Topic: bought a pfaff industrial sewing machine.

[Shtonecb500]

If I can make a pattern, would you consider making me some new Vetter Fairing pocket covers? I have a Vetter I fiberglass 'Jammer, and Craig doesn't make the covers for this early model, only the later standardized ones. It uses heavy Naugahyde (I can shoot the Naugha here and send it's hide to you).

Yeah, that seems like an easy enough project.

[Shtonecb500]

I managed to put together a decent version of the seat cover in red vinyl, the front welt cord went on well after the second attempt, the longer piece of welt going around back of the seat I accidentally sewed in backwards, so the round portion was on the inside when I flipped the cover right side out...no biggie. I realized sewing my pattern on the top would be easier without the back on so ill do that next, then re sew the welt, then the lower strip.

My buddy is building out a custom cb500 and he is making a fully custom seat, it should be good and ill share that too.
The lower rotary hook component has some excessive play, we've been looking for genuine Pfaff parts but they are non existent for the most part, If anyone has an extra genuine lower rotary hook or hook and bobbin for sale for a 145 or 545 we are in the market...in the mean time I ordered an aftermarket for 40 bucks.

Also, if you have a 145 or 545 sewing machine for parts in the 100-200 bucks range in michigan, lmk.

[grcamna2]

shtonecb500,will you find places that offer different types of seat foam to help you build your seat ?
I had Sargent in Fl. build me a seat for my 86' VFR back in the 90's;they told me that closed-cell foam is excellent even though it isn't as soft and plush as the open-cell foam that our original Honda seats come with.I chose a mix of their 'Atomic' closed-cell foam inlayed into certain high-stress areas of my seat which was much more supportive.
The other thing they did was take my original seat foam and steam it to their specs.. The seat turned-out very good.
I once had another upholstery person recover one of my seats and I brought them a kit from an online supplier called Saddlemen and it came with a section of closed-cell foam that's called 'Black Magic' which is just a bit more dense and less soft and compliant than our original seats were when fresh.
I wonder if someone can find out who makes the best type of seat foam for both comfort and density,like the OEM was.
I hope I can learn of a place which matches foam for different densities and comfort possibly like airplane seat foam or other automobile manufacturer suppliers.. although I imagine that the Detroit automakers won't let that information slip-out as it's a 'trade secret'. 

[Stev-o]

... one of the three things I remember from 7th grade home economics class (mandatory of course back in the 70s).

Hey Mark...I had that class but they called it "Bachelor Survival" at my school!   

[MauiK3]

I know I’m old but it seems I run into a lot of “youngsters” that don’t have a clue about many common things like cooking, basic home skills, etc. a lot of failed parenting maybe?

[Mark K]

I know I’m old but it seems I run into a lot of “youngsters” that don’t have a clue about many common things like cooking, basic home skills, etc. a lot of failed parenting maybe?

Maybe, but I know I grew up with 2 brothers and 1 sister, both parents worked, so they were busy and our schools taught a lot of those skills, balancing a checkbook, cooking, basic home skills as well as shop class. I think a lot of can be contributed to more liberal ideas of what should be taught to kids in school.

[HondaMan]

If I can make a pattern, would you consider making me some new Vetter Fairing pocket covers? I have a Vetter I fiberglass 'Jammer, and Craig doesn't make the covers for this early model, only the later standardized ones. It uses heavy Naugahyde (I can shoot the Naugha here and send it's hide to you).

Yeah, that seems like an easy enough project.

OK, I'll try to get some pictures and measurements this weekend!

[grcamna2]

If I can make a pattern, would you consider making me some new Vetter Fairing pocket covers? I have a Vetter I fiberglass 'Jammer, and Craig doesn't make the covers for this early model, only the later standardized ones. It uses heavy Naugahyde (I can shoot the Naugha here and send it's hide to you).

Yeah, that seems like an easy enough project.

OK, I'll try to get some pictures and measurements this weekend!

Possibly send him a cloth template with 4 snaps attached?

[Alan F.]

It seems to me if you make a nice snap pocket cover for the early Vetter fairings, that you should add those to your "catalog" of available parts and list them as new handmade on eBay. I've got the later style Windjammer left side snap cover with map pocket and a pair of Vetter Quicksilver snap pocket covers I could lend you for measuring, but I'd want them back. Hit me with a PM if interested.

[Shtonecb500]

Had some time to mess around today and this is my first real sewing project, it wasn’t a disaster  wanted to try stitching the pattern rather than melting it. I’m going to keep taking it apart and redoing it…gonna get some nice welt cord too.

[RAFster122s]

Naugahyde is something many young people have never experienced. Shop class in junior high they taught us lots of stuff you just do not see today. Things were way cheaper back then but wages were not high either, so if you grew up making little money and saving over time to buy things like I did as a kid you understand the value of money better than most teenagers these days.
I wanted more personal choice in my clothes for school when in high school so I made money in summers mowing lawns to have the money to buy most of my clothes for school that fall. It helped after I stopped growing not needing to buy as many things because my size wasn't changing as much. Realized the other day a few of the T shirts I wear are 15 and a few approaching 20 years old, having way too many tshirts I guess reduces the wear on some. Since moving back to the desert a lot of my darker colored tshirts get put in the winter stack because wearing a dark blue, red, or black Tshirt in the summer heat and sun is asking to need to shower and change clothes or wash up and change a couple times a day...

[HondaMan]

Had some time to mess around today and this is my first real sewing project, it wasn’t a disaster  wanted to try stitching the pattern rather than melting it. I’m going to keep taking it apart and redoing it…gonna get some nice welt cord too.

Boy, that is nice work already!
I think I'm going to make a pattern of these covers, along with pictures. The early Vetter fiberglass fairings were different from the injection-molded Vetter III (which were Yamaha OEM for a while) and SS versions, and the fiberglass Vetter II versions started as the version I and ended with the III style.  No one (even Vetter) offered replacements for the I and II versions after Vetter moved from IL when the bankers stole the company from Craig.

[TwoTired]

Had some time to mess around today and this is my first real sewing project, it wasn’t a disaster  wanted to try stitching the pattern rather than melting it. I’m going to keep taking it apart and redoing it…gonna get some nice welt cord too.

While I do admire the stitching, welded patterns don’t let water through to soak the foam, or the plastic liner to isolate the absorbent foam.  Maybe you can use closed cell foam to limit absorption on rainy encounters?

[RAFster122s]

Had some time to mess around today and this is my first real sewing project, it wasn’t a disaster  wanted to try stitching the pattern rather than melting it. I’m going to keep taking it apart and redoing it…gonna get some nice welt cord too.

While I do admire the stitching, welded patterns don’t let water through to soak the foam, or the plastic liner to isolate the absorbent foam.  Maybe you can use closed cell foam to limit absorption on rainy encounters?

Wonder how well a DWR coated nylon would hold up if used between the foam and the cover to provide a water resistant shell but not be plastic sheeting?

[70CB750]

Had some time to mess around today and this is my first real sewing project, it wasn’t a disaster  wanted to try stitching the pattern rather than melting it. I’m going to keep taking it apart and redoing it…gonna get some nice welt cord too.

Looking great already. 

[MauiK3]

As a young rider I sewed my own leather pants and jacket from some hides I bought. Leather was much easier to get then and the quality was great. My niece still has the pants!

[Don R]

 I liked the comment from the upholstery guy on #$%*in rides, Leather is easier to go around a curve than vinyl because cows aren't flat. 

[grcamna2]

shtonecb500,will you find places that offer different types of seat foam to help you build your seat ?
I had Sargent in Fl. build me a seat for my 86' VFR back in the 90's;they told me that closed-cell foam is excellent even though it isn't as soft and plush as the open-cell foam that our original Honda seats come with.I chose a mix of their 'Atomic' closed-cell foam inlayed into certain high-stress areas of my seat which was much more supportive.
The other thing they did was take my original seat foam and steam it to their specs.. The seat turned-out very good.
I once had another upholstery person recover one of my seats and I brought them a kit from an online supplier called Saddlemen and it came with a section of closed-cell foam that's called 'Black Magic' which is just a bit more dense and less soft and compliant than our original seats were when fresh.
I wonder if someone can find out who makes the best type of seat foam for both comfort and density,like the OEM was.
I hope I can learn of a place which matches foam for different densities and comfort possibly like airplane seat foam or other automobile manufacturer suppliers.. although I imagine that the Detroit automakers won't let that information slip-out as it's a 'trade secret'. 

How has the search for good seat foam been for you ?

[Shtonecb500]

Questions for ya all

What is the process called of getting the fake thread print into the vinyl called? Does anyone have youtube links of the process?

Im guessing its just a little piece of metal with that design on it heated up and pressed on, right?

[dave500]

Imbedding?moulding?texturing?

[RAFster122s]

Embossed

[dave500]

thats the one!!

[grcamna2]

I like the embossed/classic look,although a lot of vintage seat covers(it was just their time to be replaced anyway)seemed to crack around the embossed areas first,imo.

I still think the foam is most important,then put a quality cover on quality foam.