Help !! bucket helm seat ?

[fragged8]

hi guys n gals.

its been 2 years since I upholstered a bucket helm seat and i think i'm patterning myself into a corner ?
Knowing how great you guys are could someone point me in the right direction please ?

Here's what i have done, I have 2 seats the same to do so only stripped one so far. the seats have a seam inside and outside the arm and i understand why.
I patterned the arms but made the patterns baggy and taped up the baggy parts to cope with the curves and want to rely on the vinyl stretch to pull into shape.





another thing i did was moved the seam higher on the arm , was that a mistake ?






the baggy pattern works ok does anyone else make baggy patterns like this ? but i really wanted to make the arms without seams in the middle is this possible or am i buying into a world of pain ?


one place that is causing me problems making the arm in 4 parts is the front where the arm meets the base. even taking up the pattern baggyness it's still hard to pattern that shape.. ?




Would I just be better off cutting the old cover apart and using that as a pattern ??


regards
Rich

[forsailbyowner]

one thing ive found that helps is to take an extra 1/4" to 3/8" off the patterns where it folds under the base. I find I get much better results having to stretch it into place if that makes any sense.

[JuneC]

Most arms have a diagonal seam right where the arm meets the base.  It makes the fitting easier.  If you don't want to do that, get out the heat gun.

June

[Mike]

There was a article in the marine fabricator. That showed using old skins as a pattern.
Kinda loke your wrinkly pattern the old
Skins dont lay flat do they make reliefe. Uts in the. Inhl so it would lay flat  yes it doese make the pattern piece a bit larger that has to be shunk sewing  
Ill look up the article i believe i still have it saved online


http://marinefabricatormag.com/articles/0311_st2_inside_covers.html

[fragged8]

surprisingly mike the wrinkly patterns do work !! I have made an arm piece as a tester
and it fits fine except at the point in the last picture. thats a bitch for wrinkles

The first ever skin i made was on a Bayliner type bucket seat and using the wrinkly pattern
there was no need for a seam on the inside curve . I did a full skin in 2 1/2hrs

My problem is its been so long since i covered a bucket seat i've forgotten how i did it :-)
but i think i may have the school vid on my server if i can find it..

[Mike]

im sure they work like the articles wrinkly skins.  im surprised no heat or steam was needed 

[fragged8]

well heres the result of my wrinkly patterns ..

i'm 90% happy with it :-)

[Mojo]

Looks great Richard. Good job mate. :)

There are med's for that 10 % ya know. or so they tell me......:)

Chris

[baileyuph]

Doesnt' look bad at all Richard, you haven't forgotten how to do boat seats!

The vinyl fairly soft, I don't see wrinkles?  You did a great job of lining up the pleats on both seats.

I suppose you used flat sew foam?  About how thick, 1/2 inch?  I guess you drawed the sewing lines on the vinyl with a pencil?  I always struggle with using pencil and getting it too dark.  There are professional markers that even disappear after time, but I go with chalk or a light pencil line saying I should get a decent marker, but never do.

The customer should be very happy with the seats.

Congratulations on a job well done.

Doyle

[Mike]

looks great rich . I removed the upholstery out of a pontoon Monday  and  installed today  

[fragged8]

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 !!

[momto3fatdogs]

Take it for what it's worth, becasue I have ZERO experience! But I think it's gorgeous.

Sam