sewing

[tacoma_kyle]

Anyone here do it?

Something I intend to learn. REason being I was talking with a coworker yesterday (her husband is a Ford gear head) about doing interior upholstery (spelled wrong).

She said if you cut the stitching in what you want to replicate, it is pretty damn easy to stitch seats and what not. You just need a heavy-duty machine to stitch the thicker material. and duplicate what you took apart.

Anyhow I am going to see if I can steal my mothers Singer, I think it is a adequate machine. I need o bum some lessons from her too lol.


ANyone here done their own upholstery?

 

[mecevans]

i did my seats on a bike i restored. you do need a heavy duty sewing machine thought.

 

[figgie]

i did my seats on a bike i restored. you do need a heavy duty sewing machine thought.

The run of the mill Singer that Sears sells will DIE if you try to do leather sewing, You need the industrial (read expensive as hell) machines.

 

[mecevans]

or hand stitch them. lol

 

[tacoma_kyle]

Yeah that what I was told. My coworker said if you get a good one they can do it but the thousand dollar or more industrial machines are much better.

My mothers isn't a new singer, it is like a 50's or 60's model. It is much better than most new ones, but I do not know the capabilities of it. I do know my father has sticked probably 3mm leather on it for falconry uses....we'll see.

Thanks for hte input.

 

[mk3supra]

I actually picked up a Juki industrial sewing machine a few years ago. Its been sitting in the garage since lol.

 

[crisp]

You should track down an ADLER (German) JUKI (Japanese) or other COMMERCIAL grade USED machine (good luck!) if you really want to do this, or find someone with one and take it to him. (Not to mention REALLY FAMILIARIZE yourself with the project scope! Even USED machines like this go for MANY THOUSANDS of dollars!) There are seamstresses that do it, or interior upholstery craftsmen (and women) who do this type of work. The original comments allude to the potential to carefully snip stitching, and "disassemble" the original PATTERN SHAPES from your seats. Important considerations are the high-grade (once again, COMMERCIAL) fabrics, etc... that are used in auto interior applications. You can get such materials, but it, too, is not cheap. Also, don't underestimate the complexity of deck sewing, welt-cord (folded-type that must be SEWN IN as you stitch certain seams), PLUS PAD (the foam laminates, often of VARYING thicknesses on different sections of trim, inserts having the THICKEST most times [10t or mm or 15t/mm, etc... in central FrontBack panels or SeatCushion panels] and the WIRE LISTINGS that must be sewn in if removed during "unstitching" of the original seams... etc... not to mention the high-tensile multi-grade and strand thread that must be used...) with additional considerations needed for "hog-rings" (or "C-rings") to fasten the trim back into the seats. Seam selvedge that needs "oriented folding" while sewing, and butterfly seams that need open-spread to prevent "lumps" when trimmed out. I won't even START on polypropylene "J-strips" for fastening to frame and other flat-stock strips that need SEWN-THRU with heavy gauge needles on earlier stated commercial machines... seam widths to be considered, stitches per inch that need maintained, overcasting (serge sewing perimeters, etc...) and proper back-tacking, etc... necessary to HOLD it TOGETHER! It's no accident that good trim lasts for YEARS of wear and abuse before it begins to fail...


Basic repair of an open seam or small section is one thing, but complete trimming is actually quite the "black-art", as well as highly engineered science. Do some thorough research before you DIVE-IN and start snipping all your OEM stitching out! You could find out the HARD way that seat trim and interiors is NOT an elementary niche within the automotive array of our multi-faceted past time.


G/L!


-crisp

 

[crisp]

I actually picked up a Juki industrial sewing machine a few years ago. Its been sitting in the garage since lol.

Know which model? How complete?



(And how $$$ did you get it for!?:biglaugh


PS: Is it 220v as many are? The machines often require VERY VERY VERY expensive motor/electronic peripheral devices to be usable, not to MENTION the proper TABLES and other array of parts, folders, feet, tools, etc, etc, etc... to be viable for actual practical USE!


-crisp

 

[crisp]

Oh yeah, did I mention pneumatic lines as well? Dryers? ...the list goes on...:cry:




-crisp

 

[mk3supra]

Not off the top of my head. I will have to look at it. Ill try an post pics of it later.

 

[GrimJack]

I've done this, (ok, to be honest, I conned my mother into doing it. She's been a professional seamstress for more years than I've been on this planet) and as mentioned, it's not as easy as it sounds. You do need the heavy duty machine, and you'd better be damn good with it, too.

Nobody mentioned yet that the big commercial machines will sew clean through your fingers or thumbs if you give them the chance. Punch right through the nail and bone. Whatever you do, DO NOT jerk your hand away when it happens!

Commercial grade fabric / leather around here is ~$100 / meter. Take that into account as well... all of a sudden buying seat recovers for ~$1500 doesn't look that unreasonable.

 

[crisp]

all of a sudden buying seat recovers for ~$1500 doesn't look that unreasonable.

Either that, or get some replacement OEM SERVICE PARTS or PROTOTYPE parts direct from the manufacturer through connections...



When the platform is JAPAN MFG, it makes this type of option nearly mute.:cry:


(I DID get my entire set of Toy P/U truck bench trim for my dad's p/u this way, however, and re-trimmed his shredded vinyl with fresh fabric over a few hours when he was out one Saturday for his B-day gift! Too bad he got T-BONED a year later...:cry


I had a chance at an early '90s era "UNI-TRIM" (single-piece adhesive transferred) glove-fit Skyline Prototype driver seat in charcoal and black suede-like-spandex once... but the prototype shop accidentally threw the seat OUT after an SAE show, and I missed out on one of the great "trophy" opportunities in my life! DOH!


I've got access to SEVERAL fine platforms, but I'm not real keen on changing my already BELOVED royal blue upholstery from my original '89 fabric! Ergonomics are SPOT-ON for me in this car!:biglaugh:



-crisp

 

[tacoma_kyle]

I'll take your work for it that it that it is much more difficult.

I am still interested in tryin though. Why not? Have a pair of A60 and A70 seats. The A70's were vinyl or tleather or somethign and it is all cracked to shit and not usable in ANY way... The A60 seats (which I kinda like more cause I dont have a 40in waist) are all good but the covers arent worth dick and are maroon. I despise that color.

So anyhow maybe I'll tear up the P-side's or soemthin.

THanks for all the info...especially crisp.

 

[crisp]

I'll take your work for it that it that it is much more difficult.

I am still interested in tryin though. Why not? Have a pair of A60 and A70 seats. The A70's were vinyl or tleather or somethign and it is all cracked to shit and not usable in ANY way... The A60 seats (which I kinda like more cause I dont have a 40in waist) are all good but the covers arent worth dick and are maroon. I despise that color.

So anyhow maybe I'll tear up the P-side's or soemthin.

THanks for all the info...especially crisp.

It's always good to take on new challenges, and especially when you try to do things yourself.

One more suggestion, turn your trim cover inside out, and photograph the sew seam construction carefully. (Or keep an intact trim cover for reference...) Try to "mimic" what you see in the originals. All sewing usually takes place with the trim "reversed". Do some careful thinking on your SEQUENCE of assembly, as innermost joins and especially TIGHT radii require sewn as sub-assemblies or you will NEVER be able to manipulate them when the trim gets "bulky" and mostly joined late in the process. Sew seams are USUALLY set at 10mm +-2~3mm but Toyota used 5mm seams earlier on than many other manufacturers. Key to good fit WITHOUT lots of wrinkles and puckers is EVEN SEW SEAM WIDTH. ESPECIALLY on straight runs and tight radius areas. I wouldn't even TRY to sew leather, and if there are French seams for the decking/design sew between bolsters and side-faces, you would HAVE to use a "double-needle" machine. Also, be very attentive of center panel insert DESIGN SEWS, or the horizontal seams across them. These are usually sewn by MULTI-NEEDLE machines in one pass, and if not PERFECTLY STRAIGHT, they will "show" obviously in the finished product.


Good luck!:icon_bigg



-crisp

 

[tacoma_kyle]

Cool, once again....thanks for the info. Especially on the 1mm +-2~3....I was wondering about that.

 

[mk3supra]

Know which model? How complete?



(And how $$$ did you get it for!?:biglaugh


PS: Is it 220v as many are? The machines often require VERY VERY VERY expensive motor/electronic peripheral devices to be usable, not to MENTION the proper TABLES and other array of parts, folders, feet, tools, etc, etc, etc... to be viable for actual practical USE!


-crisp

I took some pictures, its a JUKI 562 and it is complete with table and some extra parts. It came with a 110V motor. I even got the owners manual with it.

Sorry about the pics, didnt realize the camera was set to sephia

 

[crisp]

EARLY model! But a testament to how GOOD they were, and still are.


In one of my lives, I was part of a "team" that designed a special "one-off" machine made with two Adler 462's? set diagonal from each other, one REVERSED and refitted to run BACKWARDS and we were able to create an "automated machine" with PLC, cam-channel with followers on set tray, and and auto "off-load" feature. We did it for about $60k and the automatic would have cost closer to $200, WITHOUT the "auto-off-loader" feature.:biglaugh:

All it did was sew a pair of parallel design sew insert lines into a center panel for a trimcover (automotive) but the operator would "SET" the parts, hit the button, and go do another join sew or two, then come back to set the next one. Great tool for "line-balancing" and ultra consistent in it's execution.



Hmmm... on a similar team at a different gig, I helped with a RADIUS-SEW automated machine, complete with pneumatic fabric "grippers" and another cam-follower setup, albeit MUCH more complicated path!


Man, that was a LONG time ago... if I find a pic, I'll have to post it.:biglaugh:



-crisp

 

[mk3supra]

If anyone is interested in it, I would let it go for a decent price.

 

[IJ.]

"ArtsNcraftsMania"

 

[tbcmorris]