Comments on: How to select commercial pressing equipment

By: How to apply interfacing

How to apply interfacing — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:13:13 +0000

[...] Interfacing: 10 tips How to select commercial pressing equipment How to select commercial pressing equipment pt.2 SPESA Trip Report: Kathleen pt.2 addthis_pub = [...]

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:58:06 +0000

Does anyone out there know where I can get a replacement solenoid for my very old Sussman Gravity Iron? Thanks, Kim

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 21:24:28 +0000

I am new to gravity feed irons and was wondering what the meaning of ‘dry steam’ is. The iron I just purchased makes a sound that steam is coming out but I can’t see it unless I hold it against a glass. Is this normal? I was expecting to see a lot of steam with the gravity feed iron.

By: J C Sprowls

J C Sprowls — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:03:22 +0000

I belive the term Kathleen used to describe that form you talk about, LaBellaDonna, is “blower”. Cissel and Hoffman are some of the big names in that particular equipment. My favorite, is the torso shaped buck, it’s a scissor-action press that closes the shaped heating plate onto a torso form, then ejects steam from the inside of the garment, outward. Those run about $13K, so I don’t have one.

I’m chatting up one of the local dry cleaners to see if they’ll let me volunteer to work in the plant for a month of Saturdays. I’d like to familiarize myself with the pressing equipment, more.

On the subject of over-engineering seams, check out my comments on thread types at skipped stitches, part 1. While you’re at it, download some of the brochures from the Gutermann site. It’s a bit of homework; but, I think it pays off in the long run, especially when you run up scrap samples to see what will work for your application.

I’m still putting together some information for classes I’ve been asked to teach. And, I’m making up samples as time permits. I’m not quite ready to articulate the results in an intelligent format, just yet. But, I’ll share that part with Kathleen to see if it is worthy of a guest post.

By: La BellaDonna

La BellaDonna — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:16:53 +0000

Wow. Way back when the world was young and dinosaurs roamed the earth, I did a stint in a Church Supply factory. In the backroom where the pressers worked, there was a torso-shaped form that the finished shirts would be placed on. There would be a “foosh!” of steam, and the shirt would be pressed, without any weird creases anywhere. I wonder if that’s the sort of thing that presses jacket linings? (Or if it did, once upon a time – this really was years ago.)

And ditto, JC; what did you learn about over-engineering seams and how not to? That sounds like something I probably do. I’d like not to, if I am.

By: Steve Knapp

Steve Knapp — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:31:11 +0000

Mr. Kahn,

Thank you for the information. Your company makes the J410, J450A and i300 steam stations. What are their differences? Will one last longer than another for home use? Does the i300 have a better quality iron and steam cord? Is a vacuum table required for a steam station?

Regards,

Steve Knapp

By: Gorgeous Things

Gorgeous Things — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 14:56:00 +0000

Wow, thanks for a great post! I hadn’t heard of Reliable before, and I have thought about a boiler set up (once I win the lottery and move to a bigger studio ).

By: vespabelle

vespabelle — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 20:41:29 +0000

This was super informative for a a home-sewer like me. Thanks so much. I’m going to be more vigilant about steaming (making sure I have water readily available for my iron) and using my clapper now (keeping it near the ironing board, not on the floor!)

By: Robert Kahn

Robert Kahn — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:30:19 +0000

Quick note in reference to the auto-shut off feature on our irons.

Auto shut off is only on one of our steam irons – the
Digital Velocity V95 (which is a home or a “Prosumer” type
iron that we produce). All of our irons on steam
stations (i300, i500, i700, i702, J410, J450A) do not
have auto-shut off.

P.S. I am not aware that auto-shut off is a Canadian
or a U.S. law. I think it is a feature that people
who are NOT home sewers look for (so they don’t burn
their homes down when the they have to run to change
the kids diapers). As you know, most sewers find it a
pain, which is why on the Digital Velocity, even when
the auto-shut off is activated, it takes only a few
seconds to get back to temperature.

By: Gigi

Gigi — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:54:18 +0000

I’ve been using a gravity feed iron (Naomoto) for more than 15 years and wouldn’t trade it for the world. The problem with domestic irons is that they don’t last. You can spend over $100 on one that won’t last you a year if you use it daily as I do. If my Naomoto ever dies may be I will get a boiler system.