Serger - Used In Fabricating OEM Automotive Seat Upholstery

[baileyuph]

Automotive Trimmers (Upholsterers) have seen the serged seam that connects the scrim backed foam to the seat upholstery material.  I see it almost every day in repairing original seat upholstery.  In replicating OEM type work, I connect the scrim backed foam with a lockstitch.  That works but...........read on.

My curiosity simply is what does that machine look like?  Could it be the same shape of a tailoring serger but scaled larger or could it be made like a traditional walking foot machine?  This question is likely easy for someone who has experience manufacturing the OEM product/seam I describe, maybe one will surface. ???


It would be interesting to take a look at the machine and learn more about it.  Anyone.........?

Doyle

[bobbin]

This what my 5 thread overlock machine looks like, Doyle:

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"Serger" is a generic term that refers specifically to the overlock stitch and for it to be a "serge" stitch it must involve 3 threads, not 2.  Generally speaking, "serger" is shorthand for a machine made by the Merrow company.  Those machines have a considerably smaller head than does the machine pictured above.  Both a Merrow machine and a 5 or 4 thread overlock will trim the fabric as it it fed under the needles.  A 4 thread overlock differs from the 5 in the overlock stitch... it only requires 2 threads and a "spreader" to accomplish the feat.  While it will serviceably overlock a raw edge, the 2 thread configuration makes is unsuitable for sturdy joining of fabric pieces (think in terms of swimwear, exercise wear, or underwear).   The 2 thread configuration is basically a chain stitch and broken at the proper place in the sequence you can easily pull out the overlock.  You can't easily pull out a 3 thread overlock without breaking the needle thread periodically and pulling it out; this is what gives a "serge" stitch its strength. 

Overlock machines are very fast, as they utilize loopers to carry the bottom threads and you don't run out of thread until the cone is depleted (My machine will max out in the neighborhood of 7K stitches/minute).  They generally feature a differential feed, as well.  This allows you alter the amount of fabric fed through the machine, and is very handy when dealing with lofty or stretchy fabrics, or the application of elastic to waistbands, or wrist/ankle areas.  I use this feature routinely when working on polar fleece, lycras, or most recently a very fine interlock "georgette" that comprised the overskirt on an evening dress I altered.  Very handy feature!!   Overlock machines can be adjusted to different gauges... mine is a full 1/2" gauge, that means that there is a finished 1/2" seam when I thread up the safety stitch (a chain stitch that is the main seam).   This sort of machine set up for lingerie work or evening gowns may well be set with a narrower gauge to eliminate bulk at the seams. 

Fabulous machines, Doyle, well worth adding to your "fleet".  I would advise purchasing a 5 thread overlock over a Merrow, personally.  You can always use it for simply overlocking, but if you want to you can thread the safety stitch needle and looper and join fabric very securely. 

[baileyuph]

Great overview of the serger equipment Bobbin.  Since my business is diversified, it turns out we have basic equipment to make ravelling materials more manageable, in the furniture side of the house.  There is a 3 thread here for that task, Baby Loc.  It is a heavy little machine for its size and if used properly will do a number on furniture fabrics.  It isn't much benefit when dealing with auto fabrication needs.

My Baby L. has a cutting knife but never use it.  It flips up out of the way. 

In auto work, the factory work will for example, connect a layer of foam to a piece of leather which will ultimately be seamed together with enough patterned pieces to form seat upholstery.  This gets to be very heavy work, in terms of sewing.

With respect to that, I don't know if the factory actually serged and cut the foam/leather during one step.  It would take a very sharp and perhaps long throat machine to accomplish it that way.  That, perhaps does suggest it was done in two different steps.  That is, cut first then sew. 

In the automotive original work, other seaming requirements have been noted to be satisfied by a serging type operation.  It isn't imperative that I use a serge seam.  Today, the lockstitch does do the job.  I admit the serged edge is nicer and would like to gain insight into the equipment mass production used.

I need a bigger building if my equipment line grows much more.   :)

Thanks for the information, very informative and enjoyable reading.

Doyle

[bobbin]

I suspect the differential feed aspect of overlock machines makes them very desireable when dealing with leather and/or the "marriage" of dissimilar fabrics.  I have a dim recollection that a Baby Loc features differential feed, too.  However, I would question the capacity of what is basically a "home" machine to handle the unquestioned bulk and variable stretch of combining a foam and leather layer!  It would be grossly unfair to pit a machine designed for clothing construction in a "home" application against the rigors of automotive upholstery.  Your Baby Loc is not adequately powerful or adjustable to accomomodate sew foam and leather, Doyle. 

Years ago I worked for another local marine shop.  We had a job requiring leather cushion work.  I was not particularly familiar with leather and subsequently knew little about its properties... sp. "stretch".  My boss was freaked out by the price of the hide and insisted on doing the stitching.  He hunched over the machine and inch by inch fed the goods under the needle.  The result was predictably bumpy, uneven, and wholly unacceptable.  I asked for a shot and sat well back from the stalwart, Pfaff 545 and fed the goods down in long, smooth, even runs.  The result was uniform application of cording without stretching or shrinking the size of the cushion top/bottom.  He was stunned at the difference.  But I had worked on overlocks for many years and knew well that long, smooth passes that capitalize on a given machine's capability was the way to achieve the best result. 

Needle and compound feed machines deliver the best result when you sit back and set up long seaming runs.  The machinery is engineered to do the work for you, IF YOU ALLOW IT TO DO SO!  Too often, operatiors think they must "control" the feed.  Biggest mistake going, frankly... if you're trying to control the feed you are:
1.)  sitting in front of the wrong sort of machine
2.)  you don't really understand how to effectively use the machine in front of you

Just a few things to stew on this lazy Sunday.  :)

[sofadoc]

I've had several chances to buy sergers. But I know so little about them, I've passed.
Since I have made it this long without one, I'm not sure how much use I would get out of it. So I wouldn't want to invest a lot in one.
Then, there's the added problem that there aren't many service centers around anymore (at least not in my area). So I would pretty much have to know how to service it myself.
What's a good brand/model # to look for? How much is too much?
What uses would I get out of it (furniture upholstery)?

[kodydog]

Great overview of the serger equipment Bobbin.  Since my business is diversified, it turns out we have basic equipment to make ravelling materials more manageable, in the furniture side of the house.  There is a 3 thread here for that task, Baby Loc.  It is a heavy little machine for its size and if used properly will do a number on furniture fabrics.  It isn't much benefit when dealing with auto fabrication needs.

My Baby L. has a cutting knife but never use it.  It flips up out of the way.

We bought a Baby Loc about a year ago. I was real skeptical that such a light weight machine would work on upholstery weight fabric, but it does. You do have to be gentle with it or you'll break needles or thread but if your like me and use it only 2 or 3 times a year on loose woven fabric it works fine. And if something were ever to go wrong with it your local home sewing machine store can fix it.

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

Bobbin,

Are you trying to take my job here!@#  You sure do know your stuff when it comes to the overlock/sergers.  Not bad at all. 

Keep in mind, like flat bed lock stich machines, there are also a wide vareity of overlocks and sergers with tracker feed for heavy material transport, heavy pile materials, some for very fine shear clothing, some suited for canvas weight materials, some for special appilactions.  As well as three, four and five