Leather trim...

[stig]

Man, what a pain in the ar$e this is compared to alcontara!

Trouble is, leather has so little stretch in it by comparison. Am working on the door trims at the moment and am having the devils own job getting it right into the dish hole. I seem to recall a trimmer saying that a steamer was the most useful tool in 'the shop' - anyone used one or had any experience doing to the door interiors?

[cliveg]

Hi Stig. I handed mine to a trimmer and he marked the leather trying to get it to stretch sufficiently - expensive lesson. I've ripped it off and am planning to ask the factory to do it. Playing around after the event I found warming the leather carefully using a hot air stripper helped it stretch well, but I'm not confident enough to try (i.e. can't afford to get it wrong a 2nd time).

[stig]

cliveg said:

Hi Stig. I handed mine to a trimmer and he marked the leather trying to get it to stretch sufficiently - expensive lesson. I've ripped it off and am planning to ask the factory to do it. Playing around after the event I found warming the leather carefully using a hot air stripper helped it stretch well, but I'm not confident enough to try (i.e. can't afford to get it wrong a 2nd time).

Well - it's good to know the pro's have trouble too

I emailed the factory about it and they confirmed that it's a pain to do (so it won't be cheap either). Temperature can play a big part, so I'm going with the steamer idea next.

I know other builds that have had a trim panel made for the doors, these use an oval insert to alleviate the problem. The factory supplied trims are all one piece.

Thing is, I'm, 98% there (I must be a better trimmer than I thought )

It looks like this at the mo:

[cliveg]

Looks good. I found doing a bit at a time and making sure the glue sticks properly helps too. Its easy to try too big an area and end up with lumpy bits of glue between leather and door that have to be cleaned off before you can get a smooth finish.

[stig]

I found that doing it a bit at a time meant that you ran out of leather somewhere further along the process!

The trick is getting the edges right and still leaving enough to fill the dish The difficulty is sticking the edges down without bonding the middle!

Ah well, I'll persevere.

[cliveg]

Just found myself thinking I might have another go at it now Seriously bad thought given how long I have spent building so far!

[stig]

cliveg said:

Just found myself thinking I might have another go at it now Seriously bad thought given how long I have spent building so far!

But think of how smug you'll feel after you've done it

Did you really start in 2003!?!?!

To think, I'm frustrated at how long it's taken this time

[cliveg]

24 September 2003. I finished the workshop a couple of weeks before then - painted floor, white walls, lights and sockets everywhere, tools neatly shelved, solid workbench etc. - build heaven. 2 weeks before delivery wife found a derelict farm that would be 'perfect for the horses' - unfortunately the wrong kind of horses. Have now spent 2 years living in a caravan organising various building trades, and building canam in a dis-used milking parlour with holes in the roof