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General Upholstery Questions and Comments => General Discussion => Topic started by: JDUpholstery on November 16, 2012, 03:03:40 pm

Title: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: JDUpholstery on November 16, 2012, 03:03:40 pm
this corner cushion has been giving me grief since the start...originally tried to pattern off the existing vinyl, but that did not work, ended up having to pattern it from scratch, fits a lot nicer now....

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11162012312.jpg&hash=19d7679fe63301310727100bcd60c9a3)

http://s1087.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdackerson/media/Strobbe/11162012312.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11162012311.jpg&hash=e35f448af004ddda63db1eeb205a1c1a)

http://s1087.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdackerson/media/Strobbe/11162012311.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: JuneC on November 16, 2012, 03:24:32 pm
Corners are the nemesis of every marine upholsterer.  Nice job!

June
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Mike on November 16, 2012, 03:24:57 pm
looks good JD  I just did a complex back with multiple curves
(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi782.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy102%2FMike8560%2FUpholstery%2Fth_E86BEE1E-22A0-49B8-8C3D-E5C98782DE89-2038-00000268A75F1696.jpg&hash=7e2c0089bcb3e56b238f6196ee2f55f2) (http://s782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/Upholstery/?action=view&current=E86BEE1E-22A0-49B8-8C3D-E5C98782DE89-2038-00000268A75F1696.jpg)
here is a good article on the subject
http://marinefabricatormag.com/articles/0311_st2_inside_covers.html
ps a heat gun is your friend . ill heat all around a wrinkle to loosen the vinyl that's tight and let the wrinkle settle out.
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: MinUph on November 16, 2012, 03:46:43 pm
I've used the process noted in Mikes link and it does work much better. Laying a ruler on the edge does help and it makes for a better pattern.
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: JDUpholstery on November 21, 2012, 06:31:57 pm
Some updated pics...

L Bench

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11212012324.jpg&hash=b19b0340c8132bd3c11d94b1a56423bb) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Strobbe/?action=view&current=11212012324.jpg)

Sun Pad

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11212012329.jpg&hash=545b8b9c5efd99c67771bc3e1d02fdd1) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Strobbe/?action=view&current=11212012329.jpg)

Pile o' Seats

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11212012326.jpg&hash=d68378f81441f8d7161819695aed9df4) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Strobbe/?action=view&current=11212012326.jpg)

Going to work thanksgivivng day to try and have this ready for customer on Friday...I missed my deadline by a couple days, but considering he tossed the deadline on me out of the blue when it was originally spring deadline, I think I did OK
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: JuneC on November 21, 2012, 08:09:21 pm
Looking good!  Have you hit it with a heat gun yet?  Some of the minor wrinkling will just up and disappear if you warm it up a bit - carefully, of course.  Test scraps to see how much heat your vinyl can take before having a go at the seats.  It's a process not for the faint-hearted.  Oh, and don't warm till the wrinkles go away.  Warming makes wrinkles expand.  It's the cooling process that does the shrinking.  In a hurry I use a heat gun and a spray bottle of ice water and alternate.  Also if there are diagonal pulls, after heating I hold in the vinyl so the pull is equally "baggy" on all sides.  Last thing I want it to do is set the wrinkle. 

You've got a lot of work already in there.  Maybe you should leave that set alone and sometime do a messed up cushion to see how the heating goes.

June   
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Mike on November 22, 2012, 06:29:26 am
Looks good
June i alway fend to heat the wrinkle then heat all the tight vinyl around the wrinkle thinking it will loosen and also allw the wrinkle to relax but  ever though that the wrinkle was. Ooling while i was heating the vinyl around it.   Sonder why it is that shrinkwtap. Inyl shrinks rather then streach sag out  when melted ?
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Mike on November 22, 2012, 06:33:27 am
Quote from: JDUpholstery on November 21, 2012, 06:31:57 pm


Going to work thanksgivivng day to try and have this ready for customer on Friday...

I tried to pattern a rear shade top yeaterday but it was to windy at a boat yard i was ou g to do it today but the yard said they were going to closed till monday ill bet i can get in maybe with the boat owner im goj gto try maybe fri or sat. 
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: baileyuph on November 22, 2012, 08:20:43 am
Steam can be more effective than a heat gun, just my experience.

Manufacturers in similar work, a lot use steam.  I don't know of any who use heat.

Doyle
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Mike on November 22, 2012, 08:35:40 am
maybe steam is safer?  but I had a heat gun tried it, it worked and  used it  seems June too I tried a steamer once I didn't care for it ,
sent it back as it was broke anyway
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: JDUpholstery on November 22, 2012, 12:00:46 pm
Ill steam it out, if I can...steam is safer because it wont melt the vinyl like a poorly placed heat gun blast can...I know there are a couple of flaws, but considering the difference between my first in april to this one (4th pontoon) I am pretty durn happy with it!
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: baileyuph on November 22, 2012, 01:33:26 pm
JD, your project doesn't look bad, steam may be the answer.

Doyle
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Darren Henry on November 22, 2012, 03:46:14 pm
Does anyone else pattern from the foam?

On these nasty beasts and snowmobile seats etc... I throw the old skin in the corner as a reference only and "build new". There is always a mark in the foam from the old seam. I lay a straight edge along the side that was the seam and scribe a line with a sharpie and make a few reference marks across the line. I then cut an over sized piece of vinyl and "tack" it place with a couple of upholstery skewers (or temp staples into the wood, duct tape,whatever) and draw my "cut line" 1/2 " past the line on the vinyl and transfer my reference marks.

On isometric items like sled seats I pattern one side and then cut a mirror image before I sew that panel on.

Unlike Chris; I have WAY more than 2 brain farts a year so I check the skin at each step before I cut the next piece, just in case I have to adjust the next piece. And I never top stitch until I have the entire skin dry fitted if I can help it. just in case
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: fragged8 on November 22, 2012, 03:57:01 pm
I try to pattern the foam if i can but don't get much of that work.

On a corner is seaming the best way to avoid wrinkles or is it better to trampoline the fabric off the
foam ?


Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Darren Henry on November 22, 2012, 04:03:21 pm
Quoteor is it better to trampoline the fabric off the
foam ?


Aerosol vinyl would be best----but I can't find any in Canada. LOL.
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Mike on November 22, 2012, 04:04:51 pm
If im making a cushion i will pattern the foam but 99% of the time like the pontoon in my previous post i use the old skin for a pattern like the article. Saves alot of time.
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: JuneC on November 23, 2012, 06:09:25 am
I almost always pattern off the foam.  The only time I pattern off the old vinyl is if it really isn't old (and misshapen) at all - like if it got damaged and has to be replaced but is still basically new.  I find that it can't really be laid flat enough to get a good image and even those pieces that can be will mess up the fit. 

June
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Peppy on November 23, 2012, 02:25:20 pm
Darren that's almost exactly how I do it. But I pattern all the pieces at the same time, I don't draw lines on the foam. I make all my patterns finished size and the seam allowance gets added at the table. I use 1/2" staples to staple the pattern to the foam, like rapid fire pins.

Trying it on before top stitching is a good tip.
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: JDUpholstery on November 23, 2012, 02:57:25 pm
So customer came today and took the boat, I still need to recover console, and am working on the Bimini in shop now, but he was pretty durn happy...I just could not get rid of that one wrinkle in the corner cushion but he said it did not bother him...

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11232012330.jpg&hash=5a6adb98f6f1a957347846a1e18a17c8) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Strobbe/?action=view&current=11232012330.jpg)

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11232012331.jpg&hash=0de65832e2521ac952982d55683299e8) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Strobbe/?action=view&current=11232012331.jpg)

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1087.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj467%2Fjdackerson%2FStrobbe%2Fth_11232012332.jpg&hash=2303ad6cea446556f595482abbc31a81) (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/jdackerson/Strobbe/?action=view&current=11232012332.jpg)

Thanks for all the tips and tricks, I just know my next one is going to be that much better and easier....not to shabby considering my first sewing attempt in my life was only a year ago!
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Darren Henry on November 23, 2012, 03:17:18 pm
QuoteI use 1/2" staples to staple the pattern to the foam, like rapid fire pins.


I'll have to try that sometime. I usually only need to use 4-6 skewers doing it one panel at a time,but if you're going to "mummify" the hole piece, I can see where that would really save time.
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Mike on November 23, 2012, 03:18:13 pm
not nad at all jd
Darren what do you kek on the foam with ?  ive had sharlie burn though the vinyl doin gthis and learned my lesson
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: scarab29 on November 24, 2012, 09:09:59 am
ometimes I take that heat gun and hit the old hard crusty skins with it . It softend them up and takes out the memory of being that curve for the last 10 years. It helps if you're gonna use them for a pattern.  :o
Title: Re: Pontoon Corner cushion
Post by: Darren Henry on November 24, 2012, 02:04:01 pm
QuoteI take that heat gun and hit the old hard crusty skins with it


I use a steam iron ,set on max steam/lowest temp. that will give me that .

Mike; I just use a sharpie. Our weather is more like you had in N.H, not that insane humidity/heat in Fl. I've never had a problem (yet , cross fingers).