Hoops - Quality and condition

[Joanie]

I am very new to this list and also to my XTS. Thus far I love the machine, but have a question on the hoops.

The hoops that I received with my XTS have a number of chips and rough spots. I talked with the Salesperson, she had them replaced, the replacement hoops were worse than what I had.

If I'm working on a fragile fabric, and or lace, hooping with the hoops as they are will snag and fray the fabric.

Melco told me to use a fine grit sandpaper and sand them down. If I can't do it, then I can send them back and they will do it for me.

Is it just standard that the hoops are not smooth, but chipped and rough. One of them even had something painted over the gouged out spot.
I have close to 20 plastic hoops for my home machines and not a one of them has any chips or rough spots. Most of the hoops have been well used over the past 7 years.

Thank you in advance,
Joanie Carl

[materialendings]

Hello Joanie:
I hoped that this tip may help you a bit, this is what I did with all my hoops and it also helps from slipping while working with the hoops and you don't need to tighten them so much. I took one inch strips of fabric and just wrapped the hoops and at the end I just glued the fabric to itself. Do this to both inside and outside hoop.
Johanna
Las Vegas

[Debbie1]

If you purchased these hoops from Melco I believe you should insist on them being replaced. I have many many hoops and have never had to repair a new hoop. After many years of use they can get small nicks, etc. but then you expect to repair them.
Surely this is not the quality or service Melco offers now. If it is we need to know!
Thank you for posting!

[GF]

I am in full agreement with Debbie1! None of my hoops were ever received damaged and if Melco told me to sand them down, I'd not receive those instructions gracefully. Is Melco actually saying that their customers should expect to see damaged hoops when they order new from them? If hoops were never used, they should be perfectly smooth. Unless of course, you are buying used hoops. Then that's another situation. Did you purchase NEW or USED?

[Mama Kass]

I've never experienced this problem with either plastic or wooden hoops from Melco; like Debbie, I hope this isn't a portent for the future Melco.

A tip in the mean time... a lot of us wrap our hoops with a layer of athletic tape, the stretchy kind that sticks to itself without adhesive (Johnson & Johnson calls theirs "Hurt-Free" tape). It helps reduce slippage and can help protect fragile fabrics from hoop marks. If you have rectangular hoops, the straight runs should be wrapped more thickly than the corners as this is where most slippage occurs.

[Joanie]

Thank you all for your comments, I truly appreciate the time you took to respond.
They are all new hoops, the ones that came with my XTS.

I just didn't know if that was the norm, now that I know it isn't, I'm going to to talk to the sales person.

Thank you!
Joanie Carl