Hat Block / Sweatband Allowance?

[Vardeman Sneed]

Quick question: The circumference of my head measures 24 inches, what should the circumference of my home-made hat block be to allow for the sweatband?

 

[Stoney]

Hey Vardeman,

Glad to see that you're working on your block once again. I've only made the one and I guessed that 1/4" extra would make up for the sweatband and a allow a little room between the sweatband and the felt. So far this has worked quite well for me. I've made three hats and re-blocked a couple of others since making the block and they all fit quite well.

You might want to measure a hat that fits well, front to back and side to side measurements, and check these as you sand. If you're getting close to the measured width or length then you need to slow down in that axis as you bring the total circumference in line.

One other thing though, with regard to the 1/4" of extra circumference. The sweatbands that I've been using, HatSupply.com and Fern Thatcher both tend to shrink considerably as you perspire. I make mine with a loose fit to allow for the shrinkage. Both types of sweats will conform well to your head given a couple of days of use. tonyb was nice enough to send me a sweatband made by Jim at JW Hats and I'm installing that one in the next hat. I'll let you know what the shrinkage on the JW sweatband is as soon as I know.

Hopefully someone else will chime in as well.

 

[Vardeman Sneed]

You might want to measure a hat that fits well, front to back and side to side measurements, and check these as you sand. If you're getting close to the measured width or length then you need to slow down in that axis as you bring the total circumference in line.

I finished sanding the block to my head measurements and started applying polyurethane pecan stain. I put two coats on, then sanded smooth. I then put another four coats on, then sanded smooth again. I found that even after letting the wood putty cure for a couple of weeks, there was some shrinkage when I applied the stain.

I will need to apply several more coats of the polyurethane stain and do some more sanding to make the sides 'perfectly' smooth. I just didn't know how thick the stain needed to be.

Also, where the hat was previously blocked as an oval and my head is a long oval, I am getting some very noticeable 'cowboy creases' on the top of the crown when 'dry fitting' the hat on the block. I hope that the top of the crown draws up when I finally shrink the hat (7-7/8 to 7-3/4).

 

[Stoney]

I am getting some very noticeable 'cowboy creases' on the top of the crown when 'dry fitting' the hat on the block. I hope that the top of the crown draws up when I finally shrink the hat (7-7/8 to 7-3/4).

My Motto
If you steam it ..it will shrink. lol

Just pass the hat body past a teakettle at short range to soak up some steam and then stretch by hand. The creases will disappear. This also works great for shrinking the body to the block.

Also the block need not be perfectly smooth.. just close is good enough as you are working with felt. It's more important that the block be symmetrical than super smooth.

 

[ScottF]

...
I've only made the one and I guessed that 1/4" extra would make up for the sweatband and a allow a little room between the sweatband and the felt. So far this has worked quite well for me. I've made three hats and re-blocked a couple of others since making the block and they all fit quite well.

...

Just wanted to verify the above. I remember reading a thread concerning what size block to acquire. I'm a 7 1/4 + 1/16 and the block I have is labeled 7 1/4, and is 23" around. Given what Stoney says in the above, this should be a good block for me.

Just verifying as I'm about to start searching for additional blocks and want to make sure I didn't just get lucky on the first try.