Wire-on now available from new source!!

[plymboy]

With the loss of Lebaron Bonney finding wire on to match is very difficult to find.  While looking for a source for my Hupp Skylark I found a young man in Wisconson.  He recently purchased the machine that makes the wire on product.  His name is Cory Cook  ph 715 520-3776, he did 50 feet for me on fabric I provided..."perfect"

[John_Mereness]

Valuable service !

[PFitz]

2 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

Valuable service !

 

Yes, very much so.

 I was worried who would take over when Enfield announced Dwain Fish was no longer doing it for them and they were looking to sell off the equipment. I've tried making single and double bead wire-on and, even in short runs, it's not easy without the right equipment.  I was very glad when this young man took it over.

 

Paul  

Edited July 7, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history)

[MochetVelo]

Is wire-on the same as welting?

[capngrog]

What is "wire-on"?  I googled it with no results.  Do you have any pictures of it?

 

Cheers,

Grog

[PFitz]

Here ya go, Cap.

Wire-on - both single and double bead-  is the trim you often see used with convertible tops  and around door edges. It has an almost half-round core with a zig-zag wire glued to it. That gets a covering material sewn over that. Then it's tacked down through the flat zig-zag wire part and the rounded part gets folded and hammered down over that to hide the tacks.  A narrow round core is sometimes also sewn into the edge when a double beaded trim is wanted.  

 

First two pix are the core I used to get from Dwain at Enfield when I needed to make up my own wire-on.

 Next two pix are with a covering material sewn on over the wire-on core, but still unfolded.

And last pic is the wire-on folded over where the tacking part would be.

 

Paul

Edited July 7, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history)

[capngrog]

PFitz;

 

Thanks for the explanation.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[39BuickEight]

It’s windlace with wire sewn in, that you bend over after stapling it, so as to cover and hide the staples themselves.

[PFitz]

-Not quite.  Windlace is a different shape for a different purpose than wire-on. 

 

Windlace uses a hollow, 1/2 inch rubber tube or soft sponge  rubber inside the covering material to cover the door gap and help keep out "wind". The Brits call it "draught extruder" for the same reason. It's typically a larger diameter than the core of wire-on shown in my pictures, And windlace is much easier to make than wire-on.  I've made quite a bit of  both.  

 

Wire-on would then be used to cover the edge of the door covering material where it's tacked over the tacking strip of the windlace.

 

On the latch side of the door the windless is tacked to the door jam so that the door closes against it. On the hinge side it's sometimes tacked to the door so it doesn't get pinched when the door is closed. 

 

Wire-on is meant for covering the tacked edges of upholstery and top materials and not door/jam gaps.   

 

Paul

Edited July 8, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

It is my understanding it is correct to hide tacked edges, whereas "hidem" is a cheap way to do it. Am I correct?

[PFitz]

Here's some pix to better clarify the difference between wire-on and windlace.

 

In the first picture, it shows a piece of wire-on on the left,  and a piece of windlace on the right.

Second picture, the windlace would be tacked overlapping the door and jam gap as if that white sewing table edge in the picture were the door jam.

Third picture. The wire-on would be tacked on last to hide the edges of windlace and door covering and  would look like those three beads of trim.

 

Paul 

[PFitz]

Just now, Spinneyhill said:

It is my understanding it is correct to hide tacked edges, whereas "hidem" is a cheap way to do it. Am I correct?

 

I wouldn't say "cheap",.... hidem is just a different type of trim to hide tacked edges.  You see it used more on the early cars - even expensive  makes.  So, my guess is that hidem verse wire-on was more of a fashion then a cost factor.  

 

Paul

[Spinneyhill]

Thanks. I am more familiar with cars of the '30s and usually see it on less costly vinyl upholstery jobs, hence my comments that it was a less costly way to finish an edge. My guess is also that seats of the thirties were put into a completely sewn cover and tacked underneath, whereas less expert re-upholsterers tack it on across the top and use hidem when it was not used there originally.

[PFitz]

Here's some pix of left-over hidem I made to match for a repair of damaged door upholstery on a 1922 Demi sedan.

 

The same piece of wire-on on the left, black hidem on the right. If it's sewn properly, the natural springiness of the covering material should close the gap between those two round white cores that form the center beaded edges.  

 

To tack it you have to bend the cores apart, as I'm doing with my finger in the third picture, and put the tacks in the center gap.  When you let go the two beaded edges should spring back together covering the tacks.

 

Apologies for the black hidem not coming out in more detail against all that white background.

 

Paul

Edited July 8, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

Always is stunning to have leather wire on that matches interior 

[PFitz]

Yes,  it certainly is! 

And I wish Cory every success.  A service like this, that is so needed  as more of those with the old skills for the specialized work involved in good antique auto preservation/restoration become fewer and fewer.

 

Paul

[60ch]

PFitz, Did you use a material folder to form the black hidem as you did the sewing?  I am trying to reproduce the hidem used on the front seat side wings of my 29 DA dodge.

I have a compound feed Consew machine but I cannot fit enough fingers into the the work space to get the consistancy needed for a nice job.

Thank you, Terry

 

 

[PFitz]

36 minutes ago, 60ch said:

PFitz, Did you use a material folder to form the black hidem as you did the sewing?  I am trying to reproduce the hidem used on the front seat side wings of my 29 DA dodge.

I have a compound feed Consew machine but I cannot fit enough fingers into the the work space to get the consistancy needed for a nice job.

Thank you, Terry

 

 

 

After the cores were sewn into the edges of the material like piping, I folded them in toward the middle and used a left toe presser foot so I could stich through front and back right up close along side the cores. I'll see if I can get clearer pix that show that better.

 

 A regular presser foot can't get in close enough, but you should be able to get the same type left toe foot for a Consew from a commercial sewing machine dealer. 

 

Paul

[PFitz]

Ok here's some clearer pix of the hidem.

 

The first three show the left toe presser foot next to the regular presser foot. You can see how there's no foot to the right of the needle. That lets you stich right up close to the core material as the last operation. It can also be used for the first row of stitches to sew the cores in place.

 

To match what was in that 1922 Sedan I stated with 2 inch wide cobra grain (Haartz topping).  Sewed the cores in each edge, then folded them to together and stitched  along the outside edge of each core.  That gave me the finished width.

 

The forth pic shows the two lines of stitches on each side. The first line is the one that holds the cores in place, just like doing piping.  Then the second row of stiches is done when the cored edges are folded together to be the middle.

 

The last pic is an end unstitched and opened up to show how it's folded. Notice that there is a strip of the same shiny cobra grain material laid in the  center back so that the dull cloth backing of the cobra grain doesn't accidently show if the cored edges don't fully close together after being tacked down. That also gives the material a little more stiffness to help it lay flatter when tacked.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Paul 

 

 

[mike6024]

Nicely illustrated with the pictures and all. I should be able to do that, given the explanation you provided.

 

Never heard of a left toe foot before but it looks like it;d be useful, Is this that type?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Single-Toe-Welting-Foot-Set-For-Consew-Juki-Singer-Walking-Foot-Machines/183582008801?

 

I've got most of my sewing stuff off eBay and this "sharpsewing" place in Los Angeles. They sell all sorts of presser feet, both individually and in sets. Hard to understand some of the descriptions though. Here is a presser foot set.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/40-PRESSER-FOOT-SET-HIGH-SHANK-INDUSTRIAL-SEWING-MACHINE-JUKI-BROTHER-SINGER/122464134627?

 

PIPING (CORDING) FEET (7 PIECES)

4351H Adjustable Left or Right cording foot.
P69HL-1/8 Hinged piping foot (Left). This foot will attach 1/8" diameter piping to your fabric. (P69LH-1/8”)(36069HL-1/8”)
P69HL-3/16 Hinged piping foot (Left). This foot will attach 3/16" diameter piping to your fabric. (P69LH-3/16”)
P69HL-1/4 Hinged piping foot (Left). This foot will attach 1/4" diameter piping to your fabric. (P69LH-1/4”)
P69HR-3/16 Hinged piping foot (Right). This foot will attach 3/16" diameter piping to your fabric. (R36069H-3/16”)
P69HR-1/4 Hinged piping foot (Right). This foot will attach 1/4" diameter piping to your fabric. (P69RH-1/4”)
P36N Narrow hinged cording foot (Right). This foot is ideal for getting in very closely to a zipper, welting, and/or cording. (12435HN)

Edited July 10, 2019 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[PFitz]

Yes, but be advised, that presser foot in your picture is a right toe foot. However, it will also work for hidem.  Left or right foot doesn't matter with hidem. You just make a pass and turn the hidem end-for-end and then sew the other side.  

 

I had the left toe foot because I needed it to be on that side for some large pieces that would not fit under the machine had it been a right toe.

 

I don't know about your first link, but I have dealt with Sharpsew  and was pleased with the service.  

 

Paul

Edited July 10, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history)

[60ch]

PFitz,  Thank you for the photos and the explanation on the hidem. A hugh help for me and I"m sure others.

 

Terry

[PFitz]

Glad to help.

 

I'm also glad I remembered to wash my hands before taking the pictures.

 

Paul