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Best Way to Create Bucket Seat Panels

5150

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I've been flirting with recovering the buckets in my boat. I'm having difficultly mocking the panels up, I can't trace an accurate pattern from the old stuff because of the "memory" in the vinyl. I've done my best to flatten them out with heavy weight laid on top of them for a couple of days, which helped but I'm still coming up too short when I sew my mock patterns up, especially the front panel which has more curve (length) in it.

Looks like my next attempt will be to create the two patterns using the shell itself. Hoping for some advice on how to best recreate these panels. What's a good material to use for a mock pattern? I've used cotton, it's too flimsy, tried cardboard..too stiff. I've tried over tracing the old panels and those turn out like crap every time.
 

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coolchange

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Forget the old vinyl. It will just give you a headache. Take the foam off the top of the seat so you have a good edge. Trying to pattern from old foam is a bitch. If you need to pattern try red rosin paper. But you might just use cheap vinyl. Most of the time on my one offs i use the foamed seat as a pattern.
Get your arc across the bottom from a pattern.
Put your piece in the seat. Dont be afraid to glue it in with contact cement.
Trace around the seat on the foam side of vinyl.You need to make a center hash mark on the top of the seat foam and one on the vinyl. Then every 4-6 inches on the foam and vinyl. You will also use these marks on seat to mark the cap.
You will mark where you want the seam and also 1)2" for selvedge.
I assume you have a walking foot machine if you're tackling this.
 

5150

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Thank you, great tutorial. Never thought about rosin paper, jeez, I have about 200 sq ft of it that I've used for wind breaks in the garden. And yes, I was trying to pattern with the foam in place, problem solved.
 

coolchange

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Dont tkae the foam off the seat. I mean the foam on the top of the seat that is pulled over the top. 1(2 or 3)4. It looks like it is just pulled over the top and has no " edge". Unless you can predict your seam with it still on there. Good luck and dont hesitate if you ha e a question i can try and help with.
 

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Dont tkae the foam off the seat. I mean the foam on the top of the seat that is pulled over the top. 1(2 or 3)4. It looks like it is just pulled over the top and has no " edge". Unless you can predict your seam with it still on there. Good luck and dont hesitate if you ha e a question i can try and help with.

Gotcha, that's what I meant, just peel it back, that worked. Cut a set of patterns with the felt..much, much better but still not perfect. Whipped out the iron and steamed the old patterns flat, damn, what a difference. Gonna try to copy that next with felt. Very much appreciate the advice, I think I'm sneaking up on it.
 

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Thanks coolchange, your advice worked. Still not perfect but I'm sneaking up on it.
 

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5150

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Sooooo...

Sorry I didn't post a follow up. The seats turned out pretty good. Some obvious errors if you look hard but they worked out way better than I thought, on a budget at that. Thanks again for your advice!

RD.jpg
 

coolchange

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For your first seats I'd say that's pretty damn awesome. What did you sew them on?
 

5150

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For your first seats I'd say that's pretty damn awesome. What did you sew them on?
Not sure what make/model machine, borrowed it from a neighbor. It's a commercial type, looks like it was made in the 40's or 50's. I sewed up 7 mock panels (different materials) and test fitted before tackling the final material. Sure appreciate the compliment.
 
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