Thoughts on finding or replacing this classic upholstery supply

[crosjn]

I'm knee deep in reupholstering a old green vinyl chair (the green monster.)  I've hit a snag.  There is a cording/trim that was used that I assume is out of production.  It has a flexible metal base (so that it curves easily) with a half-round piece of rubber tubing to create the appearance of cording.   On the back side are clips to secure vinyl/material AND nails to secure the whole thing to the frame of the chair.  They did this so vinyl could be wrapped around the rubber&vinyl base and secured to the backside of the metal.  Then the whole thing could be driven into the frame much like tackstrip.

So, my challenge is (well, to find the stuff would be fantastic but I doubt possible) or to recreate a single cord thick enough to be used to hide nails, flush to the frame, that curves around the arm panels.  And it's being done in vinyl.





Front side of antique cording/trim (base is metal, black is the rubber 1/2 round, green is vinyl)



Backside of the upholstery trim.  Nails for attaching to frame and clips (basically hidden) to secure vinyl

[zanepurcell]

I think youre going to need to make a standard welt cord from your vinyl and slightly re-engineer the seam construction of the chair. pictures would help. might even need some curve-ease. if it didnt need to bend you could just cover the back side of standard metal tack strip with vinyl and hammer it in. I assume the old rubber core is too brittle to be reused.
Zane

[zanepurcell]

one more thought- make the vinyl into a marine style hidem welt that you do see on mid century vinyl furniture on occasion

[crosjn]

"Marine Style Hidden Welt" -- now that has me intrigued.  I don't do auto or marine upholstery and have NO idea what that is.  Can you enlighten me?

The old can not be reused - there is damage in places where the rubber has been chewed through/removed by an upholsterer's best friend (the family dog.)

The only other thing I know to do is make a flexible panel, upholster that and staple cording to the edge.  Then nail that panel to the chair.  But I'd like to keep it as original as possible and the raised panel definitely won't look original.

Jeff

[zanepurcell]

google marine hidem welt, you staple in the middle between the lips, similar to a double welt cord hidem. you see it on the edge of the back of 50's breakfast table chairswhere the front vinyl meets the back vinyl. easy to make in the width you need.

[crosjn]

Got it.  Thanks.  I don't think that will complete the look I'm going for.  See the attached image.  It's a bit fuzzy but you can clearly see the big cording.



This is the customer-supplied pic before starting upholstery.  Right now I've got everything stripped off so there isn't much to look at.

Thanks again for everyone's help and information.  Any ideas to get this look would be much appreciated.

Jeff

[sofadoc]

I don't think that hide-'em welt will make those drastic turns around the arms without kinking.
Could you make cardboard face panels, and border them with jumbo welt?

[zanepurcell]

after seeing a picture, I think sofadoc has the right idea.

and not that it matters anymore, but here is marine hidem welt fyi


<a href="http://s1358.photobucket.com/albums/q780/zanepurcell/?action=view&amp;current=KGrHqVqsEnmqTvlBP7iFMYS5w60_12_zpsa4c246fd.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q780/zanepurcell/KGrHqVqsEnmqTvlBP7iFMYS5w60_12_zpsa4c246fd.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[JuneC]

There's lots of half-round rubber extrusions out there, but after covering it you'd have to find another way of attaching it to the chair.  I don't know if hot glue would hold it - certainly HH-66 would with the right surface prep. 

June

[kodydog]

Sofa has the right idea but if you want to do something really different you could use brass nails. It would look awesome if your using leather again.

[BCKC]

American Auto supply has vinyl covered spring welt. It is 6/32 and so wonderful to work with. The spring allows for most any form you can imagine and keeps its shape. Highly re comended for down cushions, recliners with large over stuffed cushions. I have a bit left, do you know off hand how much you need for this project.

Have a good one all.

Karen