Just started trying to figure this stuff out. Haven't screwed up too much yet. First one is the panel in my 56 Buick. Nothing fancy just pleated with some metal flake green. This is for my friends 41 pick up. Again with the metal flake. Seems to be a trend. Hope to keep plugging away at it. Maybe get an industrial machine some day. Sewing with a regular machine is a pain.
It may be a pain but at least you are doing it...and definitely saving some bigtime money...would be interesting if you kept track of material costs and total time involved and posted that info...would be cool to see the finished product and total investment coming soon: rodtees.com
Hmmm your braver than I... I fiddled around with it and came to the conclusion that I A) dont have the right tools to do a decent job and B) dont have the skills to do a decent job Originally I wanted to teach myself how to do the fabric work...I have resigned myself to accepting the fact that that is one facet of the build that I'll hire out. The only thing I hadda teach myself was auto trans rebuilds and apholstery.....I learned the transmissions...wrote off the latter...kudos to you
That's the one thing I have never done. Always end up buying interior "kits" or having it done. I might have to give it a try. Where did you get the metallic material?
You guys if you find a furniture upholstery place in your area they should be able to get it for you. Just tell them you want the restaurant booth sparkle. They can also get heavy vinyls and canvas for any number of projects...
Alot of boats are upholstered with the metallic material and it's marine grade so it tends to last longer coming soon: rodtees.com
Yeah it's called zodiac vinyl. Jo Ann's has only 2 colors around here. Red and the grey I used. Check yourautotrim.com they have every color available. Thats where I got my green.
Looks pretty good. What did you use on the backside? Sew foam? closed cell? seat foam? Looks a bit like seat foam from the way it's laying.
Looks really nice ! More pics please, like before, during and the finished product. Thanks for sharing ! / primerkid
we have an upholstery shop here in so cal called "evan's upholstery" over on crenshaw and artesia in torrance. the old man has bolts of material that go back 20-30 years. and the prices are real affordable...the best part...has door board material...premade tuck and roll material...all kinds of things. later dudes chuck
what i have used in the past on door panels is carpet padding foam. it's thin enough to not stick up too far yet thick enough to make designs in it. i have cut out flames from it, contact cemented them on to door board and contact cemented tweed material to the whole thing using care to press the material in tight on the edges of the flames to make 3-D door panels back 15 years ago. also made some side panels for my friend's sedan delivery with bowties on them which turned out pretty cool. your only limit is your imagination. try working with some carpet padding sometime...you might be suprised with the results. just shave the edges of your design so there is some transition from the top of the design to the door board so the contact cement doesn't have to work overtime to stick in place...learned this after my first attempt came unglued and lost the whole effect i was going for. an electric carving knife in your wife's kitchen works real good for this and cutting out your shapes. just don't let her catch you using it. low bucks hot rodding is what this whole thing is all about. screw the 'checkbook' cars...build it yourself!! later dudes chuck
Very nice! Not many people willing to do this kinda work anymore. You don't need to spend so much on a industrial machine. Just shop around locally. See if any upholstery shops want to get rid of any. look on Ebay. Even try The Hamb classifieds, you never know. Keep it up!
i will be doing my interior myself and and i will be using one of my vintage treadle machines. i collect and restore vintage and antique sewing machines and the early ones are perfect to do interior jobs. i will be using one of my model 27 singers (circa 1911) for the vinyl job and it will sew through anything you put in front of it! you really dont need an industrial machine to do your interior with. any domestic machine made prior to 1959 will do the job very well. the only benefit an industrial machine has is the throat is longer and makes it a little easier to do large jobs. i just got finished sewing a king size quilt on my singer and had not the first issue of work space. and i will be using the same machine to do my interior. Remember a true industrial machine weighs about 600 lbs and will set you back around $1000 for a used one. looks like you have a good start and by the looks of things its going your way! are you going to be doing your seats also? keep up the good work and post more photos as you go.
Thanks. That means alot coming from you. I know theres no white pearl in it but I like them. Thanks to everyone else for the compliments. It'll keep me motivated.
If you guys are looking for an industrial machine, the CL in Atlanta has one cheap and it was just listed. so any HAMBers wanting this should jump on it because it wont be there for long. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/bfs/787868731.html they also have a real nice looking model 66 singer that would do the job for $25 http://atlanta.craigslist.org/art/788370466.html
I bought a used industrial machine with oil bath and walking foot for $50 from a furnishing outfit that was upgrading their machines. BTW: great effort and great results for a first time.
Just a tip for anyone doing door panels. Upholstery supply place's actually sell foam that is made to do door panels etc. I'm not exactly sure what its called but it come's in 1/8 in and 1/4 in I believe. It's kind of a cream color and I used to use it a lot when making custom door panels with designs in them. Just draw your design out on the foam and glue it to the door panel board then cover with vinyl etc.
I used vinyl simulated rolled and pleated material from a company in Pittsburg which is for boats.It is tuff and has all the UV protection you need.Ithink it was called Three rivers upholstrey.I used it on my door and side panels and it looks decent.Just use good cement and overlap it on the back at least two inches to hold it in place.I used the black pressed carboard but now would prefer the plastic board.It isn't effected by moisture.
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