trimacar Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 ...other than Enfield Auto Restoration, that is...for years they've been providing a custom service, send them your leather, and they made bindings, hidem welting, and wire-on from it, to match your upholstery project. As of November 1st this year they no longer provide the service, although the equipment and inventory are for sale to do same. Is there anyone else out there doing this? It's a huge loss to those of us who do a little upholstery work, and the loss will be felt by many who are restoring cars now....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Wow! What are they asking for the equipment? This really is a loss. As far as I know there is no other source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Not having a source for custom wire-on will be a real problem. Maybe they can no longer source the base wire material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 16, 2016 Author Share Posted November 16, 2016 The individual who was doing the work left the company. They do have the equipment and inventory of raw material and client list for sale, if anyone is interested talk to Steve at Enfield. I thought about it, but just don't want to get tied down to this at my age. It's a big problem, for sure.....I've taken wire-on and reworked it with leather, but very time consuming and difficult....sure hope someone picks this up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friartuck Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 I've made contact with L-B and let them know about this. Would seem logical that they take over this needed service. No word from them though....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Yea, L-B would be the natural ones to provide this service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted November 23, 2016 Author Share Posted November 23, 2016 I borrowed a skiver this past week, and made enough thin leather for my welting...it's not hard, but time consuming......wire-on is a real problem, though, you can sort of custom make it at home, using a bought wire-on and then covering it with skived leather, but what a pain....and both of these take more time in hours that it's worth, Enfield was a bargain for what you got in return..... I'd be willing to bet, if anyone takes this over, the price per foot will go up, and rightfully so....I know I'd pay up for some custom wire-on right now!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dl456 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Any more word on this? My trimmer also used Enfield for this service. He has purchased a skiver and he let me attempt to use it last week.. Like David said, not hard but certainly not an exact science. Seems more like a practice of application and familiarity with a particular machine seems important to success. ( I ruined a couple pieces) He is also dreading the process of making the wire-on. Hey Restorer, How about a nice "sit down" job? Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 No word yet, there was a "hopeful" for buying the equipment, inventory, and client list, but the price may have scared them away. Personally, I don't think the client list is a big deal. Once you start making it again, the word would get out. The skiving was OK. The real problem, as you mention, Dennis, is wire-on. You can put a couple of hours into making a 10 foot piece, let's say $50 an hour so $110. or $10 a foot. Enfield was doing it for around $3 a foot. And, the problem is, I've seen cars that need 40 or 50 feet of wire-on, I think my '31 Pierce phaeton has more than that, as each door is outlined with it! I hope someone picks up the ball and gets the equipment. I'd bet there's a learning curve to using it, but there is some money to be made, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Any idea what they are asking for the biz? I assume we are talking tens of thousands? Would take quite a while to amortize a large start up expense on such a limited demand product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 Yes, I know what they're asking, sent you a PM..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 I would also be curious enough to know....if you don't mind passing alon that tidbit. Thanks Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 Sent you a PM. thanks dc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poci1957 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Could you send that to me too please? I used to use their stuff when I was doing upholstery and hate to see the loss of this service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trimacar Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 Yes, I sent you a PM also. If anyone is seriously interested, contact Enfield and they'll send you pictures of the set up for making wire-on, the machine for doing hidem welting, the skiver, and so forth. The wire-on machine looks about as Rube Goldberg as you can get, with a LOT going on, but it sure worked!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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