Adjusting machine for puff?

[3Deep]

Need some advice from you experts here, We've did puff on caps in the pass which was satisfactory, but I have seen caps in the store where the puff is really neat at the corners and stands up really good.  So my question is do you just adjust the top tension only or the bobbin also?  I'm going to send the digitizing out this time so it's ready for the puff job, any type of puff material suggestions, right now we use 2mm and 3mm color foam to match the thread.  I've seen some of you all post some really neat stuff I know Brandt and his crew have did some nice work, any help and advice.

[mooseman]

I am not a puff embroidery guy in fact I am not even in embroidery anymore having sold my machine 
But From what little i know it is all in the digitizing and pathing the sew sequence correctly and capping off columns etc.
Tensions and machine speed are important but it is all in the cake mix that mostly counts.
mooseman

[RICK STEFANICK]

after you embroider use a heat gun to tighten it up. This really improves the puff look

[whitewater]

My tech said you need to do an adjustment on a couple of the needles... I had the same question, when doing puff it was not as clean as what I have seen out there.

I believe you (adjust) raise the presser foot height... I'm not sure of the exact height, but maybe the thickness of the foam sounds correct.

Depending on how many needle you have you could always adjust a couple and just keep them there for future puff..

[inkman996]

Raising the pressure foot height is not that easy to do, we have tried it and didnt see any realizable results. We also tried loosening the top thread with no noticeable results. It always comes down to the digitizing that makes or breaks it. I find just the placement of the outer run stitch can be a big factor, to far in from the edge makes for a poor contour, and to close to the edge leaves a rough edge. When doing puff on hats which is always the case anyways, sometimes you should adjust those out line runs to account for the different push and pulls you experience on non flats.

[3Deep]

What about foam, I was looking and feeling some (3D)baseball caps we bought years back and the foam feels very hard where the foam we use now feels kinda soft, does that make a big difference in look?  trying to improve our process here thanks

[inkman996]

I personally think trying to accomplish that retail style which is always done over seas is done on machines really adjusted well to just handle that type of foam, not to mention much of it is run on pre cuts before being sewn into a hat.

[DannyGruninger]

This is why IMO the new Tajima tmar is the best option on the market because it has a digitally adjustable presser foot........ I've never seen a machine sew puff so good in my life.....

We no longer even sew puff on our current machines here due to the problems but we are probably going to tmar machines sometime later this year

[inkman996]

Now that sounds amazing! Digitally adjusted foot, I wished for something like that for years, going from soft fabrics to super thick bag materials all the time would really make that invaluable.

[RICK STEFANICK]

This is why IMO the new Tajima tmar is the best option on the market because it has a digitally adjustable presser foot........ I've never seen a machine sew puff so good in my life.....

We no longer even sew puff on our current machines here due to the problems but we are probably going to tmar machines sometime later this year

That is correct that pressure foot adjustment on the t-mar is the ticket..

[Audifox]

What about foam, I was looking and feeling some (3D)baseball caps we bought years back and the foam feels very hard where the foam we use now feels kinda soft, does that make a big difference in look?  trying to improve our process here thanks

It depends which foam you get. Gunold carries 3 densities of foam.

The puff will also feel harder after using a heat gun. It also helps to clean up any  foam sticking out between the stitches.

[LuckyFlyinROUSH]

We run the TMar machine for puff. I mean it comes out alright, but just doesn't seem nearly as thick, or puffed out as some of the things I see at walmart. We use 3mm foam, I tried once with 5mm foam and it seems about the same puffyness/3d as walmart stuff, just doesn't sew as nice.