6 panel hats

[signman]

I think we ran into problems with the Otto Flex because it is a 'pointed' curve-look at it on someone's head...'conehead' shape is what ours looked like. And it has a smaller diameter than other Flex hats. Makes it harder to sew on.
Did you get the sew file from the customer-or did you have to digitize it from scratch? It could come down to the digitizing like I mentioned earlier...some of my hats we had to break up logos into seperate 'pieces' so that the density and underlayment were different (less) on the seam area compared to the rest-and it looked great when we finally got it 'tweaked'. You might want to find a 'hat specialist' here and see if they would take your file and fix it for you.
I think Aaron is one, and Ed or Herb are also.

[sschroed2]

I sew mostly Flexfit and occasionally Otto and all are 6 panel hats. I do Lettering and logos. I only sew hats at 600 to 650 spm, use 75/11 titanium needles, actifeed for hats usually min at 2. But I also only use the CCF hat frame. Use 1 layer of stiff hat backing and sometimes light adhesive to hold it in place. No 1 flatten the bill out, No 2 rub the hat front to smooth it out (while on the frame) and get it as flat as possible, No 3 make sure the hat is framed as tightly and smooth as possible.

Additionally I have to say, these posts stress that hats must be sewn bottom up, center out and digitized differently. Well, I guess I'm the exception because I rarely have had to change digitizing and I've sewn them top to bottom, left to right, right to left, center out, etc, etc and never seem to have a problem as long as they are hooped straight, tight and flat and the pressure foot height and bobbin tension are correct. I only use magnetic bobbins and make sure the thread flows easily. If I do the drop test and there is any drag I pull off a few yards of thread, if that doesn't work, I throw out the bobbin and grab a new one because it's not worth fighting with. Generally only have trouble with the black bobbins. Whites seem to be pretty good every time.

[Just Sew It]

When I took training on my 2005 Amayas, things were a little different than now. We used standard feed on some 6-panel hats then and I still do now. If the hat is so curved and stiff that you cannot rub it down tight across the driver before you strap it down, you have to take up the slack behind the center curve with backing or pull the top of the hat down and in with clamps on both sides. Hats are made differently too. Try using standard feed of 18, make sure your presser foot is all the way up then down one click. Run at 800 and watch to see if the thread is looping or you still have any flagging. We expected thread breaks on the center seam back then and even some needle breaks. If you get false bobbin breaks, loosen the bobbin tension slightly, run the pattern back 10 sts and hit go again.
Good luck.
Jo

[cmack]

well changed a few things up and it sews with fewer thread breaks.
the design still does not look that good.

the lettering looks bad where it goes over the center seam of the hat, but I guess thats just the way its going to be.

It is just irritating beacuse I have seen it done, and it looks better than mine.

[cmack]

I had it digitized for the hat, the customer did not supply it

[cmack]

So if I showed a picture of how the design sewed out would anybody be able to tell me what I am doing wrong?
If it is me, the hat, or digitizing?
I have had great luck before with this digitizer.
and he seems to be working with me. I just want to make sure not me, before I make him fix it again.

[cmack]

I don't know how to attach a picture here.

[cmack]

If I have not said it before
THANK YOU for all the help

[signman]

You can't attach pictures...have to go through 'photobucket' or something like that (I don't use it or any net program you have to register for)
but you could attach a jpg or pdf to the email in [email protected] and that goes to most of us here in the board.

[Steve]

Upload it to tinypic.com then copy and paste the link here

[cmack]

http://i29.tinypic.com/147drl.jpg

[levelbest]

Confirmed - and not to be mean or anything that does look pretty aweful. I can see whay you would be frustrated.

Does it sew out ok on non flex fit 6 panel hats? How bout as a flat?

Hopefully Herb or Aaron can chime in here on how to make it better.

[signman]

I have some digitized fire department stuff that sews clean...pretty sure I have a 'hat size' one that you can just add your lettering to if you want-I'll send it over.
[email protected]
My guess is that your density is too tight, and the lettering doesn't want to sew as small as you have it-too many stitches where the serifs start.
Turn 'short stitches' OFF works for us-but some fonts just don't work in small stuff.

[cmack]

yes it sews decent on non 6 panel hats

not perfect but passable.

[Meier Custom Emb.]

Just my 2 cents. When I did maultese(sp) cross, I started out with the one from Dakota Coll. and I used Oesco block for the Fire, and Dept. and then for the center I used a font similar but loosened the density a little, and it turned out great.