Ez-attach versus traditional stitching

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Rozmataz

Rozmataz

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Posts
2,773
Loc
Fingerlakes Region of NYS
I am considering the purchase of this product and would like to hear pro's and con's of the use of it. Main reason is for jersey and stitchwork.

Thanks,

Roz
 
Roz, I bought it, broke needles constantly and then sold it to another framer. Hated it! He loves it.

I'm sure you'll hear a lot of framers who have them and love it, but I'm back to lacing. Something about lacing I just prefer.
 
I bought mine for jersies. Stopped using it, just like how the old way looks better.

I started a thread like this before I bought it and got a mixed reaction.
 
I actually found a use for it that I approve of... it makes a great way to baste a jersey before stitching it. What I don't like: a) made of nylon (embrittles/stretches) I'm a 'stitch like with like' gal. 2) too heavy for item (which will give way first?) c) don't like stabbing that size needle into any textile 4) don't like the look of the 'tabs' But there are many who do like it. OK by me; it's a free country...
 
Bought the kit like it alot. To "hide" the tabs get an artist marker the color of the material and color the tab before fastening.
 
I like it for sports jerseys, T-shirts, baptismal gowns, and the like. It goes much more quickly than stitching. I’ve broken a few needles, but I’ve learned how not to.

I’ve used it for a few doilies (so-so), but I wouldn’t for any other type of needle art.
 
I've had a couple ... the first had a fault and would tear the tab as it was inserted ... changing needles didn't help. The second has proved useful on occasion, but we do not use it extensively. I have yet to find a use for the micro version.
 
There are two products, EZ-Tach and Attach EZ.
I use the micro attach-ez the most. EZ-tach are threads with latches.
 
I use attach ez....small & large guns. I broke one needle but I was tired & I forced it....bent the stupid thing. I have used it to attach gloves (football), one jersey, and a couple of school projects for my daughter. Oh, & also used to very small gun to attach one of those huge Thai Kalaga tapestries to canvas (4 foot x 4 foot). If i'd had to have sewn that thing, I would have given it back to the customer with a full refund. So, it has paid for itself just in the time it's saved. And a couple of 'A's' on the school work ;) .

So...I guess that is a "yes" for me. I like mine.
 
I hate to sew - if I'd known framing including sewing I would have picked another profession.
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I really like this tool and someone shared the name of an Ebay vendor with cheap needles in a previous thread. I bought them from him and now I like this tool even more!
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P.S. Whoever shared the info about the needles, I forgot to say thanks! Thanks a bunch!
 
We have one... it's okay for some things but as mentioned the needles are pretty flimsy. For the cost it should be more durable. We ended up going to a store fixture supplier and buying a standard price tagger for half the price and it works as well if not better as it seems a little more rugged. The tags are a little different so we shoot from the back but other than that it's basically the same tool. By different I mean that the tags have a larger flat tab at one end which we hide by shooting from the back. We snug up the tag to the desired tightness and tape the tab down on the backer (as I said at the back). It allows you a little more flexibility when designing how it hangs.
 
holes can be kept to minimum if you move/work the needle into fabric---not just go jammin it in....
biggest thing I dislike....the trigger jams on the insert and isnt very nice about returning... this adds to the problem of the tags breaking on insert..... that gets really tiresome after the 1st 1 or 2!!!!
 
Jim Sampson
Grumbler
Member # 5184

posted 07-13-2005 09:05 PM
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After snapping off all my needles shortly after buying the Attach EZ, I went to E Bay( mainly because I am cheap) looking for more needles. I bought a set of 16 Avery Dennison(which is what these guns are) all steel needles very reasonably. More importantly, these needles seemed a bit longer, as well as being all steel, and not plastic at the base. I,also, do make an effort to use a twisting motion when using the gun. Since my original disappointment, I have probably done 20 to 25 jersies with pretty good success.
Check out these needles http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7528725548&category=27172&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1
 
Maryann.. the item on ebay - says it is for basting and I wonder if the tabs are strong enough for jerseys...

and... does anyone know if the tabs from the ez-attach fit the price tagger guns?!??!
 
What do you do when the needle jams and just won't come out? the medal rod won't go back?

That happened yesterday and I had to finish by sewing the project down.

Just got my gun this week. Not sure if it's going to work out.

Jennifer
 
It sounds like you are talking about the Attach-EZ tools. If you check, you will find that you can now buy needles and fasteners direct as well as from your local distributor and the prices have come down considerably from where they were.

If you go to www.attach-ez.com you will find a complete list of all available products, prices, and how to order. We also have a picture catalog of all product that we will send to you on request. My web site is still in it's infant stage and will have the calalog available to be able to download with in the next two week.

At the Decor show it was brought to my attention that many of you do not know about the Attach-EZ Out Of Warranty program.

When you purchase(d) an Attach-EZ kit the tools have (had) a 90 day warranty. But, after the 90 days are up all the tools (as long as they have not been dismantled) have a permanent out of warranty program. For the cost of $9.95 + 3.85 shipping you can have a repaired tool sent to you the same day as you call. The tools are shipped priority mail and depending where you are located will take 2-3 days to arrive. This insures that you will not be out of business for very long. We do not wait for you to return the broken tools to ship the replacement. My company does not make money on these replacement tools, it is a program for the convince of the customer only.

Bill Ward, it sounds like the plunger of your tool may be slightly bent. This can happen if the trigger is pulled before the needle is all the way through the boards. If you bend a needle with the plunger in the needle, it will damage the tool and will need to be repaired. The fasteners will not break if the tool if functioning properly. Please call me at 1-800-527-1521 and maybe we can figure out what the problem is.

If the fasteners are not holding, most of the time it is because the trigger is being pulled to fast. The best method is something like shooting a gun, slowly squeeze the trigger.

This 800 number is my technical service number. For anyone using Attach-EZ please feel free to call for help anytime. You can also e-mail me at attachezoms@aol.com.
 
EllenAtHowards, It doesn't sound like you are using Attach-EZ. The attachments should never show if you are going by the Attach-EZ directions. The fasteners will not stretch and will not dry out and the needles are very fine and ball point.

There are people out there who are trying to pass product off as Attach-EZ and building kits that say that they are the same thing. Some of the needles and fasteners they are selling are not the same product. The needles are much weaker and will bend. Some of the fasteners these people are using in these look alike kits are the same fasteners we recalled 2 years ago because we found out that they were not nylon. These fasteners are from Europe and will eventually get brittle and break. If what you are using came from my company there will be directions and a warranty program. All the fasteners will be nylon and the needles will be ball point.

To all Grumblers: I have tested many needles over the past 3 years to try to find a stronger one. The only needles that have passed muster are the ones that I have been using from the beginning. There are people out who are trying to capitalize on a business they know nothing about and are selling steel needles to framers and a form of Fine Fabric needles that are weaker. Please know that these steel needles are NOT ball point and WILL do damage to fabric. They will tear the fabric. DO NOT USE THEM for attaching fabric art!

If you are finding that the needles you have been using in the Fine Fabric tool have been bending easier than they did when you first started using Attach-EZ, you may have gotten some of these weak Fine Fabric needles supplied by some other outside source. I have no control over where businesses are purchasing needles from, so please know what you are buying before you buy. You will save yourself a lot of time and money if you do.
 
Originally posted by Roz:

and... does anyone know if the tabs from the ez-attach fit the price tagger guns?!??!
Click to expand...
I've used the ez-attach tabs in our gun but I imagine different brands will vary. Take some of them and a piece of material with you and try the new gun out. The fixture store we bought ours at had one out on display... I didn't demo it but I could have had I thought of it.

It's a great tool no doubt but you know what they say... build a better mouse trap...

If they make it more rugged and durable and people won't mind paying a premium for it but until then...
 
If you are framing anything of value (sentimental or intrinsic) just remember: "Like to like" and "the support should fail before the work" Please.
 
As usual, we have a wealth of information and varied opinions here.

I have used Attach-EZ since it was introduced, and I believe it is a very useful tool. However, using it requires a bit of practice, and like all other framing tools, it has limitations.

The best application IMHO is for mounting athletic jerseys and other open-weave garments. I have always fitted such items with a carefully-trimmed, 4-ply alphacellulose board filler to give the garment support, and still do that with Attach-EZ. It not only looks better, but provides better support for the fabric and makes mounting a breeze.

With the filler board in place, I insert the tool from the back of the 4-ply mount board, through a seam in the back of the garment and through the filler board, but not through the front of the garment. It takes about 6-10 of the inserts to support the filler board, which supports the garment. After mounting the garment I add a reinforcing board to add stiffness and prevent warping/cockling.

The Attach-EZ nylon inserts are chemically stable and will not not offgas or react inside the frame in normal circumstances. Nylon will deteriorate from light exposure over time, but if there's enough light to weaken the fastenings to the point of failure, the items framed would also probably deteriorate. I try to hide the inserts under the top layer of fabric, so few, if any, are visible or exposed to light.

My other favorite use for Attach-EZ is to stretch new cross stitch on typical canvas. For fine-woven fabrics or old, fragile fabrics, this is not an appropriate tool.

On Aida cloth and similar sturdy canvas, the weave may be easily separated enough to accommodate the Attach-EZ needle without cutting its threads. And once inserted, the nylon inserts' "H" shape distributes the stress of mounting over several threads of the weave -- not just one thread of the weave, as when a thread is laced through.

My method is faster than pinning or lacing, and for strong, coarsely-woven fabrics, has all the benefits of lacing. Here's how it works:

1. Carefully place inserts all around the perimeter of the canvas, no more than 1" apart and at least 1/2" in from the edges.

2. Place the work face down on a clean-covered worktable and position the prepared mount board (8-ply with sanded edges) face down on it.

3. Beginning in one corner, use limited-strength thread (such as cotton) to lace across the back horizontally and then vertically, similar to a typical lacing pattern. However, instead of lacing through the canvas using a needle, just loop the thread around each of the nylon inserts, similar to the way speed-laces on boots work. This can be done very quickly, with a bit of practice.

4. After speed-lacing in both directions, pull the threads to slightly tension the mount, just as you would when lacing, and tie off the ends. The threads are the "weak link" in the assembly, and would break in the event of excess stress.
 
Jim, You are one of those educators who is not afraid to try something new. The fact that you are always looking ways to make a framers life easier and acually use the products you are advising framers about, makes you one of the real experts in my book. Thanks.
 
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