Procedures for quality finishing
Part 5
Finishing Pants Using the Three-Lay Leg
Method
There are several ways to finish a pair of
trousers. The most productive method is the automatic steam-air
topper and automatic leg press or up-air/steam/vacuum finishing
board for setting leg creases.
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This article explains the methodology for
the ultimate in quality (next to the “custom”
method of hand ironing the inner waistband, opening all seams
and squaring the cuffs, etc.) which is the “Three-lay Leg
Method” for trouser finishing.
The topping operation can be accomplished
by the use of a mushroom topper press (highly recommended) or
the narrow end of a utility press (42" to 46"). Using
the utility press, rather than the utility leg press, finishes
the legs without over-pressing the inseam and outer seam in
addition to avoiding crotch and cuff wrinkles.
Using the mushroom topper press has the
advantage of maximum oval radius for 100 percent avoidance of
wrinkling the waistband and side pocket edges and the
impressions from inner pockets.
Also, the mushroom press has instant buck
steam, strong vacuum and quick head movement due to its smaller
size. In addition to excellent trouser topping, the mushroom
topper press can be used for finishing the bodice of a dress,
form fitted blouses, suit coat collars, yokes of coats and all
around garment touchup. This press is mandatory for a
well-equipped silk finishing unit.
The following job breakdown for the
three-lay leg method can be accomplished either on the mushroom
topper press or the narrow end of the utility press. The head
pressures used will depend upon the types of fabric
construction explained in Part 1 of this series.
Soft finish fabrics such as: knits,
tweeds, loosely woven yarns, napped fabrics, corduroys,
velvets, etc., will require buck steam with hand tension or
very light (contact) and very short head down time. Remember
that vacuum is applied as the press head is raised, except for
extra hard finish as described in Part 3 of this series.
The right hand utility press is used for
this job breakdown. The front of the buck is near the operator;
the back is parallel to it.
Right front lay
1. Slide the trousers on the narrow end of
the buck guiding the right side seam along the front edge of
the buck until the bottom of the side pocket is up on the press
3 inches from the end of the press.
2. Flip the legs onto the press table
under the narrow end of the buck with the right hand.
3. Grasp the top of the pleat with the
fingers of the left hand, on the top of the pleat and the thumb
under the pleat. Grasp the pleat crease at the end of the press
between the thumb and fingers of the right hand.
4. Apply slight tension with the right
hand and roll the pleat over until it is lying flat—the
pleat should be approximately the same width from the top of
the pleat to the edge of the press.
5. Place the fingers of the right hand a
little under the edge of the narrow end of the press still
keeping the pleat flat and in place at the waistband with the
left hand.
6. Apply buck steam slowly under hand
tension, until the fabric is relaxed, no more.
7. Apply vacuum to hold the pleat in place
and release your hands.
8. Close the head, release the vacuum and
apply correct head pressure.
9. Apply head steam for two seconds to
three seconds, no more.
10. Raise the head, apply vacuum until the
fabric is dry while smoothing the fabric with hand tension.
11. Move to the next lay.
Right rear pocket lay
1. Grasp the trousers at the side seam at
the waist with the left hand. Grasp the center, rear seam at
the waistband with the right hand. The thumbs of both hands
should be on the inside of the waistband.
2. Slide the trousers off the buck. Flip
upward slightly as they leave the buck.
3. Slide the trousers back on the buck
guiding the right side seam along the back edge of the press,
the bottom of the rear pocket should be approximately 4 inches
from the narrow end of the press.
4. Bring the pocket edges together for a
straight line and hold with the fingers of the left hand.
5. Apply a little buck steam while holding
the edges together (if required for straightening) then apply
vacuum to hold edges in place and remove your hands.
6. Close the head, release the vacuum and
apply correct head pressure.
7. Apply head steam (if required) for two
seconds to three seconds.
8. Release the head and apply vacuum until
fabric is dry.
9. Move to next lay.
Rear center seam lay
1. Grasp the waistband with both hands on
either side of the center seam with each hand midway between
the center seam and the side seams. The thumbs should be inside
the waistband and the fingers outside.
2. Slide the trousers off the buck and
then back on, making sure the center seam is being opened, and
there is no puckering in the seat area resting on the buck.
Release your hands.
3. Steam from the buck and smooth the
fabric (if needed).
4. Apply vacuum to hold fabric in place.
5. Close the head, release the vacuum and
apply correct head pressure.
6. Apply head steam for two seconds to
three seconds.
7. Release the head and apply vacuum until
fabric is dry while smoothing the fabric with your hands.
8. Move to the next lay.
Left rear pocket lay
1. Grasp the waistband at the center seam
with the left hand. Grasp the waistband at the left side seam
with the right hand. The fingers and the thumbs are positioned
the same as the previous right rear pocket lay.
2. Slide the trousers off the
buck—flip upward slightly as they leave the buck.
3. Slide the trousers back on the buck
guiding the left side seam along the front edge of the buck.
4. Make the lays using the same procedures
used for the right rear pocket lay.
5. Move to the next lay.
Left front lay
1. Grasp the trouser on the left side seam
at the waistband with the left hand—grasp the waistband
at the top of the zipper with the right hand.
2. Slide the trousers off the
buck—flip upward slightly as they leave the buck.
3. Slide the trousers back on the buck
guiding the left side seam along the rear edge of the buck
until the bottom of the side pocket is up on the buck 3 inches
from the end of the buck.
4. Make the lays using the same procedures
used for making the pleat lay on the right front, except the
fingers will be under the pleat and the thumb on top.
5. Move to the next lay.
Inside fly flap lay
Use this lay if the trousers were too
large in the waist to finish the fly flap.
1. Position the left fly front on the back
edge of the narrow end of the buck and the inside fly flap on
the front edge of the narrow end of the buck to form a letter
“V.”
2. Hold the fingers of the right hand
against the bottom of the fly, and hold the fingers of the left
hand against the two edges at the top of the
“V.”
3. Apply buck steam to smooth the fabric
(if needed).
4. Apply vacuum to hold the lay in place.
5. Close the head under correct pressure
and release the vacuum.
6. Apply head steam for two seconds to
three seconds.
7. Release the head, apply vacuum until
fabric is dry and smooth the fabric.
8. Transfer the trousers for legging
operation.
Left leg, center lay
1. Grasp the trousers at the waistband
with crossed hands and slide them off the narrow end of the
buck putting the two front belt loops together (belt loop to
belt loop) and “snap” the legs by actually throwing
them out and away from you. Both legs will then hang fairly
evenly “crease to crease”.
2. Move to the large end of the buck and
lay both legs on the buck with the left leg on the bottom and
the cuffs facing the narrow end.
3. Flip the top leg (right leg) over the
wide end of the buck leaving the left leg lying flat and
centered on the buck with the inseam facing up. The front or
back creases may, or may not, be on the buck (depending upon
the width of the buck).
4. The crotch seam should be just off the
pressure point of the large end of the buck.
5. Hold the crotch with the left hand and
pull the cuff out with the right hand so the leg is taut.
6. Apply buck steam until it is observed
and penetrated through the fabric—no longer.
7. Apply vacuum while stretching out the
leg and holding it in a taut position until the fabric is dry.
8. Close the head under correct pressure
while applying the vacuum.
9. Release the vacuum and apply head steam
for two seconds to three seconds.
10. Release the head and apply vacuum
until fabric is dry while holding the leg taut.
11. Note: 8, 9 and 10 above may not be
necessary as long as 7 does the job.
12. Move to next lay.
Left leg, front crease
1. Grasp the leg at the cuffs on the seams
with the right hand and grasp the seat with the left hand.
2. Slide the leg toward the front edge of
the buck until the seams are just off the front edge of the
buck.
3. Grasp the bottom of the pleat with the
left hand—hold the right hand on the cuff.
4. Move the leg farther toward the front
edge of the press while pulling it gently to the right with the
right hand; continue until 2 to 4 inches of the formed pleat
crease is on the pressure point of the buck, and the center
seam of the cuff is just off the buck. NOTE: Make sure that the
zipper tab is not on the pressure point of the buck. Also, each
side of the left leg should be seam-to- seam, and the front
crease should be “single” and not
“double”.
5. Apply vacuum to hold the leg in place
and then release your hands.
6. Close the head under correct pressure
(usually high pressure) and release the vacuum.
7. Apply head steam for two seconds to
three seconds.
8. Release the head, apply vacuum for one
second to two seconds, then immediately close the head under
correct pressure (usually high pressure) while holding the
vacuum for approximately four seconds.
9. Release the head while holding the
vacuum for four seconds making sure the fabric is dry and cool.
NOTE: The crease will be sharp as a razor.
10. Flip the unfinished leg over the
finished leg on the buck with the left hand.
11. Flip both legs over so the
finished leg will be on top.
12. Flip the finished leg off the buck
with the left hand leaving the unfinished leg laying flat on
the buck to be finished.
Left leg, rear crease
1. Grasp the front crease about even with
the crotch seam with the left hand. Grasp the cuff at the seams
with the right hand.
2. Move the left leg to the left until the
crotch line is just beyond the large end of the buck.
3. Move the left leg toward the back edge
of the buck until the seams are just off the back edge of the
buck.
4. Apply vacuum to hold the leg in place
and release your hands.
5. Smooth out the seat of the trousers,
grasp the seat between the index finger and forefinger of the
left hand and grasp the cuff at the seams with the right hand.
6. Release the vacuum.
7. Move the leg farther toward the back
while pulling gently to the right with the right hand. Continue
until the crotch line is at the curve of the buck.
8. Apply vacuum to hold the leg in place
and release your hands.
9. Use the same creasing procedure as used
for the front crease.
10. Position the right leg for finishing.
Center lay, right leg
1. Grasp the trousers at the seat with the
left hand—at the cuffs on the seams with the right
hand—pull the leg to the center of the buck.
2. Flip the unfinished right leg on the
buck with the left hand.
3. Flip the legs over so the left finished
leg will be on top.
4. Flip the left finished leg off the buck
with the left hand.
5. Use the same procedures as used when
doing the center lay of the left leg.
Right leg, front crease
1. Grasp the pleat about midway up the
pleat between the index finger and forefinger of the left hand.
Grasp the cuff at the seams with the right hand.
2. Move the right leg slightly to the
right by pulling gently with the right hand—continue to
move until 2 to 4 inches of the formed pleat is on the pressure
point of the buck.
3. Slide the right leg toward the back
edge of the buck until the seams are just off the back edge of
the buck. The center seam of the cuff is just off the buck.
4. Hold the right leg crease in place and
apply the vacuum to hold it. Release your hands.
5. Use the same procedures as used when
doing the front crease of the left leg.
Right leg, rear crease
1. Grasp the pleat between the index
finger and forefinger of the left hand. Grasp the cuff at the
seams with the right hand.
2. Move the right leg to the left until
the crotch line is just past the end of the buck.
3. Slide the right leg toward the front of
the buck until the seams are just off the front edge of the
buck.
4. Move the right leg to the right by
pulling with the right hand until the seat line is even with
the curve of the buck.
5. Apply vacuum to hold the leg in place
and release your hands.
6. Use the same procedures as used when
doing the rear crease of the left leg.
7. Flip the finished left leg over the
finished right leg of the trousers so that both legs lay flat
on the buck.
8. Grasp a pants hanger at the bottom of
the neck with the left hand. Place the bottom hanger bar under
both cuffs; grasp both cuffs with the right hand.
9. Slide the hanger toward the top with
the left hand until the bottom of the hanger neck is
approximately one inch below the crotch seam.
10. Lift the trousers from the buck and
hang away.
11. The legs should hang approximately six
inches below the top to avoid slipping off the hanger while in
storage.
Note: My spotting video, “The
Caplan Method of Stain Removal,” which includes my
comprehensive text and handy spotting board reference available
in English, Spanish and Korean (video only in Korean) from the
Golomb Group, c/o Dennis McCrory, 7664 Plaza Court,
Willowbrook, IL 60521, phone (800) 679-5856. A lecture and
demonstration are presented similar to my classes over the
years at IFI and SDA. This video and text are ideal for
training inexperienced spotters as well as a good review for
experienced spotters. Digesting with enzymes, bleaching,
oxidized oil stains and caramelized sugar stains are discussed
and demonstrated. An article on “Removing Spots in the
Cleaning Machine” and an article on “How to
Increase Production in the Spotting Department” are
included in the comprehensive text book.
Also available from the Golomb Group, in
English and Spanish, is my video on step-by-step shirt
finishing which includes my comprehensive text in loose-leaf
form outlining each procedure for single-operator and
two-operator cabinet shirt unit using a cabinet sleeve press.
Proper forming of the collar using heated collar formers is
demonstrated. Each lay is demonstrated for top quality with
very little effort by the operators. Attractive detailing and
packaging of the hangered shirt, padding, steam pressures and
timing are all discussed. A unique wash formula for whiter
whites and brighter colors and removal of grease and body oils
is included in the loose-leaf text book.
My experience with shirts spans over 55
years with US Army as a principal laundry and dry-cleaning
concessionaire at Ft. Meade, MD, where average shirt volume was
approximately 10,000 per day. We were constantly
“sampled” for excellent quality in both finishing
and washing in laundry and drycleaning and in tailoring.
We operated our own 40,000-sq.-ft. plant
for over 35 years.
Stan Caplan has over 35 years experience
in his own high volume dry-cleaning, laundry and tailoring
plant and two package plants with adjoining coin-operated
laundry and drycleaning. Stan is the former chief instructor at
the International Fabricare Institute, the Southwest
Drycleaners Association and various other trade
association-sponsored schools throughout the US and courses in
Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Singapore and Hong Kong. Stan
offers consulting, training and engineering services in all
areas from customer service area to the boiler room since 1981.
His complete system withtotal quality management will produce
maximum efficiency, economy and product excellent quality. Stan
can be reached at 3601 Clarks Lane, Suite 307, Baltimore, MD
21215, phone/fax (410) 358-0870. His e-mail address is stancap100@aol.com.
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