Pontoon Corner cushion

[JDUpholstery]

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....



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



http://s1087.beta.photobucket.com/user/jdackerson/media/Strobbe/11162012311.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

[JuneC]

Corners are the nemesis of every marine upholsterer.  Nice job!

June

[Mike]

looks good JD  I just did a complex back with multiple curves

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.

[MinUph]

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.

[JDUpholstery]

Some updated pics...

L Bench



Sun Pad



Pile o' Seats



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

[JuneC]

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   

[Mike]

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 ?

[Mike]

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. 

[baileyuph]

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

[Mike]

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

[JDUpholstery]

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!

[baileyuph]

JD, your project doesn't look bad, steam may be the answer.

Doyle

[Darren Henry]

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

[fragged8]

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 ?

[Darren Henry]

or is it better to trampoline the fabric off the
foam ?

Aerosol vinyl would be best----but I can't find any in Canada. LOL.