Rug-making is regaining popularity and making a strong comeback. This enjoyable and artistic activity is gradually gaining popularity, especially as more people stay at home and seek activities in their area. Handmade carpets are wonderful gifts, beautiful home decor, and even a second source of income. You may build personalized carpet designs with a tufting gun by “painting” with colored yarn and making any design you choose.
A tufting gun is a type of hand-held rug-making instrument. The yarn is passed through a hollow needle that punctures a cloth to create a cut pile or a loop pile, similar to a sewing machine. Tufting guns are faster than hand-held rug hooks or punch needles in the process of manufacturing handmade rugs. If you want to join the economical rug-making bandwagon, all you have to do is put on your creative trousers, gather some yarn & backing material, and invest in a tufting gun. We may not be able to assist you with putting on your creative pants, but we can certainly assist you in selecting the correct tufting gun.
What to Consider When Purchasing a Tufting Gun
A cut pile rug and a loop pile rug are made with different tufting guns, so it’s crucial to understand the differences before you buy one. Both sorts of rugs are lovely; it just depends on whether you prefer a tight loop or a loose, hairy loop aesthetic.
A fluffy cut pile rug is commonly referred to as a “shag” rug. When yarn is pushed through the material using a tufting gun, the yarn ends are automatically clipped, resulting in an upright pile with exposed yarn ends. Because the pile is loose on the back of the cloth, it can be easily pulled out and must be fastened using carpet glue. Cut pile rugs are usually composed of polyester or wool yarn and are less durable than loop pile rugs. This rug would look well in a low-traffic location or as part of a wall art project.
When the tufting gun makes loops that are attached, a loop pile rug is generated, giving you a nubby rug texture. The yarn grips the rug tightly, creating a compact, long-lasting finish. Because the loop can be seen, you may add more elaborate details and designs to a loop pile rug. Nylon, wool, and olefin yarn are commonly used in loop pile rugs. A loop pile rug is better than a cut pile rug for high-traffic areas.
Low pile vs high pile tufting guns
The pile height, or how tall the yarn is on a finished rug, is another crucial component of tufting guns. Consider a thick shag rug from the 1970s as an example. Most ordinary rugs have a modest pile, however, this one has a high pile. It’s also worth mentioning that both cut and loop machines have high and low pile options. Because the thread is pulled back through, the loop pile is usually shorter.
In terms of which one to acquire, I’d strongly advise getting a low pile machine. First and foremost, they are far less expensive, costing around a third of the price of high pile tufting guns. They’re also frequently simpler to set up and use. The AK-III is the only high-pile machine I endorse. It can tuft cut and loop piles and its increased power comes from the fact that it’s a pneumatic machine.
This means you’ll need an air compressor, such as this one, which costs several hundred dollars. If you’re an experienced tufter, it’s well worth the money, but it’s a tough pill to swallow for novices. Click through to read more about the pile lengths for each machine at each of the establishments listed below.
