THE SUNBODY ASSOCIATION

[hollowpond]

Glad you like it! And definately...post pics!

 

[rrog]

Came in last night. I soaked it, reshaped the crown for longer side dents then adjusted the brim. I had them cut the brim to 2 3/4" before binding it. Other accessory is thin ribbon matching the edge binding in khaki like Rusty & Phil...

gtd, I like it a lot. It looks good. I've got my second one ordered and according to UPS it should be here tomorrow.

rrog

 

[rrog]

New Sunbody Hats

I've now got my second Sunbody. The first is the Fedora Standard with a 3" brim. The second one is the 2 1/2" Fedora Fine. I took the 3" to Florida in March and was just a bit too hot. So when I got the 2 1/2" Fine, I asked about putting eyelets in for some ventilation. I also ordered a bigger hat band (1 1/2" black) than the one that came standard. The hat is much cooler. And I like the 2 1/2" better, as far as how it feels and looks too. My only complaint, and I'm being somewhat nit-picky here, is that the eyelets were not put on evenly. One side is about a 1/2" lower than the other. The thicker hat band really accentuates that unevenness too. But as my wife pointed out, nobody but me will ever notice it. Here are some pictures of the two hats. The first three pics are of the 3" Standard Palm:

These pics are of the 2 1/2" Fine Palm:

All in all, I'm very happy with my Sunbody Hats. I'll probably get a 2 1/2" Fine with some kind of brown band and trim too, so I can wear it with colors that don't go well with black.
rrog

 

[skyvue]

I got my replacement Sunbody today. The 62 was way too small, so I went with the 64, which is -- wait for it -- way too big.

Actually, front and back, it's not so bad, but it feels as though you could slide a frankfurter through the space on the sides. But some folded paper towel and the foam strips Sunbody sent placed under the band are helping.

I went with a 6" open crown -- for once, I wanted to see if I could avoid having the top of the crown touching the top of my head, but no -- even now, it's happening. But that's okay.

I asked to have the brim trimmed to 2 5/8, a touch wider than I'm used to, but it's more like 2 3/4, which is bigger than I'd like.

I've managed to bash the crown into roughly a teardrop.

I wish I'd known about that 1.5" ribbon -- I asked if they had anything wide like that and was told no. I also amended my order to request a natural-color ribbon on the brim, since I'll likely replace the ribbon on the crown and I don't really want the brim and crown to have noticeably different-colored ribbons.

But overall, I'm moderately hopeful.

Pics soon.

 

[CRH]

I've now got my second Sunbody. The first is the Fedora Standard with a 3" brim. ...

I like the brim!

I'm partial to big brims. My ancestors were cowboys before they were homosapiens .

Thanks for the heads up on the comfort level. I like the eyelets idea. Now there is something I think I could finally tackle as a craft project - and it would turn out uneven just like yours .

 

[rrog]

Funny you should mention that, CRH. After I saw how the eyelets turned out from Sunbody, I decided to try it on my 3" brim. I mean, I could mess it up just as good as them, right? So I got some 1/4" eyelets and some punches from our local leather supply shop and actually put them in myself. They look at least as good as the ones from Sunbody. I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I'll try to get them posted soon.

If you call Sunbody, they have 1/8" and 1/4" eyelets available. IIRC, the cost to have it done was $3. And in my 3" brimmed Sunbody, they make a world of difference. I was worried about the eyelets distracting from the look, but they both look and feel great. One small advantage of going the do-it-yourself route is that you'll probably have more choices of colors and sizes on the eyelets. Since the hat from Sunbody had uneven eyelets, I took extra special care to measure the placement of the eyelets. Once that was done, it took about 10 minutes to punch three holes and "rivet" them in on each side. Like you my wife likes the bigger brim too. And I can comfortably wear it now that my head can breathe.

rrog

 

[gtdean48]

Rev Rog, I really like the fine palm one. Looking sharp!

 

[rrog]

Thanks gtd, it has quickly become one of my favorites. Maybe because it's now starting to get hot around here. It was in the upper '80s most of last week and over the weekend here, so those air holes certainly are making a difference.

rrog

 

[CRH]

...It was in the upper '80s most of last week and over the weekend here, so those air holes certainly are making a difference.

OK, then!

I was ready to pull the trigger on one of these and what stopped me was ventilation concerns. The 5 3/4 open crown 3 1/2 brim is back on my list - that damn list :eusa_doh: ...... When I get one I'll probably have to find some good cigars to break it in .

 

[jpbales]

eyelets huh...

I'm going to have to install some on my Sunbody...

 

[jpbales]

I got my replacement Sunbody today. The 62 was way too small, so I went with the 64, which is -- wait for it -- way too big.

Actually, front and back, it's not so bad, but it feels as though you could slide a frankfurter through the space on the sides. But some folded paper towel and the foam strips Sunbody sent placed under the band are helping.

I went with a 6" open crown -- for once, I wanted to see if I could avoid having the top of the crown touching the top of my head, but no -- even now, it's happening. But that's okay.

I asked to have the brim trimmed to 2 5/8, a touch wider than I'm used to, but it's more like 2 3/4, which is bigger than I'd like.

I've managed to bash the crown into roughly a teardrop.

I wish I'd known about that 1.5" ribbon -- I asked if they had anything wide like that and was told no. I also amended my order to request a natural-color ribbon on the brim, since I'll likely replace the ribbon on the crown and I don't really want the brim and crown to have noticeably different-colored ribbons.

But overall, I'm moderately hopeful.

Pics soon.

First, I would wet the hat the heck down and let it dry. It will shrink up a bit, especially by the next day. Then I would wet it and wear it dry the best you can with it being big. Then I would use the felt/foam strips. Then possibly wet it down and wear it dry one last time.

Second, 6-inch crown and it still touches your head? Maybe you're bashing it a bit too deep or it's sitting too far down on your head (which is possible since it is big on the sides, you say).

I guess you should have gone with the 63 after all, perhaps [huh] Oh well, live and learn- us crazy heads have a hard time finding hats that fit (or making them fit ).
Good luck!

 

[rrog]

Just to offer encouragement,

here are a couple of pics of my Sunbody 3" brimmed hat. I put on the eyelets myself (see posts above). These are the 1/4" eyelets and were very easy to put on. If I can do it, probably most everyone else on here can too. So don't let the lack of air flow keep you from ordering a Sunbody. And even if you're not comfortable with doing it yourself, Sunbody will do it for you for a nominal cost. But I wanted to show that it can be done, even by a rank amateur such as myself.


Here is the front/side view:

and here is the view from the rear:

rrog

 

[cookie]

Like the portholes on a 1949 Roadmaster...:eusa_clap

 

[Mossyrock]

I wore my Sunbody outside all weekend working around the farm, and was thinking that eyelet vents would be a good idea. So, if one were interested in installing said eyelets, where would one go to procure them? [huh]

 

[Woodfluter]

Tandy Leather is one option - there might be a store nearby. You'll also want an eyelet setter and something to use as an anvil (not a farrier's anvil, just some metal plate to hammer against).

I think some craft stores might have them too. Should cost under $3.

And I'm not exactly sure what our friend used to make the holes - whether he just pushed something through the weave or used a leather punch. Maybe he'll tell us. I wouldn't want to cut through the braid if I could help it, but maybe it really doesn't hurt to do that what with all the stitching. Would distort it less that way.

Don't use a rotary punch if you can get a set with interchangeable sized punches that you can hammer against a block of wood. But if you already have the rotary squeeze-handle kind, you can turn the correct size to the outside and just twist it back and forth with the crown against wood to make a hole. Works with felt anyway!

- Bill

 

[rrog]

Tandy Leather is one option - there might be a store nearby. You'll also want an eyelet setter and something to use as an anvil (not a farrier's anvil, just some metal plate to hammer against).

I think some craft stores might have them too. Should cost under $3.

And I'm not exactly sure what our friend used to make the holes - whether he just pushed something through the weave or used a leather punch. Maybe he'll tell us.
- Bill

Yes, I'd agree with Tandy Leather. That's where I got my bag of eyelets (50 per bag). There were about three colors and three sizes to choose from. I've tinkered with leather work for years, so I already had the punch. I used the 1/4" size and had my wife hold the hat at the correct angle to punch the holes and then just set the eyelets and tapped them in place. One think I'd advise is that if you're doing this to a new hat and you also want to wet it down for shaping, wet the hat and then punch and set the eyelets. The hat will be more pliable/shapeable when it's wet. To set the eyelets, you have to be able to get to the back side of it, which is going to be on the inside of the hat.

As for the cost, I'd say you could buy the punch, eyelets and eyelet setter for about $12-$15 at Tandy Leather. You could consider it an investment if you ever plan on doing similar things to other hats. I'm even thinking of trying this out on some of my older fur felt hats. Or if you're buying another one from direct from Sunbody, they'll do it for $3.

rrog

 

[Mossyrock]

I found some eyelets last night at a craft store, and it comes with the setter in the package. The only problem is that they are silver rather than the black I was hoping for. Now I have to figure out how to punch the holes. I have a rotary leather punch, but I the brim of the hat is too wide to get into the body of the hat.

 

[jpbales]

eyelets...

I put eyelets in my Sunbody. I had a surprising hard time finding them. Michaels sold the eyelet punch separate from the eyelets, but they didn't have black ones in the size I wanted. Joannes sold the black eyelets, but they didn't come with a punch- so I had to buy another set of eyelets that actually did come with a punch. By punch, I mean the thing that makes the eyelets clamp around the material.
I used an exact-o knife to cut the holes (after I measured and marked them) and worked the eyelets through the holes. The holes would start out small, but I would twist the eyelet in a little circle with my thumb to make it bigger. I then trimmed the excess straw from around the eyelets on the INSIDE. Then I pounded the eyelets in with a little hammer.

I measured the eyelets so that they were centered height-wise brim to crown's crease and from the back of the hat as well. The center of each eyelet is appx. 2 cm apart.

 

[skyvue]

Here are a couple of fuzzy pics of me in my Sunbody. I was afraid it was too big (too wide a brim, too tall a crown and a bit too big, size-wise, so that it might look as though it was floating on my head). Gently honest opinions are welcome (I've had several non-expert compliments on it, actually, but they've not quite convinced me):

 

[jpbales]

I think it looks excellent on you! :eusa_clap