a "all-in-one" type of hooper speeds up the processs (square hoops)? For the shirt fronts, it was simple/fast to use the round tubular hoops. For the larger square it was more difficult to get it right. Or, I guess I could jus buy the next sizes of "round" hoops such that I don't have to align the inner hoop too.

Thanks,

[signman]

My large back designs on sweats and jackets I do this way...
(I have a 4 color teeshirt screenprinting 'octopus', so I use one of the shirt platens for a 'counter')
I take the largest piece of backing, and lightly spray with adhesive.
Slide this inside the sweatshirt and press down firmly-now the backing is in place.
Then I put the shirt in place on the platen as though I am going to screen print it right there-now it is aligned to the board perfectly. I can slide the inside hoop up the platen, align it easily side to side, then press down the top hoop. If there might be alignment issues, before I put either hoop in place we take a straightedge and seamstress chalk and make a few 'centerline' marks.
We are looking for a hoopmaster or all-in-one to use for smaller items and such, in case someone is getting rid of one!

[J&O Enterprises]

Thanks Signman,

Of course I realized this completely after the fact and after reading your email, BUT, I "should" have used my old style hooper and just inserted pegs on the "lower-edge" to position the outer hoop which is inside the shirt (leaves inside space open for inner hoop), and a piece of masking tape to hold the upper edge and backing in place. Then, I could have slid the shirt over the hooper as usual and had a perfectly aligned hoop in 1 minute, instead of the 4-6 minutes it was taking!
Thanks [img]smile.gif[/img]