Think It's Possible to DIY the Groom's Top Hat?

[MrsDuck]

DFi doesn't want to wear the tux hat for our honeymoon and I don't blame him! The only top hats we've been able to find online are pretty pricey.

We are both pretty crafty, and able DIY people. Do you think it would be possible to buy a normal top hat and add the ears on?

Any ideas?

 

[Pinkgirl]

Lurkyloo made baseball caps

http://disneytravelbabble.com/how-to/ear-hats/

I would think you use the same concept on a tophat.

 

[lurkyloo]

I highly recommend this. DISer Jennifaerie's husband made them mouse ear top hats—I don't know if she ever posted directions, but you could probably use my directions for mouse-ear baseball caps and just substitute a top hat.

Edit: Oh, yeah, what Pinkgirl said!

 

[MrsDuck]

Lurkyloo made baseball caps

http://disneytravelbabble.com/how-to/ear-hats/

I would think you use the same concept on a tophat.

I highly recommend this. DISer Jennifaerie's husband made them mouse ear top hats—I don't know if she ever posted directions, but you could probably use my directions for mouse-ear baseball caps and just substitute a top hat.

Edit: Oh, yeah, what Pinkgirl said!

Thank you both!! DFi will be much happier with a baseball cap anyways!

 

[iluvasoldier]

Yea my groom would probably prefer the old style groom hat(home made) instead of a plain top hat or the new groom hat

 

[wdwdreamin]

My DH made his with a top hat I found on ebay.

 

[MrsDuck]

My DH made his with a top hat I found on ebay.

Great job!! Did he just buy a regular set of ears, cut them off, and attach them?

 

[wdwdreamin]

He took some pics while he was working on it. HTH!


Here he's drilling out the eyelets from the original hat:

Here's a pic of the ear attached to the new hat. He picked up an eyelet kit at a craft store.

 

[lurkyloo]

Oooh! I like that method better than cutting the ears off the traditional mouse ear cap and pushing the fabric through slits in the new hat. So did he just use a drill bit that matched the size of the existing eyelets?

 

[wdwdreamin]

DH here with the how-to:

1) Drill out the existing rivets/eyelets (easier said than done)
- if you aren't careful the bit will catch the existing rivet and just spin it
- use a bit big enough to take off the metal folded over and holding the rivet in place. You don't need to drill all the way through; just enough to remove the rivet, not make a bigger hole in the plastic ear.

2) Mark the tophat and use a hole punch (leather punch) to create the new holes. (that 'measure twice, "cut" once' rule applies here)
- use a size smaller punch than you think you need (the soft felt or fabric will stretch around the new eyelet anyway)

3) Push the new eyelet through the hole and set it with the eyelet tool
- there is not much room inside the top hat to swing a hammer so I used a piece of 2x4 clamped in a vise to put inside the hat and then hammered the eyelet in place from the outside of the ear/hat.

We have more pics of the process. I thought it might be of interest to some folks around here.

<-- Hey, those almost look like Mickey ears! "Arrrrr we there yet!?!"