Projects Giant speedster project

Jerry,
Here's a photo and some instructions I cut fro m a web posting I saved recently. This project was a headboard but it's the 'same dif'. It seems one should make the button holes a little bigger than buttons and yes, cotton batting is a must.

The following text is cut from the photo caption:

The next step is to cut out the holes, cutting a hole slightly bigger than your buttons. I used an Exacto knife and scissors to cut out the hole, but you could use copper tubing that is beveled to give a sharp cutting edge. This part was time consuming as I wanted to shape the hole as carefully as I could. If it isn't a perfect circle it doesn't matter, it will get "filled" in with your covering and batting.Once the foam is shaped and button holes cut out, lay your batting over the top. You will want to use a hi-loft batting (a nice thick one, or you could double up) that is cut at least 12" bigger all around than your headboard. This is important as you will use up batting and fabric while tufting and will want to be left with some on the edges to wrap under.

Jimmy

 

Sorry, I didn't enlarge you photos before I sent that 1st message. Looks like you holes might be large enough already. Jimmy

 

Was up in Cleveland around 3:30 today and stopped by the shop- must've just missed you!

 

You just missed me. I had to pick up a fridge in Jefferson for a tenant and got back about 4. Dang!

 

Ahhh, that would explain the Red SUV...

Thanks for the phone # (lost yours when my old phone croaked)- will definitely call next time!!!

 

What Jerry didn't tell us... He won first place in the mens' costume contest because he is so busy he didn't have time to get out of his regular get up and into his costume

 

I might wear that get up when I drive the speedster around!

Worked on the upholstery again by adding another inch of foam. Would you believe it still had wrinkles--although not as bad. I stuffed some batting up under the vinyl but it was apparent that was a bad solution. According to my plan I was to make the diamond on the vinyl 4cm bigger than the diamond on the foam. That was not working. By days end I cut that down to 2cm bigger but I didn't have time to pull the buttons tight. I suppose skilled upholsterers don't mark anything and just stick the needle in where they feel the next button ought to go. I may try that if this new plan doesn't work. I just took one picture--of my new perforated vinyl. The rest was same old, same old.

Jerry

 

I think your problem with the vinyl/buttons has to do with your measuring methodology. The Speedster, born in American and made with American parts, is rebelling at your use of the metric system to space the buttons... inches and feet have worked just fine for centuries and now inches and feet aren't "good enough" for you? I'm just saying.....

 

Now you tell me!

Jerry

 

some of the loose ness mess will pull tight when the top and bottom edge are pulled ....you should be fine with some soft batting and maybe a cut or slit at each hole in the foam an inch or so out in the diamond pattern for the fold to fall into and bigger buttons good luck

 

String Theory

I have given long thought to Einstein's theories and I have come up with a theory of my own. I call it Jerry's Law. It goes as follows: Dirt can be neither created nor destroyed but only moved from place to place. Think about it. You wash your car, the dirt goes from the car to the rag, then from the rag to the wash bucket, then--when you pour it out--from the wash bucket to the ground. At some point the dirt is blown up by the wind and returns to your car. Voila! Jerry's Law! Hey, I got more laws-- a few theorems too. Maybe you've got a few laws of your own.

I also expanded my theories on button tufting today. Always use a stretchable medium. The vinyl I'm using is a little too stiff. I have to pull it so tight the foam is reduced to half its thickness. Not good. The pre-measured hole punching trick will only work if you seat is dead flat. Tomorrow I'm going to try button tufting on the fly like the pros. I'm also using a slightly stretchier vinyl. What does all this mean when I get down to the leather? I have no idea. I'm still in the information gathering phase.

Jerry

 

This forum is the last place on Earth I expected to read about String theory

 

I think "Jerry's Law" posits a valid theory. There's another law I've always been fond of.

Cole's Law:

Thinly sliced cabbage.

 

i've been told that leather has almost no stretch.

 

I just know that 2 plus 2 can equal 5, for larger values of 2... and that all caws are black at night

 

even from here it looks fine....
splash some oil , sweat, gas , blood and poke a few holes with a tool in your back pocket and your all set

I hope you do not expect this seat to be real soft and comfy ... it should wear well and look good

 

Dirt... ? That's my buddy " pigpen" yer talkin about

 

You were mis-informed. Upholstery weight leather is very pliable and stretches easily.

Great work Jerry, I think your practice piece looks great, BTW.

Brian

 

Diamonds aren't forever.

I'm not happy with the diamonds. The button tufting ain't right. I did a little free hand work today and it looked okay but I still have to pull the buttons so tight that the foam is compressed to half its thickness. So I started experimenting. I'm now going after something like you see in the first picture but without the partition. First I made up some 2"X2" pleats which looked mostly like crap but not completely. I realized the top needed to be tapered to lie flat. The sections have .5 borders, are 2" on the top and 6" on the bottom. This way at the top the sections will lie flat. In the corners I make the tops wider. I only had time to make up three sections but I think I'm on to something. More experiments tomorrow.

Jerry

 

I bet that ribbed method will be much easier and more comfortable too.

 

some place I READ ....( EVERY CAR STORY EVER ) I DID EVERTHING MY SELF ... EXCEPT THE UPHOLSTERY

 

Grab some leather from an old couch to practice with.

 

I'd probably be better off getting a night job as a pizza boy and paying an upholsterer but I got no time at night. And I blew all my money on the paint. Maybe a plaid blanket on the foam. ONWARD! Grab the scissors. Where's the human drama in paying someone. We need pain and suffering. Success or defeat which will it be? Stay tuned.

Jerry

 

Jerry,

I'm watching you closely as I'll soon be to this step on the Model T.... Looks like your doing fine!

Here's a little pic to maybe make you think about Diamonds and Brass...



Good Luck!

 

looks like you are onto something good. Consider the vertical pleats with buttons like Henry did on the model T.

Mat

 

Paperdog's Law: I did everything myself--except...

I called in an expert today. No, no, it was just for a consult. A consult, that's all. I promise. We only talked. That's all I got to say about that. More to come.

 

dammit did I say that in print ????

I shot the law but the law won....

I did leave the "y" out of everything ..

EXPERT HUH ? WHAT ARE WE ....



the margerine container has had coins added to and subtracted from ... possibly to be resent when the steering wheel is pictured..

 

There's an awful lot of foam in those pictures. Shouldn't it be horsehair and canvas webbing?

 

I love horsehair and canvas webbing.

But foam feels so much nicer. I learned a lot from my consult with a real upholsterer. For one thing the upholstery needs to start at the bottom and finish at the top. That means there needs to be a relief in the deck for a triple thickness of leather to be stapled into. Also to put a roll of leather around the cockpit and on the door tops and dash I need a way to fasten said roll to the deck. So that's where I'm concentrating now--on the roll and the relief. I made up a strip of thick metal to go around the back of the cockpit. I'll weld some studs on it that will go down through the deck. The roll will glue to this and when installed will hide the staples and relief. Ta-Da!! While I'm at it I'll make up the metal strips for the top of the doors too.

Jerry

 

Heavy rubber or some thick nylon can accept staples ... And would be some what weather proof think converteble tops add in places where wood will split or be hard to attach .. Edges or corners