Connect with your social network account

[TedP]

Greetings,

In my quest for perfection I am trying to find better ways of fitting the vinyl skin to the cushion/frame . . . in this case boat seats. So far I have found that using steam to pre-heat various areas that need to 'stretch' in order to fit 'right & tight' helps as I can begin to make the vinyl take the final shape that it needs before stapling the perimeter areas.

I some situations, I feel it would be good to heat the entire skin all at once, particularly when there are contours that the skin has to stretch over during installation. (such as a bucket seat or a boxed bolster). I am wondering if folks use some sort of a 'steam oven' to heat the entire skin?

I was going to make an oven-like box about 3 foot cubed that the steamer could heat, but wonder if there are any proven devices or methods of heating the entire skin all at once?

[Ddedman]

I was thinking about this very same thing just the other day. Following...

[Sully]

I'll let my covers sit in the sun for a while before I install them to make them more pliable.

[TedP]

Yes, the sun would work in the summer, but I tend to do my work in the winter.

I'm thinking of building a box out of foam boards and have an access whole for the steamer. I'm also thinking steam would be better than mere heat. Kind of like a steam bath, but for vinyl . . .

[MalcolmM]

Steam isn't the point a controllable even heat is, if you are going to make an oven just use infrared heat lamps to warm the covers, though be sure to test where the best distance is for your materials so they don't scorch. Steam is used because the steamers are readily available and for it's temperature limitation. If you were bending wood, then a steam box would make sense as you need the moisture, but for seat covers only the heat is necessary and heat lamps are far cheaper.

[TedP]

Thanks for the replies . . .

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am thinking I could do more of a 'tent' than an 'oven' and use a space heater to blow warm air into the 'tent'.

I am currently working on a rather large vinyl piece for a wrap-around backrest that could benefit from some heat in order to be fitted. So, I'll make a 'flange' to isolate the space heater and use 2 mil plastic as the tent.

I've done a similar approach for paint drying and fiberglassing of various items during the winter months.

[Shaun8484]

Ted, have you done this yet? Curious as to how it worked.

[TedP]

I tried to put something together , using a space heater and a small 'tent'. It did not work. Just not enough heat going into the the tent. I do worry about the potential for hot spots if I used an infrared heater.

I am thinking maybe an electric blanket ???

[BigRig]

Talk to any Katzskin installer and you will learn they burn through Jiffy Steamers that run constantly.