common sense fitting ?

[fragged8]

hey guys

i've been doing a Fairline Targa 33 and the front window panel is held in place
by common sense around the screen frame and also common sense
over the radar arch, so you're tensioning the canvas between common sense
fasteners top and bottom.

the screen frame has like a P section at the top and it protrudes quite a bit,
maybe even further than the fastneners. so mark the fasteners for cutting
I had to pull and push to get behind the fastener to mark it.

is this just a sob to fit the canvas or am i doing something wrong
as i just cant seem to get the canvas on nicely

[JuneC]

Not sure I understand what the problem is (I can't envision your "P" thing) - sorry.  One thing I do know is that putting on common sense fasteners where the canvas goes over a curve or bump of any sort creates all sorts of issues, especially where you have fasteners around the exterior of tight curves.  Problem is that they protrude about 1/2" beyond where they fasten, so if you put in the eyelets where they should be placed, it's a bear to pull the canvas out enough to get it on.  Is that what you're talking about?  No easy fix that I know of except to not use some other fastener when those obstacles are encountered.  Lift-the-dot's will cause the same grief, but not to the extent of Common Sense IMHO. 

If I have no choice, what I do is place a key eyelet - usually center, and work out from there.  I mark and fit one at a time.  Doing multiples on the outside of a curve in one fell swoop is just asking for trouble.  Only exception is for a cover that will have tent poles where vertical fit is less of an issue.  In that case, I measure on-center, one turnbuckle to the next and mark my eyelets to match.  Still, no more than 3 or 4 at a time because it's not foolproof.  I hate the dang things, but I have to admit, they hold.  I don't envy you doing this with an enclosure panel - all that up and down will result in scratches, no matter how careful you are.  The alternative is a so-so fit.

June

[Mike8560]

Never seen a fairlane targe. Rich
I agree with June. What I'll do Also is fit the cutting to on the fastners o the boat then pull the canvas down tight and make my cut   This may not be possible due to the Ngle your woeking with. 

[fragged8]

i've had a go at drawing it.

The convertable top came out pretty good, its the front panel that sucks hehe
you can see its just not tight enough



i've cut the eyelets in already, is it possible to move them ? or would i need to repair the bottom edge
failing that its a new cover i guess.

Rich

[Mike8560]

Frying to move the turnbuttons is going to make a big mess try righting from the top. Cutting and moving the zipper down tighter would be a simpler fix.

[fragged8]

hi

y i'm thinking right now that i'll be making a new cover
it was really cold when i fitted this one which may have been part of
the problem.

I'm not sure what you mean about cutting and moving the zippers
Mike ? how would that tighten the front ?

[Peppy]

I've run into this problem before. Can you get double turnbuckles? With twice as much space under the turny thing? Should help.

I'd say like Mike. If the front window zippers to the top, pull the window up and mark the zipper and cut some length (height?) off the window.   

[JuneC]

Richard, I think you're screwed (if you'll pardon the expression)...  The weather is your problem, and even now, if you fit them in this weather by mid-summer they'll be baggy again.  I'd leave the upper portion of the panels as they are, remove the bottom band and sew new fabric on, maybe 1/4" above where it is right now, and refit new eyelets across the windshield.  You might also end up moving one half of the vertical zips a bit as well to tighten up that dimension.

No zips, Mike and Peppy.  He said there's common sense fasteners across both top and bottom.  Only zips are vertical between the panels.   

June

[Grebo]

Richard, I think you're screwed (if you'll pardon the expression)...  The weather is your problem, and even now, if you fit them in this weather by mid-summer they'll be baggy again.  I'd leave the upper portion of the panels as they are, remove the bottom band and sew new fabric on, maybe 1/4" above where it is right now, and refit new eyelets across the windshield.  You might also end up moving one half of the vertical zips a bit as well to tighten up that dimension.

No zips, Mike and Peppy.  He said there's common sense fasteners across both top and bottom.  Only zips are vertical between the panels.   

June

What she said  ;D  & wait until it warms up a bit.

[Mike8560]

I forgot the turnbuttons top and bottom.
The problem with waiting till it war
Ed up unless that's going to be next week is you would hVe to wait untill summer ro get paid.
What to do
make much tighter naw and hVe it loosen up this summer?   
I've found that allot of people
here would not mind it being a bit loose and easier to install then have it nice and tight and wrinkle free.
Some rhig it should be wrinkle free ans loose yet lookike it's drumtight installed.

[fragged8]

hiya

I've been thinking along your lines June. except I was going to cut the top off and add a
new edge so i can fit the fasteners again.

you hit the nail on the head too, common sense both top and bottom, this
was going to be a pig even in the best conditions.

I basically got my ass kicked on this job because of the cold. of course
even though its 10 degrees right now its probably 3 or 4 times warmer than it
was when I fitted the cover.

I'm getting really fed up with this job now as the customer has been hassling me
to get it done all winter and i was trying to please him and get him off my back.
There may come a point I just write off this job to experience, the customer isn't
going to be happy though.

rich

[fragged8]

hiya

i had a thought last night , I might be able to put a dart along the
top edge where the cover pulls over the radar arch.

Just at the point where the cover leaves the arch to drop down the front
pin a dart from port to starboard,

how does that sound ?
Rich

[JuneC]

Richard, I think that would tighten up your panel, but I still think you're going to have fit issues right on the bend.  You have a pull there in the glass.  Maybe if you make your "dart" seam fade to nothing right on that bend.  Do you have small darts on the panels behind the "P" where it fastens to the arch? 

Personally, I've had very limited success in altering panels after-the-fact.  Hope your experience is different. 

June

[fragged8]

y i got some small darts at the arch bends.

I really know this is a remake, you know how you try to convince
yourself you can work it out instead of starting over.

one thought i had was to pattern the cover a bit like
a dodger with a join on the edge of the radar arch.

[Mike8560]

Sounds lime that could fix it rich. Just at the top tou Ean at the facing right?