Smocks / Jackets

[IanA]

What are the desirable features to look for?

There appears to be a number of different designs on the market, so I guess that some personal preference may creep in.

What about the material used, cotton versus synthetic?

Long sleeve / short sleeve?

SWMBO offered to make one for me, but a ready made item may be a better option, given that SWMBO has other things to fill in her time and pfaffing around fitting zips is not her favourite job.

From the ads I've seen for smocks they don't appear to cost the earth.

[Don Nethercott]

I got one from Timbercom - about $28 from memory. It has an elastic neck fitting which really does stop the sawdust going down the front of your shirt. I got the short sleeved version as I don't like long sleeves near high speed machinery, especially lathes. However they do have long sleeved versions.
The back only goes down to above the waist - more a holding piece than anything.
Front isn't particularly long, well above the knees.
It's made of synthetic material and is a pretty dark purple - I thought it was a woman's nightie when I first unpacked it (there's an opening for some of the comics on the Forum!!!)
However it does work well, and that is all that matters

[SeanS]

Ian,

I have a hand made one (mother in law) which is great. It is a very light material, don't know what it is (like a spray jacket, but even ligther). That means that dust and shavings brush right off it, and it doesn't really add any warmth (so I can just throw it over whatever I am wearing at the time). I agree with the comment about long sleeves. Wearing any clothing with the potential to get caught in fast moving machinery is a bit risky. The other good thing about mine is that it is tight fitting round the neck too, which is a big help.

Cheers,

Sean

[Jeff]

Mine has medium length sleeves and a turn-up collar that both have velcro closures that allow it to be snugged up. It goes well below the waist, but above the knees. There is a small pocket in the back at the bottom, which I rarely use, but it's nice at times. Best of all there are no pockets in front to fill up with sawdust and shavings. The only beef I have with the design is that the collar velcro sometimes gets attached to the soft part of my faceshield that forms the seal around my face. I don't generally turn the collar up unless I'm turning some wet green wood, so the velcro flap for the collar sits there exposed, waiting to grap my facemask when I stoop down to peer inside something I'm giving a hollowing cut to. When I stand back up I find the face mask wants to stay attached to my shoulder . It probably looks pretty hilarious, but I don't think I've been caught.....yet! Even with this small drawback, I do like to wear it, as it keeps my clothes a lot cleaner. I occasionally give it a good blast of air from the compressor, and have even been known to throw it in the wash once or twice a year!

[Grunt]

I like my woodturners in a nice smock.

[barnsey]

Oh my goodness I can just see the fashion parade at next years WWW shows.

Designer smocks, aprons and jackets in all the latest trendy colours la de bloody da

Me I'll be in the orange buzz helmet, T and stubbies thanks with the spats to keep the s@#t out of me shoes

Bloody smocks - give me a break

[smidsy]

Barnesy,
Smocks are actually a labour saving device - means you don't have to vacuum out your pockets before you put your clothes in the wash
Cheers
Paul

[Grunt]

Barnesy,
Smocks are actually a labour saving device - means you don't have to vacuum out your pockets before you put your clothes in the wash
Cheers
Paul

Come on, you blokes just want an excuse to wear women's clothes while you're in the shed.

[Caliban]

Come on, you blokes just want an excuse to wear women's clothes while you're in the shed.

Hey
It works for lumberjacks.

[barnsey]

I can just hear the chorus at the fashion parade now - "I'm a lumberjack" :confused:

PLLLLEEEEASE

[adrian]

A lightweight Lycra surfing top. Cool, tight, long sleeve or short, no pockets and lookin' gooooood.

[aussieglen]

Me? Well I have a ready stock of old business shirts I wore out while working for the public service. I found that they suited me ideally when I donned them back to front and did up the button at the back of my neck. Voila! - smock, tight around the neck, no pockets, cool, cheap ('cos I had already discarded them) easy to don and finally disposable when they were too disreputable.
Peter

[adrian]

Well I have a ready stock of old business shirts I wore out while working for the public service.
Peter

???????

[barnsey]

???????

You must have used the wrong colour on the words - we couldn't see them :eek:

For the sake of eliminating any confusion I think you were saying
""Working" and "Public Service" in the same sentence is a contradiction in terms" ( No offence Glenn )

Now can we PLLLLLEEASE forget the smock/jacket benefits - I'm about to ask to ensure that all further participants do so by agreeing to be mannequins for all of next years WWW show Fashion Parades - You will not be allowed to wear anything other than your bloody smocks!!! :eek: :eek:

[adrian]

You must have used the wrong colour on the words - we couldn't see them :eek:

For the sake of eliminating any confusion I think you were saying
""Working" and "Public Service" in the same sentence is a contradiction in terms" ( No offence Glenn )

I was actually lost for words so I just put in ????????.
It's not "working" and "public service" it's the fact that someone wore out an item of clothing working for the public service.

Sorry Aussieglen, I couldn't resist the dig. I worked for the commonwealth public service for many years and the only thing I wore out was my welcome. Aren't redundancies grand!!