Hat rest improvement - DIY

[carldelo]

I have a couple of problems with the standard hat rest that every vendor seems to sell. The first is that they are barely big enough to hold a 7-3/4 hat. The second is that they are very light – when I go to pick up my hat, I often bump the hatrest backwards on the shelf, pushing the hat into the wall, etc. Also, when I put my hat on the rest, it often moves around, bumping into other hats. Also, for hats that are on higher shelves, it can be hard to reach.

To solve this, yesterday I tested a couple of ideas for adding handles to my hatrests. It was very easy, and just about anyone should be able to do it. First I tried a handle made by bending up a coathanger – it worked but was a little ‘bouncy’. I settled on adding wood handles as shown in the photo series below.

The wood is ¼” pine lattice, 7/8” wide from home depot. Anything similar would work. I cut 12” lengths and attached them to the hatrests with two screws through the existing vent holes in the base of the rest. The screws were some I had in a drawer – they’re about ½” long #6 screws. I used both panhead and flathead – either work fine. It’s a good idea to predrill the holes to keep the wood from splitting. If they go all the way through, it's no big deal.

As you can see in the pictures, the handle is set at an angle to avoid the feet of the hatrest. I’m right-handed, so I set the handles off to the left. That way I can reach up, grab the handle with my left hand, pull the hat and rest down together, grab the hat by the brim with my right hand, put it on, put the rest back, then adjust my hat. It works great.

To put the hat away, I bring the rest down to my level with the handle, plunk my hat on it, then set it up on the shelf. It’s easy to adjust the hat position on the shelf so the brim doesn’t touch the other hats. It works particularly well on the high shelves – I used slightly longer handles on those so they’re easy to grab.

So that’s it – I suggest sanding the end of the handle smooth where you grab it. You could add padding, but it doesn’t really need it. Also, you need to snap up the brim so it doesn’t touch the handle, but you’re supposed to do that anyway.

Cheers, Carl

 

[Colby Jack]

Looks good Carl!

 

[bolthead]

Nice idea......:eusa_clap

 

[Davidson]

I use these rests in hat boxes, since I don't like how you can get a shiny line on the brim using the provided cardboard rings in the box. But they slide around in there with the hat on them, which is no good.

So a couple nights ago, I took some nylon wire ties, scissors, and a hand drill, and went to work. I drilled a small hole, just big enough for the wire tie, in the plastic "leg" at the front and back of the rest, about 1/2" up from the bottom. I centered the rest in the box, and marked on the box bottom a couple short lines, one just outside and one inside the drilled leg, maybe 3/4" apart. Then I cut small slits through the cardboard with a utility knife.

I threaded a nylon wire tie from the inside of the box, out one slit, back in the other slit, threaded it through the hole in the rest, pulled it tight and cut it off with scissors.

Now the rests are anchored in the boxes vey snugly - no more sliding around. Happy camper!

 

[carldelo]

Now the rests are anchored in the boxes vey snugly - no more sliding around. Happy camper!

I like that idea, Davidson. I've been avoiding keeping hats in boxes for the reason you mention - interior hat rests sound like the ticket.

I've also considered shortening or lengthening the legs on every other hat rest on my shelves so the hats can be moved closer together without the brims bumping. But I don't have so many hats that it's necessary, at least not yet....