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I have been known to use some venture tape to hold a SA where I want it :-)
but it can cause a wrinkle if not placed just right

thats pretty much what the auto trimmers do. auto seats have lots of rods etc.
the other way is what Sid chavers calls liquid listings .. he glues down a strip of the cover to the foam where it needs it.

 Ok guys here's a freebie ..

I had a job recovering some car seats and the base foam was shot, that mean't I had to make new bases.
My choice was to go buy a band saw or use what i had in the shop ..

I have one of Kens foam saws which is good for boat seat foam but it isn't quite up to it for car seat bases because they really need to be more accurate.

this is what i had to work with.



this is what I made with my english redneck engineering skills.. all it is, is a plywood base about 1/4" thicker than the base of the foam saw so that the saw base is held tightly and more importantly square to the blade. I then waxed the wood to make the foam slide easier .. Ta Dah! a redneck bandsaw for about $2


and this is how it all ended up, my first auto seats from snuggtopz.com ..



Rich

i'd say the new covers are a world away form the first one you did :-) looking really good .


listen to June she is a master, i respect her opinion. Her advice in the past has been worth more than gold :-) . have a look at how the auto boys do seats as well. Youtube or the Hog Ring

I would suggest that if you are using a 1/2" seam allowance stick with it for the second seat but consider going down to 3/8 on the next project as it helps reduce some of the seam puckering around the bends. if you can, snip the SA on bends to give it some relief.
Spend some time making sure all the SA is turned in the same direction, i just noticed the front welt edge on the base cushion might have a kink in it due to the SA. One side up and the other side down ?? you wouldn't notice that on the sides or back.
Steam is your friend, I use a wallpaper stripper with an icebox defrosting nozzle on it so no fancy kit needed..

do you want his email Mike ? talk to him and he might be able to arrange a sample
for a small fee..

scott@farreachfarm.com

i don't know much about American electrickery but can you plug in those crazy 2 pin american flat pin plugs the wrong way around ??
That would probably reverse the polarity,

you can't get english power plugs the wrong way round :-)

it is only used to make stuffing the cushions much easier, you guys call it silk slip maybe from Miami corp ?
I can't get it in the uk but car body repair shops use a very thin plastic these days for masking up cars before spraying so I use that. it's probably cheaper than silk slip too...
Especially as my brother inlaw owns a body shop so I get it free sometimes :-)

rich

I've given scott the link to this discussion so you may see him here soon to tell us about pink away.

rich

hey guys

I'm currently in talks with the guy who is developing a specific chemical for the Pink Spot,
he tells me it works well and I am waiting on some samples when i get the forms back to him

 

I have a servo with needle positioner and i'd never go back to a clutch motor .
heres a vid of my machine and an idea of how controllable it can be

you have to kind of ignore the air operated foot lift :-)

http://youtu.be/IufU5xhGfB8

draw it out on paper and pin it to the seat..

lots of methods but has anyone mentioned the look you are after with your chosen method.

cushions cut loose and then wrapped in batting usually look more rounded and puffy.
cushions made tight by adding 1/2" foam to the patterned size generally look flat and hard edged.

Rich

if you're not getting the stretch with the tyvek have you tried stretching out the material
on the bench and stapling it down before setting out the pattern ?

I can get a silver heat reflecting material in the UK, it is a cotton twill like work coverall material with the coating.
Trouble is im in the UK so if you get really desperate I can ship it out but it wont be cheap

Rich

Thanks guys, I may have also got some auto work after another customer saw these :-)

Yes i used a 1/2 scrim foam for the pleats and I also used it for the arms and back to flatten out the old groves in the original foam.
Pencil on the vinyl and sharpie on the foam so it doesn't bleed through, I hope hehe

That last 10% Mojo I always struggle with :-) I so want to be a perfectionist but I know it will cost me too much money in lost time etc so have to kick myself sometimes to accept those little bits that annoy me .. where can i get those meds hehe

I so wish i was as fast as you Mike, i might actually make some money. Even on your worst day you're twice as fast as me !!