I'm working on my friend's rambler and she has this terrible particle board that needs to be replaced. We're discussing what to replace it with.
What do you guys use for door panels? 1/8th plywood or plastic or something else maybe?
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I'm working on my friend's rambler and she has this terrible particle board that needs to be replaced. We're discussing what to replace it with.
What do you guys use for door panels? 1/8th plywood or plastic or something else maybe?
most of my friends use Luan 1/4 inch but they all have older cars where the panels are straight.
Click on this link:http://www.cadvision.com/blanchas/54...oorpanels.html I used this in my '54 Ford budget build,all 4 panels only $120.:D
We use .040 aluminum,It is strong and can bend in to place
Here's a thread on door panels ran a few months back.
http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41468
Good luck,
Jim
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/IMG_0378.jpg
aluminum and fiberglass was used to make this panel
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/DSC_3013.jpg
again aluminum with 1/8 hard foam and a 1/4 inch detail panel sanded to shape
[QUOTE=RECOVERY ROOM;
again aluminum with 1/8 hard foam and a 1/4 inch detail panel sanded to shape[/QUOTE]
These are beautiful! Excellent work! How did you fasten them to the door?
Recovery Room your works looks great and it's always clean with nice lines just how I like my interiors to look. I think sometimes people just do way to much and they forget that the car is suppose to be the main focal point and then the interior.
We use metal spring clips
I will take pics for you today
Chrysler style
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/IMG_3886.jpg
What I'd like to see is what's under all that nicely stitched leather. How It's all put together. I'm wanting to do my 41 which has flat panels but I'd like to add designs to it. I prefer a "no sew" method. I've seen just about every net posted DIY and most are pretty bland. I like your style but you are light years ahead of most beginners because of sewing/stitching. Show us some simplified "cut and paste" that most could accomplish. Thanks and I really like your work. =robert=
All of our stuff takes more than a "cut and paste" approach,Thanks for looking at the work!
Thank you for that, I have tried to figure out some tips to help the guys that are trying to do some stuff on there own and will post up some of the simple things that go in to,Just waiting for a couple cars to show up that are more of a basic build so I can take pics.
I didn't imply your work was. If you re-read my post. There are methods that are considered "no sew". Many are darn right sharp. You may not use that approach, but some do.. ((I'd like to hear from those that do)). Many can't afford work such as yours, but wish to "try" to do it themselves. I'm trying to be polite here. This section was setup for discussion of DYI not to showoff work that obviously a beginner can't do. If your going to show your work.. Please by all means tell us how you did it with illustrations. Simply saying it's made from aluminum and foam tells us nothing but a materials list. I really enjoy reading about a guys work and how he did it.
Hey, just keep'em coming. I enjoy seeing photos of high quality work no matter how you do it, or what vehicle you do it on. I'm sure it's just like body work, a lot more work goes under the finished product than anyone would expect.
I've got edge sewn carpet, and an upolstered Glide bench seat in my roadster. I did luan wood for inner kick, door, and quarter panels. But it's still bare wood. Based on what I have read here, before I do my final leather interior, I will use the wood as a template to make metal backing panels. But, I have already decided that I want a "built in" wrap around style bench seat for my car. I would be very interested in any ideas you have in building the support frame and foam density for a seat like this style. I'm sure you must use different densities in different areas to get the shape and firmness. I'm already pretty used to shaping seat foam and getting it smoothed out on motorcycles.
I didn't take what you said wrong,It took me years of trial and error and experimenting to get the looks we do. There is some no sew panels that can be made,I do it all the time. There just is not a way to explain how to do it with out sitting in my shop and watching...I have got PM"S asking for example's of my work to post for people to use as a guide, Or just for inspiration. I'm not trying to show off,Just posting pics that show work that can give people ideas.Get the same materials and start see what you can do with them and some imagination. Make a base panel and draw your designs out then see what can be done.I really don't know what glues are a available for the home builder we use a high grade that cost about 50.00 a gallon and have to be sprayed with a dedicated spray gun,Foam we use is 1/8 or 1/4 inch closed cell. We use a hard insulation foam to make bucks to pull molds out of fiberglass from.Take all those materials and some imagination to create some panels...... This picture is a simple design and no sewing.The armrest is fiberglass glued to the base panel then it was covered with the 1/8 inch foam and lines cut to design then covered with ultra leather and sculpted in the cuts
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/IMG_3929.jpg
Before covering
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...IMG_3852-1.jpg
That gets a little more complicated, The support depends on what you have to hang a seat back on, Braces going from floor to top of body is what we do then you can cut your back of seat out of 3/4 inch heavy plywood and coat with fiberglass resin for water seal, Add sides to wrap around out of aluminum. The foam density is different from supplier to supplier so ask for a sample.I use a hard foam on the edges and sides, a softer one in the contact areas were you sit.You can cut the foam with a bandsaw for your shape then glue it together and sand it out with 100 grit on a D A sander to smooth the edges,The foam should look like the finished seat without the leather on it.Glue it to your wood back. Try and use .040 for your panels if you can, If not luan will work fine.
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/IMG_3319.jpg
Before
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/IMG_1511.jpg
After design and covering,The sewed lines were put on just for added design,You would not have to do this
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...IMG_1675-1.jpg
Like Recovery Room said it has taken us years of learning thru trail and error, this a trade and we are very proud to know this trade. We make our living off of this and for us to tell you step by step how do build an interior is not the right thing to do. I'm sorry but I had to speak up and say something because everyone needs to understand this is a Highly Skilled Trade that has kept food on the tables for many of our families over the years. We don't ask others how to do their jobs that they make a living out of, so please don't ask us how to do everything. We are a dying trade and need to protect it before it's gone. This doesn't mean we won't help you out with certain questions but just keep in mind of what was said above. Thank You
I can understand your reluctance to reveal the "secrets" of your trade, but you should also realize that most of the members reading these threads will never attempt to reach the level of excellence you have achieved and therefore will never become competition for your job or living. I'm sure your trade is no more or less exclusive than high level body work and painting or engine building, yet the experts on this forum freely share their knowledge in these areas. Shouldn't HotRodPaint or SprayTech be as worried about someone learning their painting secrets, or Pat McCarthy or Paul Kane worry that someone will learn how to build a super engine and leave them unemployed? Yet these and many other knowledgeable members share their expertise freely.
The original concept of this section (as envisioned by 1954Merc) was for an area where we could share how-to's about upholstery and, although he appears to have taken his ball and went home, that should still be the reason for this section, not just an advertising media for those professionals who can produce show quality results. I enjoy looking at these beautiful interiors as much as everyone, but I would never attempt to produce one and certainly have no interest in becoming a pro and going into competition with you, so your families need not worry about starving on my account. Knowing how you do these jobs is more likely to convince me that I should just pay to have it done.:)
JMHO
I have been asked to put up pics so people could get Ideas, Instead of just sending a PM to those people only... I paid to contribute and donated money to this site before I posted pics....If that is taken the wrong way that is not what I meant to do.
Very, very well put, I agree completely. We are here to learn and share what we've learned, our members are scattered all over the world, it's highly unlikely that I would travel to Maryland or Nebraska to have the interior put in my project but it sure is nice to see outstanding examples of Recovery Room's work. Please continue to share your knowledge!!!
Mike
So there are some very nice door trims here. Could someone tell me about the chrome trims ? I mean where do you get the material from do you bend it your self ? I'd like do some door trims for my wife's car. I was thinking of trying some sort of plastic for the backing and velcro to hold them on.
Cheers Manky
I understand where you guys are coming from but when I first learned this trade my boss always told me over and over don't sell out and tell everyone how the trade was done because then you don't have a trade, you have a job that anyone can do. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned in the way I do business but I think everyone on this site is a great group of people and I enjoy talking to guys from all over the Country. There is plenty of work to go around and I know Recovery Room and our shop will stay busy for many of years to come because of the great groups of people these cars bring out:3dSMILE:.
Hey Guys, been reading thru this post, and heck the last thing I and many of us want is to upset any of you professional trimmers. I am guilty of wishing and dreaming I could send my car up to the guys that have shown some photos of their work to have my upholstery done but living downunder has it draw backs.:rolleyes: But in saying that,the ideas I have picked up on from just looking at those photos has been so helpful. My own brother is a talented auto upholsterer but he happens to live at the other end of the country,so he will not be doing my trim job either. My main concern is that I want the bodywork finished to enable the trimmer to complete a professional job that not only I am satisfied with but he is proud to put his name too.:D
I hope that my previous posting was not construed to be a slam against the professional trimmers. As I mentioned there, I love looking at the beautiful upholstery jobs you guys are sharing with us and they are a real inspiration even if far beyond my skill level or budget.
It's just that, when the original request was made to open this section, I became very excited at the prospect of learning something new, even at the basic level. I had hoped that we would see some entry level (and possibly more advanced) how - to's that those of us who might be interested in doing our own upholstery could learn from. In that respect, this section has been a disappointment
My other concern is that, if (quote)We are a dying trade and need to protect it before it's gone.(end quote) how does keeping the process a secret encourage young people to try the craft and possibly bringing new blood into the trade?
Yes restorod i know what you are saying. I remember tooo many years ago when I joined an old company fresh out of school to learn panelbeating and motorbody building and everybody questioned me as to why, it is a dying industry..:rolleyes: Yeah right, what were everybody going to stop having accidents!!!:LOL::LOL: What I have found helpful is the different ideas on how to prepare my car for the trimmer to do his job, eg., Ken Thurm makes all his interior panels out of aluminium sheet first so that all holes for the fasteners are drilled etc before paint and finishing.. Another thing I have learnt from Don (Itoldyouso) and Jim Robinson is how to think out the seating and make something that you find comfortable with to sit in before the trimmer covers it. After all we are the bums that are going to spend time sitting in them.:D:D As Hotrodpaint will tell anybody,, It's all in the preparation that results in a excellent paint job or just another paint job..:3dSMILE:;)
I understand what is being said here, If I could explain what we do to make it easy for you to do I would, It is easier to show and explain at the same time for the way we do things, I have never worried about losing work by giving advice to someone on a forum, I have tried to answer questions on here in other post before. I just don't take very many pics of the construction part before the finished product is done. Thats the boring part to us..lol Next basic job we get I will do that and share the photo's with you
Thanks Recoveryroom, we much appreciated what you and others have shown us, as I have said before, I would like nothing better then to post my car up to you for it's trim job. LOL.LOL. Seeing your finished jobs has given me a heap to think about,eg, style, material to use, colours etc and what will fit with the complete look of the car. So please.keep on posting them photos and I agree with what you said, upholstery is as important as the bodywork,paint and mechanical side of a cool ride.
FYI, 1954Merc has had a pretty full plate lately with his wife being in the hospital for some serious treatments, plus trying to keep the business side covered. He's not had time to be on the computer much, as I understand. His wife was said to be doing better for now, again as I understand from seeing something a couple of weeks ago in another venue.
For me, I really like to see the fantastic custom panels you guys do, and a basic tip or two along the way, answering specific questions like, "...I really like (fill in the blank) on the red panel. Is that shaped foam or a hard panel beneath?" can really help build confidence to step beyond smooth material on a flat panel for someone wanting a DIY approach. One question that has come up several times is metal accents - SS, chrome or formed billet? Custom made to shape by a metal guy, or formed and bent in your shop? Not step-by-step, just basics? Take the ivory panel with the tasteful shaped accent for example?