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Thank you. I am getting better at it. I am never afraid to tackle something I have never done before. Hey, at least I can try right?. It is different when you are making stuff for others though. I have high expectations for myself but higher ones for others. I am just grateful to be able to do this.
Rain gutters. I honestly wonder if they really would work. They did cover an ugly corner though. So all is good. Keep in mind the back is not pulled down. No buckles inside. A different fastening system is going to be used.
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So this thread is probably done. Get it... Thread? Sew that was a bad pun..
Top that...
Later. :D
Looks fantastic! And yes the rain gutters do work. The few times I've been caught in rain with mine, the rain from the roof rolled down the gutter and towards the back, the rain hitting directly to the window of course leaked in. That's the fun of an old military vehicle is it leaking in the rain.
Ha ha, so true. What jeep does not leak? Even the wagoneers leak...:D
That looks great! Good Job!:whistle::applause:
Agreed...great job!!
What cant you do? Maybe you should work on solving world hunger or end all wars...or both!!
Thanks guys... How does that saying go? Jack of all trades, master of none.:)
Everything I do can always use improvement. The tops keep getting better with each one completed. Eightydueces top is almost done. I am struggling with one last detail that I have not been able to do on the tops. I am waiting for basting tape from sailrite. It is like double sided super sticky tape made for sticking canvas type materials. It helps water proof seams and holds material in place while you build. Here is my issue. Inside the rear bow seam, the top panel and back panel are joined with a stitch with excess flaps from both panels. The flaps lay flat on the inside while a strip of material gets sewed in on top of the flaps with a stitch on both sides of the first seam. This strip sewed in spreads the stress on to three stitches instead of the one that joins the top and back. My problem? My Pfaff 145 is an upholstery and or leather machine but is crippled by a short arm. I am trying to fit the entire back or top panel through a very small area while I do my best to keep the stitch straight since it is visible from the outside. I have not tried it yet and that is why I ordered the basting tape. To hold the flap or strap while I try to sew the entire back seam, Twice... Keeping the two panels stretched apart and get a straight stitch is going to be the most difficult part of this whole 6 day process. Do it wrong and I have wasted 6 days work and some very valuable material. This alone may be the reason I might have to choose not to make these for m715 owners. All canvas OEM tops have this flap sewed in over the rear seam. If they don't they should have it. It would only be a matter of time before sunlight or wind damaged the single seam. The proper long arm machine is 4K and just not in my financial cards. I have to find a way to make this work. I am only declaring this issue because I feel I should. I have a difficult challenge to overcome, or I will have to stop making these tops. I will give it my best shot. Liz will help me guide the top through the machine. We discuss this frequently. If I said I was not nervous about it, I would be lying.
Thanks for the encouraging words. Jon, I am still trying to figure out world peace and upright politicians. I am afraid we are short of both. ;)
Got it! After several tries on the second top we figured out how to lay out the seam stick and reinforcing strap to give the rear seam the strength and longevity that needs to be there. I would not be able to do this without 4 hands and my wifes help. The flaps got trimmed back to neaten it up post sewing. This is by far the hardest step of the whole thing. The straight runs are a piece of cake. It is the corners that are darn near impossible to do. This is why I kept the strap narrow.
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From the outside. Now the strain is spread across three stitches. This is what OEM tops have. I was not doing them and was hoping that they would hold. Not good enough.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
So all is good knowing I can do this feature now. The one big thing I learned is this step needs to be done before you do any finished edges. Early on when joining the top and back. Unfortunately it raised the back and side corners a full inch. There is no stretch now in the reinforced seam. I have adjusted eightydueces top and while it looks pretty good, I have a wrinkle in the passenger side panel that I can't get rid of. So I am part way through a second top. I will be assembling in the right order from what I have learned so far. Some things get dialed quickly. This upholstery work is an art. This endeavor has required a lot of changes from the very first top. So it has had a substantial learning curve. I need the experience and it helps me in the long run. I will never be a half a**ed kind if guy. So when an upholsterer quotes you a price for his work and it seems high, know that a lot goes into the work and acquired skills to do so. I am just an amateur and trying to tackle something new. So far so good. It is just slow going sometimes.
When you taking orders? :p
Bravo!
I struggled to make a very simple Bimini top for my truck. I would never attempt what you have completed.