# Is it worth getting a entry level hat embroidery machine to do hats?



## Witko1968 (Jul 12, 2015)

Hi what is a good entry level embroidery machine to do caps and what kind of money are we looking at to get one. Starting off with a small budget and would like machine recommendations to get started?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Hats are about the hardest things you can do. I wouldn't skimp on that machine.


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## pjmom60 (Mar 31, 2013)

I would start out by ordering your hats online. As Binki stated, hats are hard and most people don't understand that you can only do 2.25" to 2.5" height on a pre-made hat. It takes special digitizing for hats so if you do your own digitizing, you need to understand the bottom up, center out method. I personally have broken a number of needles on hats and turn down any orders where they want the style with buckram in them.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

I didn't think about the digitizing part, yeah, that will cost some bux as well for each design. Just source them until you can get a good machine.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

The other issue is time. If you're doing more than just a few caps, it will take forever on an entry level single head machine.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

That's a good point. Our first order on a single head that was 500 hats was murder. I hated that job at the end. 

I will also point out that a single head does get you into the game but it is really hard to make money on it. A 4 or 6 head has a much higher yield and you can make a pretty good living with it.


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## luke711 (Mar 8, 2016)

I service about all makes of embroidery machines and it is hard to beat a Tajima. Barudan is also well made. There are cheaper machines out there but for the most part that's what they are.
Starting with the TMFXIIC up through the new TFMXIIC are good cap machines. The TMAR-K is the ultimate in cap machines as the presser foot can be adjusted onscreen (to do puff).
I will be posting (2) completely rebuilt 2-head machines in the next little bit-both Tajimas.


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## djque (Feb 5, 2013)

everyone wants to get into hats when the first start to embroider. it hard and will make you sell your machine with in weeks. I see people on the ricoma site im on always selling there machine that they just cant get the hang of doing hats or get a 10/10 to do hats and get frustrated then next thing u know its for sale and helluva cheap.then they say they want to get a barudan cuz thats all you hear. but they still dont understand thing's like tension,needle breaks,thread breaks, needle size or shreading or adjusting the pressure foot and the #1 issue how to hoop a cap correctly.get to know the flats before jumping into hats. also digitizing is another issue.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Prices on the popular hats has gone up dramatically. I would be happy if we never did them again but we still do at a much lower margin than we do flats at.


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## Chrisgw (Oct 2, 2019)

I was wondering the same. Is there money in embroidery? We are looking to start.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

A single head will get you into the game but it is hard to make money on and the first time you have an order for 500 hats with 2 locations you will hate it. 

A 4 or 6 head will pump out a ton of work and also seem to be better made machines. (SWF is our experience). 

Now, having said all of that, starting with a single head is what we did. At some point we pony'd up the money for a 4 head and if I had 3 of them running round the clock I still couldn't catch up. A lot of that had to do with having a retail storefront that we rented at the darkest hours of the real estate crash in 2008 but aside from that, once you get customers they keep coming back and referring people. We started with DTG and Embroidery and it was brutal for the first year and we had sourced everything for the year before that. 

You still have to get your digitizing done and it is not easy or inexpensive to learn or purchase the software.


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

luke711 said:


> I service about all makes of embroidery machines and it is hard to beat a Tajima. Barudan is also well made. There are cheaper machines out there but for the most part that's what they are.
> Starting with the TMFXIIC up through the new TFMXIIC are good cap machines. The TMAR-K is the ultimate in cap machines as the presser foot can be adjusted onscreen (to do puff).
> I will be posting (2) completely rebuilt 2-head machines in the next little bit-both Tajimas.


Luke, what do you think about the TMBR-SC 1801 which has the adjustable presser foot for doing hats?


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## luke711 (Mar 8, 2016)

Decal_Designs said:


> Luke, what do you think about the TMBR-SC 1801 which has the adjustable presser foot for doing hats?


 Decal Designs,
Ive serviced around 200 of the TMBR machines along with its sister machine TMBP. The TMBR machine has an onscreen presser foot height adjustment that is really sweet when doing 3D (puff) hats. It will churn them out. The TMBP presser foot can only be adjusted mechanically but will also churn the caps out one after another


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

luke711 said:


> Decal Designs,
> Ive serviced around 200 of the TMBR machines along with its sister machine TMBP. The TMBR machine has an onscreen presser foot height adjustment that is really sweet when doing 3D (puff) hats. It will churn them out. The TMBP presser foot can only be adjusted mechanically but will also churn the caps out one after another


Awesome, after doing a bit more homework, I called the bank and bought the TMBR. Now I have to dig in, and really learn to use it once it arrives.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

davidjhn127 said:


> Go for Brother SE1900, or Brother PE800


If the Brother 6/10 needle machines sometimes struggle with hats, I fail to see how the single needle machines would even be considered. Sorry but they simple aren't even in the same category as the multi needle machines, never mind the commercial machines.


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

Chrisgw said:


> I was wondering the same. Is there money in embroidery? We are looking to start.


yes there is we run 6 single heads one makes no money two you'll start to make some money. remember about the learning curve involved you don't buy one and just start making money.


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## Trainsandrebels (Mar 13, 2012)

luke711 said:


> I service about all makes of embroidery machines and it is hard to beat a Tajima. Barudan is also well made. There are cheaper machines out there but for the most part that's what they are.
> Starting with the TMFXIIC up through the new TFMXIIC are good cap machines. The TMAR-K is the ultimate in cap machines as the presser foot can be adjusted onscreen (to do puff).
> I will be posting (2) completely rebuilt 2-head machines in the next little bit-both Tajimas.


Please tell whats the best one head machine brand and what series.
I only need it for samples.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Trainsandrebels said:


> Please tell whats the best one head machine brand and what series.
> I only need it for samples.



You have a couple of distributors right in your backyard. 

Stitch It International in Rancho Cucamonga 
https://stitchitintl.com/contact/

Hirsch Solutions in Los Angeles
https://www.hsi.us/About/Contact


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## dfogel (Oct 15, 2019)

really all you need is the hat attachment to put on your embroidery machine. Hats are always on demand so I would say yes get one.


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## HELLEN GILLIED (Aug 9, 2021)

How can I get a digital copy of the manual for Tarjima TMAR-K 1508C please? TIA


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